Rapunzel OHSHC
by Astreella
Summary: We all have been told this tale ever since we were little—the story of a brave prince who rescued a girl imprisoned in a tower by an evil sorceress. Many think of this story as childish; they'd laugh it off as just a simple fairy tale told to the children who couldn't fall asleep in the silent night. However, to her... It's a story that has been her dream ever since she was little.
1. 1 It may just be a common name

_A/N: Here we go~ Enjoy the story! Miki means beautiful princess by the way :)_

 _-Chapter 1-_

 **It may just be a common name**

Suoh Tamaki sat in his chair in class 2-A, absently listening to the teacher talk over the new year's curriculum. To others around him, the princely character seemed calm, charming and collected, but his best friend knew that the crazy man was imagining equally insane ideas to spew out at the next club meeting.

Propping his arm up on the table, he stared out the large window, seats away from him allowing his imagination to run wild.

 _Maybe we should put together a Romanian-themed meeting next? Or maybe add a few kotatsu? What about a fairy tale themed? A commoner themed one might my little girl very happy..._

"Mr. Suoh, please pay attention up here." The teacher called out with a slight hint of irritation in her voice. She pushed her glasses up her nose bridge, a thing she does when she is reminded of things she forgot. "That's right class, before your first day, I would like to make one more announcement." Turning to the closed sliding door of the classroom, she said calmly. "You may come in."

Everyone quickly turned their attention to the door, excepting it to open any minute. There were light whispers and murmurs, wondering who could possibly be transferring weeks after the first day of school.

As excepted, the door slid open gently as a girl with the Ouran signature yellow dress walked in. She had long strawberry blonde, almost dirty blonde hair and round hazel eyes. She wore a soft and innocent expression as she floated over to the teacher. Taking the chalk the teacher held, she nodded politely before turning to the blackboard and began writing her name down.

The whispers and murmurs grew even louder as the sound of chalk grazing on the rough surface continued. Before Tamaki realized, everyone in the classroom, including Kyoya were looking in his direction. Unable to catch on, he looked up at the blackboard where the new student has written her name.

須王 美紀  
Suoh Miki

His eyes widened in confusion.

The girl twirled around on her heel to face the class, her dress fluttering behind her. With sparkling eyes, she bowed her head low.

"It's a pleasure to meet you all." She chirped happily. Her smiled resembled one of an innocent child's. "My name is Suoh Miki, please take care of me."

It was only a matter of time before the class was crowded around the new girl's desk. Not that it didn't happen every time a new student came. Tamaki was also in the cluster. Being seated in front of her, he spun around enthusiastically the moment the bell rang just to get to know the mysterious new student.

"So what does business does your family do, Suoh-san?" One of the boys standing next to her asked.

"Just a small financial company in Europe," Flashing an unbalanced smile, Miki answered. "I doubt if I say the name, you will recognize it."

"Have you been living in Europe all this time then?" A girl piped up.

Nodding her head with a bubbly smile, she chuckled. "In Spain, yes."

"May I ask, how is your Japanese so fluent then?" Another girl tilted her head.

Miki giggled as she continued to nod her head. "Both my parents are Japanese, so they made sure I had through training in their native language.

"So princess," Tamaki interrupted, swishing his hair to the side in a charming matter. "Seems like we've had similar upbringings then, we must be fated to meet here."

"Pardon me?" Like a child, Miki's eyes widened. She seemed to be very surprised by being called 'Princess.'

"I, Tamaki, too, have grown up in Europe, moving here 3 years ago." He said with his signature dashing smile. "So tell me, dear, how have you been adjusting to this prestigious academy known as Ouran?"

"It's been wonderful so far!" Miki chuckled, her fingers curling under her chin. "Everyone is very kind."

"Say, Say." One of the girls nudged Miki gently. "Are you and Tamaki-kun related?"

"P-Pardon?" Flinching at the question, Miki cocked her head to the side.

"He shares the same last name as you." The boy who spoke first informed.

Miki glanced up at the princely character who posed in a charming manner. The aura around him seemed to be sparkling, and roses seemed to have grown all over the classroom for this changed atmosphere. She tilted her head, covering her lips with a soft giggle.

"Who knows?" She flashed another unreadable smile, one that was shrouded in both mystery and secrecy. "It may just be a common name." She said.

Listening in, but not participating in the conversation, was Kyoya. As his best friend continued to speak to the new girl, he was busy typing away on his laptop. Under the Ootori Database, he typed in "Suoh Miki."

"Suoh-san." After classes have ended, a girl with long straight hair and bright eyes approached the new student as she packed her bags.

Looking up, the girl saw one of the students she had been introduced to at the beginning of the day. Her name was Yotsuboshi Sora. She wore a gentle smile as she took Miki's warm hands in hers. "Would you like to spend some time with me after school?" She asked in a timid manner. "There is a place you must see!"

"Please, drop the formalities, Yotsuboshi-san." Miki beamed brightly. "You may call me Miki if you'd like. And where is this place you insist me on going to?"

"In that case, please call me Sora too." The brunette nodded, already dragging Miki out of her chair and out the classroom. "We are going to the very club Tamaki-san is in." She announced, pulling Miki by her hand.

Miki blinked awkwardly; she thought for a moment before quickly following up with Sora's pace. "Let us go then, Sora-san."

Miki followed Sora as she was taken through countless amounts of French styles hallways and raced up the busy grand staircase. They all reminisced the late nineteenth-century Paris architectural styles. The wall-less corridors allowed the bright open sky to spread out above them. Miki couldn't help but gasp slightly at the blue fountain that reflected such sky and the green grass that smelt oh-so-fresh. She stayed in a daydream like daze, still being guided by an unaware Sora.

Sora soon came to a stop in front of a pair of closed double doors, grinning excitedly. She eagerly adjusted her hair and skirt, letting go of Miki's hand in the process, snapping her out of her fairytale-like daydream. She turned around, hazel eyes growing quizzical as Sora pulled out a hand mirror, checking up on her reflection as she hummed lightly. She tilted her head in confusion as she turned to look at the label of the classroom.

Music Room #3.

She blinked, turning her attention back to Sora who was adjusting her straight hair.

"N-Now, shall we go in?" She finally asked, looking up with an apologetic smile and a pink flush on her cheeks.

Miki nodded, curious about what type of club a man like Tamaki would be in. She followed Sora as the girl excitedly pushed open the beautiful peach coloured double doors. Almost immediately, the bright light of the chandelier flooded her vision. She squinted, trying to allow her eyes to adjust as she heard a couple voices say in unison.

"Welcome, to the host club!"

With confusion, Miki blinked as the image of seven boys came into focus in the light. She heard Sora let out a slight shriek, and then a dreamy sigh next to her as she attempted to take in her surroundings. The whole room had a traditional Japanese theme. Decorations such as potted bamboo plants, golden painted dividers, there were even tatami mats on the ground. The seven boys before her were all dressed in kimonos, two of them she recognized as boys from her class, Suoh Tamaki and Ootori Kyoya. She watched as Sora as well as a few girls who she didn't notice appeared behind them flock towards the boys and began to chat enthusiastically, leaving Miki to observe the situation.

Two boys, she instantly realized were twins, they both had golden eyes and messy auburn hair, which one had their hair parted to the left while the other parted to the right. Other than that, she could barely tell the difference between the two. One was an exceptionally tall man with black hair and black eyes with another boy, much smaller in size clung to him like a koala. The smaller boy had blonde hair and honey brown eyes, ones that shone with a childlike innocence. Finally, the last boy who she didn't know looked rather simple. Brown hair, large brown eyes. His dainty figure and reserved posture could almost pass him as a girl. She stood there awkwardly trying to take in her surroundings when a familiar voice and figure appeared before her.

"Princess Miki!" It was Tamaki who spoke, suddenly appearing before her with glimmering blue eyes. They resembled sapphires as blue as the sea. "I see you have chosen to come and visit our wonderful club!" He said in a flowery voice. Miki held her breath, suddenly feeling the aura around her change and suddenly become somewhat of a 'Tamaki Zone'.

"I brought her in Tamaki-san!" Sora swooned, standing with the other girls and guys of the club.

Tamaki chuckled. "Why thank you, my little lamb." He said, directing a red rose to Sora who took it with a red face. "I'll give you something extra later after we take care of our first-time guest here." Eyes turning back to Miki who still remained a bit in a daze and state of confusion. "Now," He said with a wink, and Miki swore she saw stars blink out of his eye. "What's your preference?" He asked in a honeyed voice, not even allowing Miki to get a word in. "The wild-type?" He announced pointing at the insanely tall man. "The boy lolita type?" He then gestured the little blond. "The little devil type?" He indicated the twins who moved in perfect motion towards her. "The cool type?" He motioned Kyoya who gave her a narrowing and bone-chilling glance. "The Natural Type?" He then pushed forth the brown haired boy who seemed very uninterested and annoyed. "Or..." As if completing his monologue, he reached forward, sliding his hand underneath her chin. Bringing his face closer, he leaned in seductively. "Perhaps, you'd like to try me? The Princely type?"

Quickly feeling uncomfortable to how close their faces were, Miki reflexively shoved the 'prince' back gently. She stepped back nervously, watching as he tumbled back slightly.

"Damn sir..." One of the twins chuckled.

"You got shot down fast..." The other finished.

 _Wow..._ Miki's eyes widened in amazement. _They are perfectly in sync..._ She thought.

"S-Sorry..." She stammered, quickly snapping back to Tamaki and apologizing by bowing her head. "I-I just didn't feel comfortable with you so close to me..."

"It's alright," Getting back into rhythm, Tamaki pulled out a rose to offer to the girl. "If it's for you, my body will take any punishment..." He winked. "Now tell me, what kind of experience would you like in our host club, Princess?"

"W-Well..." Miki's voice trailed off as she averted her eyes shyly. The guests and hosts around her gathered. They swallowed, watching intently to know what type of guy is the new girl's type. "I've meant to ask..."

"Yes, my dear?" Tamaki urged on.

Looking up, the girl finally asked. "What's a host club?"

.

.

.

Silence followed her statement as Miki tilted her head, unaware of the confusion she had set into motion. She watched as Tamaki's face turn blank, before looking up to be met with deadpan faces from the few guests and the hosts, minus the brown haired boy. Blinking, she searched the sea of blank faces for an answer.

"Pfff!" It was the twins who firsts to break were the twins as they simultaneously began to clutch their stomachs, holding in laughter. But it didn't last long before their voices erupted as they comically slapped the thin air. "Hahahaha!"

"She's almost as dense as you, sir." One of the two twins, the one with the hair parted to the right managed to squeeze out between chuckles as he rubbed his eyes to get rid of the tears of joy.

The next to break was the little boy who laughed alongside with the twins before running up and clinging his arms around Miki's waist, surprising the girl. "Miki-chan, you are so silly." He sang.

"The Ouran Host Club is where the school's handsomest boys with too much time on their hands entertain young ladies who also have way too much time on their hands," Tamaki explained with a dramatic expression, his blond hair swaying in the wind coming from god knows where. "Just think of it as the Ouran Academy's elegant playground for the super-rich and beautiful." He concluded.

Hearing his explanation, Miki's eyes immediately began searching the room curiously. "You said it's a playground, so then... where are the slides and swings?" She asked with a dead-serious face, causing the twins to continue burst out laughing even louder. The guests laughed along making Miki more confused than ever. It was then; the little brown haired boy stepped in with a wry sigh.

"Miki-senpai." He tapped her shoulder gently, raising an index finger he began to explain. "What Tamaki-senpai means by that, is that this club entertains it's guests through tea-and-flirting obnoxiously."

Miki's eyes widened in realization as a red flush spread across her cheeks when she realized the mistake she made. Letting out a quiet 'ah!', she covered her mouth with her fingers.

"Haruhi!" Tamaki cried comical tears as he raised a finger to point at Haruhi. "Do you really feel that way about our club?"

"As I said, I do," Haruhi replied without reservation.

Almost immediately, Tamaki went to sulk in a colourless corner causing the guests to laugh at the hilarious exchange.

Watching the scene unfold, Kyoya crossed his arms and narrowed his sharp, ink-black eyes at the new student.

Since Miki said she didn't feel comfortable 'choosing a host,' she spent the rest of the day by her only friend, Sora's side at Tamaki's station. She was quickly introduced to the hosts. The mischievous twins, Hikaru and Kaoru Hitachiin. The third-year lolita and his giant friend, Mitsukuni Haninozuka and Takashi Morinozuka, or Honey and Mori-senpai, as she was instructed to call them. And finally, Fujioka Haruhi, the first year who was kind enough to guide Miki through the awkward situation she was put in. However, unlike the other girls, she didn't converse with the 'king' and the hosts. Instead, her eyes were wandering around the room. Like a toddler seeing the outside world for the first time, she was staring at the guests, the architectural designs of the room, the teacups, the blue sky outside the window, the furniture, and even the flowers.

When it was time for Tamaki to switch customers, Miki followed Sora and a few other female students out, only to be called back by a voice.

"Miki-san." A familiar voice called out, causing Miki to twirl around on the ball of her foot, her yellow dress fluttering in the momentum. She cocked her head to the side curiously as she saw Ootori Kyoya of all people, standing by the door of music room #3 with an unbalanced smile. "Could you stay back? I'd like to talk to you for a moment." He moved his hand, gesturing for her to come closer.

After bowing quickly to Sora and the other girls who quickly waved goodbye, Miki paced over to her classmate whose unsettling smile she didn't notice, the heel of her black leather shoes tapping echoed in the long empty hallway. "Yes, what is it?" She shot a sincere closed eye smile, hands cupping before her lap.

"It's nothing much; just a routine follow up to your first day." Folding his arms in the sleeves of his kimono, Kyoya spoke, his unreadable smile still curled on his lips. "May I ask, how did you find your experience with us?"

Responding to how genuine Kyoya sounded, Miki lowered her guard and relaxed her muscles. "It was wonderful," She giggled airily, her voice like a bell. "It's a wonderful atmosphere, Suoh-san must put in a lot of work to keep the club running."

"Indeed..." Kyoya's voice trailed off as he felt his eyebrow twitch slightly, the unbalanced smile continued to hang from his mouth as he changed the topic onto one of his interest. "However, I couldn't help but notice your focus was not very much on the host, but your surroundings Miki-san." He pointed out.

"A-Ah..." Quickly darting her eyes away, Miki stammered. "You see, I was simply observing the architectural design of the music room." She quickly covered, not realizing just how terrible at lying she was. Her palms were sweating, and her eyes were all over the place, she clutched her dress nervously. All signs Kyoya picked up on. "I wish to pursue production design in the future, so I suppose it's just my designer's eye at work."

Well, the last part of that excuse wasn't a lie.

Humming, Kyoya closed his eyes. "I see..." His voice trailed off as he played along with her jest.

"Is that all?" Still not picking up his eyes of suspicion, Miki tilted her head airily. It was quite apparent at that point; she was just as airheaded and naive as Tamaki. Something about this conversation brought flash-back memories of Kyoya and Tamaki's first meeting.

"Not just yet." Opening a crack in his eyes, so Miki could see his onyx orbs glare into her hazel ones. "I have searched through my entire family database," He spoke, his tone sending a chill down Miki's spine. "And there is not a single person, either in Spain or Japan with the name Suoh Miki." Reaching out a hand, he planted it gently to the wall beside Miki's head. Lowering his body to trap her there, he stared into her slightly confused yellowish-green eyes with a small scowl. "Care to explain why?"

Instead, Miki tilted her head and wore a sorrowful smile. "I'm afraid you are mistaken." She said quietly. "If there is no such person, then who is standing before you right now?" She retorted.

Still wearing a poker face, Kyoya replied. "Someone who is not named Suoh Miki."

"But that is very much my name." Miki reasoned.

Furrowing his brows with slight agitation, Kyoya's blank face began to crumble slightly. "Are you asking me to believe that it is nothing but a coincidence that you show up with the same last name as the president of my club, yet there is no record to show of your existence?"

Under his shadow, he saw a slight sense of surprise and anguish flash across Miki's face, but it quickly faded into that same mysterious expression she wore earlier that day when she said the same line.

"It may just be a common name."

Seeing the conversation was getting nowhere, Kyoya slowly back away, folding his arms back into his kimono. "I apologize." He closed his eyes, reverting to a neutral expression. "I simply like to do a quick background check on all of our potential customers."

"It is alright. Ootori-san, you very much act like the club president rather than Suoh-san." Still maintaining a calm composure, Miki chuckled. "Now, may I leave?"

"Please, drop the formalities." Pushing up his glasses, Kyoya studied her once more. Though his doubts still lingered about her, he figured it would be better to keep her close by for surveillance. They say keep your friends close, but your enemies closer. "I have one last thing to talk to you about."

Miki blinked curiously, her expression and silence urging him to continue.

Smirking with amusement, Kyoya raised his chin slightly. "Since you say you are interested in production design, I would like to offer you a position to help design our sets for our guests. Naturally, we will cover the costs of furniture and decorations." He was expecting to be turned down immediately, especially after what he had just pulled. He thought he would need to dig deeper, to try and blackmail her into staying near them. But to his surprise, Miki's hazel eyes rounded and sparkled.

"Really? Are you certain you would give me such an honour?" She gasped her body language indicating that she was elated. Her hands clutched at her chest, and her cheeks turned rose. She tilted her head to the side. The big grin on her face resembling the one of an honest, simple-minded toddler, and in Kyoya's eyes...

It looked eerily similar to Tamaki's.

"Yes. You will begin tomorrow, meet us at the club room after school." Closing his eyes, Kyoya nodded. "Naturally, you will be under a probation period until we deem you worthy enough to officially join our club." He informed her, still in slight disbelief it was that easy to get her to stay.

"Very well, see you tomorrow, Kyoya-san!" With a cheery smile, she turned on her feet with a slight bounce to her step. Her long pink-brown hair trailed behind her as she ran down the hall, the sound of her shoes tapping being the only noise between them.

Kyoya stood there for a moment before turning around to head back into the clubroom, pondering on what it could all mean. The family name as Tamaki, her naivety and innocence, no record of her existence, and her eagerness to join the club. But he didn't get that much time to think about it, as another storm soon swept through and crashed the host club, in the form of a lady manager.


	2. 2 To Join the Host Club!

_-Chapter 2-_

 **To Join the Host Club!**

The next day, the host club sat before opening time gathering for a quick meeting. Just the day before, a girl by the name of Hoshakuji Renge crashed the host club and declared herself as the manager of the host club. Tamaki sat on a shared sofa with Kyoya, wearing a thoughtful expression as he addressed the hosts.

"I thought about it all last night," He said with his hand propped on his chin. "Having a lady manager might not be all that bad."

"Why do you say that?" The twins asked in unison.

"Don't you see?" Tamaki opened his eyes with a smirk. "She has transferred into the same class as Haruhi. If they become close friends, Haruhi might become more ladylike." He pointed out in a dreamy daze. "The uniquely girlish air of tenderness could stimulate Haruhi's own sense of feminity!"

"You've got to be kidding me..." Haruhi sighed.

"This is a grand-scale project in order to stir Haruhi up to be more ladylike!" He said, lifting a finger. "Only having these shady, disreputable twins as close classmates is not good enough for Haruhi," Tamaki concluded his statement by pointing at the twins.

"Who are you calling shady..." The twins tilted their heads.

"If it's a female companion you are worried about, then Haruhi will be just fine," Kyoya commented without looking up from his notes. "Even without Renge's presence, we have an alternative."

Everyone quickly turned to look at him.

"What do you mean by that, Kyo-chan?" As he ate a piece of cake with his legs kicking, Honey asked.

As if on cue, the door to the music room opened behind the twins, and a girl poked her head in. Kyoya looked up expectingly while the others in confusion as a soft voice announced their presence.

"Sorry to bother..." It was Miki, peeking her head in cheerily with a bright beam. Unlike the day before when she wore her hair down, there was a small braid on the side of her head, pinned to the back. "It took me a while to find my way back here..." She leaned in, clutching what seemed like a tablet in her arms.

"Princess Miki?" The twins each propped an arm up on the backrest of their shared sofa with a smirk. "We are not open right now."

"Ah, actually..."

Before Miki could even get a full sentence out, Tamaki pranced forward with a rose in hand. "Sorry, my darling." He said striking a dramatic pose. "I understand you are excited to see me again, but I ask you to wait just a little longer. And so..."

"Ah, Miki-san." Leaving Tamaki to his exaggerating monologue, Kyoya stepped forward with that reserved smile of his. "I'm glad to see you could make it. Please take a seat; we are in the middle of a club meeting." He said, gesturing a chair next to Haruhi.

"Kyoya-senpai," Kaoru asked swaying his head with his twin. "Was this what you..."

"Meant by 'alternative'?" Hikaru finished off.

"Miki-san is going to be joining our club as a set designer." Reaching a hand out to introduce Miki, Kyoya informed. "That being said..." He smirked, giving a side glance to Miki. "You are on probation period right now, so please do your best to live up to expectations."

Everyone's eyes immediately shot to Miki who's smile only brightened.

"Yes! I will do my absolute best to assist you all." She chirped happily, bowing as she spoke. "Please to make your acquaintances everyone!"

"Kyoya..." Tamaki reached over with a terrifying expression. "Why wasn't I informed of this?"

"I figured it would be much easier on the club's budget if we stopped hiring professional designers to do all the decoration work. So I simply asked Miki-san for her assistance." He stated in a distinct matter.

"Professional Designers... Damn these rich people..." Haruhi muttered under his breath.

Tamaki opened his mouth, about to protest when Miki popped into his vision holding her tablet. "In fact, Tamaki-kun," She said wearing that airheaded smile of hers, her finger tapping on the screen. "I was so excited I decided to sketch up a few layouts first, take a look."

Looking down on the illuminating screen, Tamaki examined the designs. His eyes widened, and he took the tablet from Miki's arms bringing his face closer as if that will help him discover something new.

"What's wrong Tama-chan?" Honey asked.

"Yeah, is there something wrong with her sketches?" The twins then asked.

Tamaki's hands trembled slightly. "These... are..." He breathed, suddenly looking up from the device and at Miki with sparkling eyes. "BRILLIANT!" He yelled. "There is a Romanian-themed design, fairy tale, Arabian nights! The attention to detail, the maximized placements of chairs so we can have more guests." He said, clipping the tablet under his arm so he could grab Miki with both hands. "You are brilliant, Miki! Great work!"

"Really?" With sparkling hazel eyes, Miki gasped. "I'm so glad you like them!"

"Now may I suggest you try creating a commoner themed one? Or maybe an ocean themed? Or better yet a wedding themed..." Holding Miki's tablet, he began to share his ideas with the girl who listened to him patiently with an equal, not more amount of delight in her expression. As they continued to ramble on, the rest of the hosts felt a sweatdrop behind their head.

 _Those two are really alike..._

Suddenly, interrupting the strange scene before them, the door opened once again to reveal another female with long blonde hair and a pink bow. Miki blinked slightly at her appearance.

"Everyone, your host club manager, Renge has baked some cookies." She sang, holding up a pink chiffon bag.

Disappearing from Miki's side, Tamaki bolted next to the door. "Oh, how ladylike! I'm so moved!" He declared, his arms waving dramatically.

"I didn't bake them for you, you phony prince." Narrowing her eyes, Renge spat, sending Tamaki to sulk in the corner with his head between his knees. Ignoring the poor prince, Renge raised the cookies to Kyoya with a love-struck expression. "They're a little burnt, but I know what you're going to say, Kyoya-sama." She said, cupping her cheeks and squealing Kyoya's name, unaware of how Honey had taken the bag of cookies and stuffed one into his mouth.

"You're right; these are burnt..." He commented holding his little pink bunny, Usa-chan close.

"Mitsukuni, stop." Mori appeared behind the boy, holding his hands up. "They're bad for you."

Hearing Mori say this, Renge froze and immediately turned around to chase them.

"Wahhh!" Honey cried dropping the bag of cookies into Haruhi's hand. Reaching out, he jumped and clung his arms around Miki's neck, surprising her as she quickly placed her tablet down to support his weight. "She's scary, Miki-chan, save me!" He whined. Mori on the other hand, stood behind Miki as she placed her arms loosely around the third-year lolita.

"H-Honey-senpai?"Miki exclaimed.

"WHO ARE YOU CALLING SCARY?" Renge yelled before her attention turned to Miki, who was gawking at her.

 _Did her hair just turn into snakes...?_ Miki thought, blinking incredulously.

"Who are you?" Her eyebrows furrowed as she studied Miki up and down suspiciously. "I don't recall seeing you here yesterday." Placing a hand on her chin, she tapped.

"Oh, I apologize for not introducing myself earlier." Bowing her head, still holding onto Honey, Miki smiled bubbly. "My name is Suoh Miki. I'm the new set designer of the host club, pleased to meet you."

"She's a recent addition to the host club," Kyoya added.

Humming as she walked around Miki, observing her up and down. "Well... It seems like my darling Kyoya is okay with you, so then I will be as well." Stepping back, she gives Miki a quick nod of approval before her frown turned to an elegant smile. "I'm Hoshakuji Renge, a new student from class 1-A. I am also the Host Club's new manager." She announced pridefully, puffing out her chest.

Then, an explosive voice of panic shouted from the other side of the room, cutting their conversation short. Miki quickly turned around in curiosity as honey jumped off her, finding Tamaki holding an unamused Haruhi by the face.

"Sexual Harassment?!" He yelled with comical tears. "If I'm harassing you, then those shady twins are twice as guilty! POLICE, OVER HERE!"

Miki tilted her head, contemplating on the new phrase she heard. "Sexual Harassment?" She was about to voice her question when another overly energetic and theatric voice erupted from behind her.

"It's all too tepid!" She leaned forward, hand on her hip while the other balled into a fist. "Except for Kyoya-sama, all of your characters are too lacklustre!" She said, pointing at the group who froze in fear. "All of you hosts are lacking a 'dark' side! Girls are vulnerable to handsome young men going through trauma! If you keep carrying on in this ridiculous manner, it's only a matter of time before everyone else grows tired of it! Are you trying to ruin Kyoya-sama's precious business!? As your manager, starting today, I'm changing all of your character backgrounds. Starting with you!" She exclaimed pointing at poor Honey who was on the verge of tears. "If all you are is cute, inside and out, then you're the same as a baby. As such, you are now 'The cute-face, who's actually a thug!' Morinozuka-senpai, you are the 'childhood-friend flunkie!'. The twins will be basketball players, 'shut up in their own world!'. Haruhi-kun, you're an honour student, faced with 'intense bullying!'." Everyone stiffened as she announced their 'new character,' comical sweatdrops on the back of their heads. Renge then turned to Tamaki. "And you are the school idol, esteemed for your looks, but you actually have an inferiority complex... 'the lonesome prince!'." She concluded before twirling around to stare in a lovestruck manner at Kyoya. "Oh, Kyoya-sama, you're perfect. You just stay your usual kind, affectionate self."

"I'm honoured," Kyoya replied with a smug smirk.

Renge snapped around to face Miki who wore a blank face, her mind short-circuiting from how quickly the French girl was speaking and what she was saying in general. "Now, Miki-san!" She heard the blonde call her name, causing her immediately to tense up from the information dump she had trouble processing.

"Yes!" Responding loudly as if they were in military camp, Miki puffed out her chest slightly.

"You are the set designer, right? Then get your pen moving because we have no time to lose! We need to get those sets rolling!" Reaching out, she grabbed Miki by the arm and began dragging her off the prep room.

"WAHHHH!" Honey wailed in the rain, leaping into an unexpecting Haruhi's arms with tears running down his cheeks. "Haru-chan, I'm sorry! I really can't do this! I don't want to hurt you!"

"CUT!" Another voice shrieked along with the sound of rolled up paper slapping something. "Cut! Cut! Cut!" Renge flailed her arms before the cameras that stopped rolling momentarily, and the water hoses that stopped sprinkling, allowing her time to yell at Honey who was going way off the script. Miki blinked as she stood next to the director, carrying a few towels, swearing that she saw the dirty blonde hair turn into snakes once more. "You there!" She continued to yell. "Stick to the script!"

With beady eyes, Honey whined, "But I..."

Ignoring him, Renge turned around to point at the cameraman. "Be prepared to reroll!" She ordered.

"Yes, boss!"

"Make the rain more heartwrenching!"

As she continued to ramble on, Miki stepped forward, passing Haruhi one of the four towels she carried in her arms. "Here you go, Haruhi-kun." She smiled tenderly. "You did great!"

"Ah, thank you Miki-senpai." Nodding back gratefully, Haruhi threw the towel over his neck and began rubbing off the droplets of water stuck to his head. Peeking his head through the towel, he then asked. "Did you make all the sets?" He asked gently.

"No." Feeling a sweatdrop behind her head, Miki laughed drily. "They had actual production designs do all the work, all I did was help them scout locations in the school."

Haruhi hummed as the two of them walked closer to where the twins and Kyoya were.

"Why have we suddenly gone from talking about changing our characters into a movie shoot?" One of the two, who Miki assumed to be Kaoru due to his voice complained.

"And I have to say it's an overblown film crew, huh?" Haruhi muttered, glancing at Renge who continued to yell at poor Honey about his lines. "They have production designers and everything."

"This is a dream come true..." Miki swooned, her eyes wide. "I wonder if any of them have worked on ' _Crime? Crime Drama_ _'_ " She giggled with her bell-like voice.

"Crime, Crime Drama?" Raising an eyebrow Haruhi tilted his head, Haruhi asked. "What is that?"

 _'"Crime? Crime Drama_ _'_ , Haruhi-kun." Twirling around, Miki corrected enthusiastically. "It's this crime drama I've loved ever since I was a little girl, about a famous detective that solves the toughest cases in London. It's been a dream on mine to work on and design such detailed sets!" Thinking of her favourite show, Miki sighed dreamily.

"Well, she rushed this crew in here from Hollywood," Kyoya informed glancing up slightly from his notebook with a neutral expression. "That man is the director of 'Millennial Snow,' the vampire movie that was number one box-office hit across America last year."

Taken aback by her enthusiasm, Haruhi hummed.

"Damn these rich people..." Haruhi thought.

"Vamp-pire...?" Miki tilted her head with a wide-eyed expression. "What is a Vamp-pire?"

.

.

.

The four people present stared at her dumbfounded, studying her to see if she was serious. Miki, in turn, blinked with an unchanged expression.

"Not vamp-pires, Miki-senpai. Vampire!" Kaoru corrected her. "They are graceful yet terrifying creatures of the night with sharp fangs that bite and suck your blood!"

"They are afraid of the sunlight and sleep throughout the day!" Quickly following up, Hikaru added. "How do you not know what Vampires are?" He raised an eyebrow.

"Where have you been for the last ten years in pop culture?" The twins then asked in unison, patting her head with eyes full of pity.

"I-I guess I just never paid that much attention to anything." Shaking her head, Miki quickly waved it off. "A graceful creature of the night... with sharp fangs... that suck your blood...?" Miki repeated, averting her eyes as her imagination ran wild based on the twins description.

~Miki's mind theatre~

 _A leech with fangs and a bowtie howling at the moon._

"And another thing..." Hikaru looked down at the script, slapping it with the back of his hand as he sat back down into his director's chair. "How come this script has Kaoru being the pitcher?"

"Yeah." Kaoru closed his eyes in agreement.

"Pitcher?" Haruhi turned to them this time, his large brown eyes filled with confusion.

"But there is no baseball scene." Joining in, Miki raised an eyebrow even more confused.

The twins sighed as they looked at the two. "If you don't know, then nevermind." They said at the same time.

Miki looked up to Kyoya who sat behind the two, only to find that he has looked away, unwilling to meet her eyes. She then turned to Haruhi who wore an equally dumbfounded expression.

"Pitcher?" Miki asked.

"Who knows." Haruhi shrugged.

As Honey and Mori's scene came to a wrap, the two were allowed to rest. Holding two towels, Miki offered them one each.

"Good work, Honey-senpai, Mori-senpai!" She greeted them as they walked off set soaking wet from head to toe.

"Thank you, Miki-chan!" Honey giggled, throwing the towel over his shoulder and jumping to hug the girl.

Giving him a wry smile, Miki pried the boy off. "Ah! Please don't hug me Honey-senpai! You are drenched right now." She told him as she began to help dry his blonde hair.

"Hehe, sorry!" Still chuckling, Honey rubbed the back of his head. "How did you think I do Miki-chan?" He asked with glimmering eyes. "Was I cool?"

Tilting her head, Miki nodded enthusiastically. "Yes, you were super cool." She affirmed before looking up at Mori who was drying his own hair while looking down at the two of him from his tall height. "Mori-senpai, you were super cool too." She added.

"Thanks." He said in his monotonous voice.

Then, around the corner of the building, there was the sound of props falling, metal and wood crashing onto the cobblestone ground. The three immediately snapped their heads around towards the source of the sound, after exchanging a quick glance, the three of them jogged over. As they made there way over, there was a lot of mumbling, then the sound of glass shattering. Quickly, they rounded the corner to find Kyoya standing with their back faced towards them. His hand over the camera while Renge stood before him with wide, dumbfounded eyes, Haruhi and Tamaki not too far back. The camera crew was panicking, some were screaming in what Miki recognized as English. It was only safe to assume he had broken the camera lens.

"K-Kyoya-sama?" Renge mumbled, her tone sounded confused, hurt and in disbelief.

"I'm sorry, but I cannot allow there to be any record of a club member engaging in violence." He said, his tone sharp and cold, reminding Miki of how his chilling expression of how he interrogated her just the day before. "I am extremely displeased in the way you are acting like such a pest." He said such words with what Miki could only imagine being a deadpanned face. His voice didn't falter, and neither did his posture. She felt her heart leap to her throat as a shiver rattled down her spine.

Giant beads of tears rolled down Renge's cheeks. "Why...?" She muttered, biting her lips. "Kyoya-sama, you're supposed to tell me to not worry about it, and then gently pat me on the head!" She breathed in sharply, lowering her head as tears continued to drip down. "Why would someone as kind and as affectionate as you..." Her voice trailed off, and Miki found herself stepping forward, but Tamaki's voice stopped her in her tracks.

He closed his eyes with a gentle smile. "That's not who Kyoya is." His voice soft and soothing, almost like a father comforting a child.

Renge gasped and turned to face Haruhi and Tamaki. Miki couldn't see her face, but she could tell more tears were falling as she dropped to her knees and began sobbing into her palms.

"It doesn't matter, does it?" His clear voice rang as he stood before her, crouching down to be on the same eye level as her. Renge's head moved to meet his. "Even if Kyoya-senpai is a little different from what you expected, Renge-chan. I think watching people, and slowly getting to know them, little by little can be fun too." He tilted his head, flashing a sweet smile.

Renge lowered her head slowly, the tears still falling and her body still trembling. Miki turned to look blankly at Kyoya only to find him turning around and walking away indifferently. She quickly ran to follow him.

"Kyoya-kun." She called out, once they rounded the corner and was out of sight of the others. She caught up to him swiftly once he stopped in his tracks, giving a questioning expression. "Is your hand okay from smashing the camera?"

"I used a rock. Besides, these are only shallow cuts, they're nothing to worry about." He shrugged, studying her as she let out a small 'oh.' Crossing his arms, he let out a sigh. "You seem dissatisfied with something." He raised an eyebrow, watching as Miki jolt from his observations.

"I just thought that you could've been more sensitive when you spoke to Renge-san," Miki explained bluntly with a blank expression.

"I merely spoke the truth; she was being quite bothersome."

"Even so, don't you think it is quite cruel to say such things to a girl who holds you in such high regards?" Her hazel eyes never leaving his ink black ones, she reasoned.

Closing his eyes, Kyoya shook his head. "She wasn't interested in me as a person, merely projecting her love of the main character of a dating simulation game onto me."

"Dating Simulation Game?" Miki blinked, tilting her head. "As in a game to simulate... a romance?"

A little irritated with just how shallow her knowledge was on the world, Kyoya nodded.

Shaking her head left to right quickly, Miki's eyebrows knitted as she said with determination. "No matter the reason, you can still tell she is rather fond of you." She pointed out. "I still don't believe how you handled the situation was ideal. You could have had more consideration in her feelings and-"

"Miki." Kyoya sharply cut her off, his eyes thinning. He pushed up his glasses and studied her as she gazed at him with fearless eyes and a slight pout. "I noticed that you have a very simplistic and sheltered worldview," Looking down at her, he grabbed her chin with a smirk. Noticing how she looked completely unfazed by how close they were, there was no blush, no flinching, nothing. "You are too naive for your own good." He stated, watching with amusement as Miki's eyes take a slight turn towards confusion.

Miki blinked cluelessly. "What are you trying to say?"

Letting go of her, Kyoya backed away slowly with the smirk on his lips slowly fading. His arms crossed before him once more as he observed her. "I'm simply trying to tell you; there are malicious people in the world that may harbour hidden intentions towards you. Be aware of them and stay on your guard."

Eyes turning to a downcast, Miki fell silent and thoughtful. After a moment, the corners of her lips tugged upwards. "I understand your worry, but Kyoya-kun," Tilting her chin up, she faced him eye to eye. "If you see everything in life with such a doubtful and critical eye, then you will miss out on all the beauty this world has to offer." She beamed softly.

Kyoya's eyes widened for a moment before letting out a small chuckle the transformed into a burst of laughter.

"What's wrong Kyoya-kun? Did I say something strange?" She asked, cocking her head to the side as Kyoya re-stabled himself.

As Kyoya calmed down from his laughter, he ran a hand through his hair. "It's nothing," He opened his eyes to look at her with amusement. "You are a fascinating person, that is all."

"Miki-san! Please help us clean up here!" Miki was about to respond when one of the staff called out to her. She quickly turned towards the source of the voice, before looking back and quickly bowing at Kyoya.

"Well, that's all I have to say." She glimmered. "I'll be on my way, see you later Kyoya-kun." Twirling around on her heel, she ran off in the direction of the main set with a slight bounce to her step.

Kyoya looked down at his scratched hand, then back at the girl's swaying hair in the sun. The amused smirk on his lips was deepening, he let out a small hum before turning around on his heel.

"Let's see..." Holding a box of equipment, Miki entered Music Room #3. Filming had been cancelled, especially after Kyoya smashed the Hollywood director's million dollar camera. And as part of the production crew, she had been instructed by one of the managers to place these props back behind some yellow curtains in the back of the room. Humming with a slight bounce to her step, she reached her free hand out to lift the curtain only to find a figure standing behind it, changing their dress shirt after it got all wet from filming.

The person turned to look at her, a slight gasp in surprise escaping their lips.

Brown hair... Brown eyes...

An undershirt with a lump around the chest area...

She blinked...

Her fingers twitched and allowed the yellow curtain to drape back down. The box in her arms dropped onto the ground.

Immediately after, the door behind her busted open and the hosts came pouring into the room dashing for her. Tamaki was leading the charge with comical tears in his eyes. The twins, Honey and Mori following after.

"Uh-oh~" The twins sang in unison once they noticed that Miki was standing in front of what turned out to be the changing room. "I think she saw it~."

"Did you see it?" Tamaki lunged forward, grabbing Miki by her shoulders shaking the stunned girl. "DID YOU SEE IT, MIKI?"

The gears in Miki's mind was turning rapidly, running at a thousand miles per second, trying to process what had happened. She blinked.

"Now, now..." Kyoya placed a hand on Tamaki's shoulder with a fake smile. "Let her collect her thoughts first."

"Haruhi-kun is a girl...?" She muttered with a completely dumbfounded expression.

"Wahh! Miki-chan!" Honey looked at her with his round beady eyes, comical tears swirling in them. Even the little pink stuffed bunny in his arms seemed to be staring at her with such eyes. "Please don't tell anyone! Usa-chan and I will share our cake with you for a week okay? Please don't tell anyone!"

"Honey-senpai, bribery like that won't work!" Hikaru spoke this time, raising a baseball bat.

"Yeah, at this point the only thing we can do..." Kaoru grinned mischievously at Miki, who suddenly broke a cold sweat.

"...is to lock her up, and make her lose her memory!" They concluded, inching their way towards her with a dark smile.

"What?" Still trying to wrap her head around the idea, Miki's eyes flickered with confusion.

"I apologize, Miki. Haruhi is hiding her identity as a girl due to certain circumstances, in order to prevent this scandal from getting out..." His voice trailed off as an unsettling grin rested on his lips.

"Was I not supposed to see that?" Slowly beginning to back away, Miki muttered to herself.

"Get ready Miki-senpai!" The twins leaned back, about to swing the bat down at her.

"STOP!" Haruhi's voice echoed through the music room as she stepped out, fully dressed again. "Don't threaten Miki-senpai like that." She puffed out her cheeks, placing her hands on her hips.

"But Haruhi..." Tamaki whined with big puppy eyes.

"I never really cared if my gender got out in the first place," She crouched down, picking up the box Miki had dropped earlier. Her words causing Tamaki to go into his sulking corner once again. "Besides, Miki-senpai is part of the host club, so it shouldn't be that big of a deal right?"

"But she's under probation period right now." The twins pointed out with know-it-all looks on their faces.

Tamaki, who had been sitting in his emo-corner suddenly jolted up with a lightbulb of knowledge. "That's it!" With a dramatic yet severe expression, Tamaki raised a finger to point at the poor girl. "From this day forward, you are an official member of the host club! And under our supervision, you will keep the secret of my daughter's gender a secret! Do you understand, Miki?" He demanded.

"Y-Yes!" Standing straighter, Miki responded.

And with that, she officially joined the host club.


	3. 3 The Twins Fight!

A/N: If anyone was wondering, Miki's rose colour would be yellow. Yellow in Japanese culture symbolizes sunshine, nature and courage. There is a Japanese term for someone having 'a yellow beak' means one who is inexperienced.

 _-Chapter 3-_

 **The Twins Fight!**

With her digital pencil tapping absently on her tablet, Miki was off in her world, daydreaming once again. She was staring with blank eyes at the host club taking care of their customers, and naturally, as their set designer, she had to be present for touch-ups and measurements when needed.

It has been a week since the host officially appointed her as their production designer, more like she was blackmailed into the job, but it wasn't like she minded very much. She has already determined to do her best for the host club as a temporary member, so what's the difference between that and being an official one?

Her designated space was across from Kyoya, and by the entrance, where she could chat with the customers who do decide to strike up a conversation with the designer to input their suggestions for the next set and costume theme.

"HIKARU! KAORU!" Tamaki's explosive voice of anger pulled her out of her daydream as she blinked back into reality. "I let you have control of the club's homepage on the condition that you would take it seriously!" He stood in front of the two, practically scowling as he clutched a white laptop in hand.

"And we are taking it seriously..." Hikaru opened his hand in a snobbish manner.

"...We were up until dawn working on it last night." Kaoru finished, swaying his hands in the air.

"AND THIS IS THE SCREEN YOU MAKE?!" Tamaki slammed the laptop in his hand open, patting the keyboard furiously as the screen displayed a picture of Haruhi, half naked.

Miki stepped out of her seat to take a look at the picture. Only to cover her mouth, blinking awkwardly. "Oh my..." She whispered.

Honey being held by Mori, staring at the photo with sparkling eyes. "Haru-chan you look so cool!" He cheered.

Tamaki, glaring at the twins across the room dropped the laptop into Miki's hands, who quickly became overwhelmed with the girls who swarmed nearby to take a look at the picture. He instead dashed out of the oncoming crowd to yell at the twins.

"Wow! He looks so handsome!" One of the many girls squealed, her eyes practically turning into hearts.

"Say, Say, Miki-chan," One of the other girls nudged her. "Is there anyways we could get you to design a theme like this?" She asked.

"I-I'm afraid that's a little..." Miki chuckled uneasily.

"Maybe you could get the hosts to wear dresses!" Another girl said with dreamy eyes.

"Yes, I think Haruhi would look adorable in a dress!" The first girl said, smiling at Miki. "Don't you think?"

"Yes, of course!" Smiling compliantly, Miki responded, sweatdropping slightly.

"Would you stop compositioning pictures of me without permission?!" Finally allowing herself to tune back into the conversation the hosts were having, Miki saw Haruhi glaring at the grinning twins. "Just what do you take people for anyway?" She asked with a hint of annoyance in her voice.

"Isn't it obvious?" The two said in unison. "Toys." They smirked, their arms around each other's shoulders. "So you see...

"...to enjoy an otherwise boring life..."

"...you need to have some rather simulating toys."

Twitching with anger, Haruhi had her hand thrust towards the ground. "I'm not a toy!" She corrected them.

"Now, now..." Stepping forward, Miki smiled sweetly. "It isn't nice to call people your toys." She suggested.

"Toys... toys..." An unfamiliar voice whispered, causing the four to turn their heads to a dark spruce door that was cracked slightly open. A man dress in a dark cloak holding a candle was peeking out with an eerie grin. "If you like toys... then, by all means, come to my club... the Black Magic Club. We've opened a marketplace of the world's black magic curios. We're always holding masses. If you come now... I'll make sure you get this handsome cursed doll, Belzenef as my present." He grinned, holding up a cat like a puppet and playing with it.

"What's black magic?" Miki tilted her head.

"Why is he speaking through a crack in a door?" Haruhi mumbled.

"I think the real question is, " The twins said in unison. "Has there always been a door there?"

"Nekozawa-senpai doesn't like brightly lit places," Kyoya explained as he walked over, still holding a notebook. "And to answer your question, Miki. Black magic is to the use of supernatural powers or magic for evil and selfish intentions."

"Eh?!" Miki's eyes widened. "As in, real magic?!"

"You must not have anything to do with that man." Creeping up between the two girls, Tamaki poked his head in with a zombie-like tone. He scared them, causing them to quickly scatter. "If you do, you will definitely become cursed." He warned.

"R-Really?!" Miki muttered, her legs beginning to shake.

"H-Hold on a second..." Haruhi quickly tried to recompose herself. "Do you have any basis for that claim?" She challenged.

"Yes..." Thinking back, Tamaki began to shiver. "It was during the tests at the end of last year... Ah, it's terrifying just talking about it. That was the day, I accidentally stepped on that cursed doll, Belzenef." He said, fingers twitching. "The test I took immediately after had been enumerated in incomprehensible letters as though it had been cursed! Warily, I looked around me, but I knew none of them! I had shifted into an alternate dimension!" He finished, eyes brimming with tears from just remembering.

"How scary!" Honey shrieked clinging onto Mori.

"Did that really happen?" Haruhi muttered, eyes widening.

"All that for only an accident?!" Miki covered her mouth, body trembling. "How cruel is black magic!?"

"That's because you were so shaken up, you went and took the test for Greek class" Kyoya sighed, glancing up from his notebook and over with amusement at Miki, who looked like she was about to cry. "There is no such thing as black magic." He stated.

"No! It was a curse I tell you!" Tamaki snapped around to argue with Kyoya. "What's more, three days later, in the morning for some reason, my legs were as heavy as lead!"

"They curse you for that long?" Miki asked, turning to Kyoya as well for answers.

"That's because the day before, he ran a marathon." He said, returning to write in his book. But he was quickly disturbed when Nekozawa appeared next to the trio, holding the cursed doll and a candle. Tamaki and Miki immediately jumped behind Kyoya, placing him as a divider between them and the leader of the Black Magic club.

"The power of the cursed doll, Belzenef, is real." He said with an unsettling smile. "If you engrave the name of a person that you hate into this doll's back, they are certain to meet with misfortune..."

"Would you two like to try it...?" Seeing Nekozawa approach, the two who hid behind Kyoya clung onto each other for dear life.

"Back demon!" Tamaki yelled.

"Don't come here!" Miki pled with tears in her eyes when suddenly a bright light shone onto them as well as Nekozawa, and he let out a loud shriek, scaring Tamaki and Miki who were also frightened by the light shone by the twins. Tamaki instantly ran away while Miki's knees buckled as she fell to the ground.

"You murderers!" Nekozawa screamed as he ran back into his club room.

The twins watched the door shut, shrugging slightly

"Hikaru, Kaoru, how could you?" Tamaki yelled with a horrified expression. "You don't know the true extent of black magic!" Only to be completely ignored by them, as they went to go sit at the chairs near the windows.

"Ah, I'm bored."

"Isn't there anything fun we could do?"

"Are you alright?" Kyoya stood over Miki who was still trying to calm down from the shock with an outstretched hand. He made absolutely no effort to hide the entertained expression that slapped onto his face.

"No! That was terrifying!" Miki's hands trembled as she took his offer to stand up. "I-I never knew something like black magic even existed! That's-"

Sighing as he shook his head, Kyoya's eyebrow twitched. "As I said, there is no such thing as black magic." He informed her.

"A-Are you sure?" Looking at him incredulously, her eyebrows knitted. "Tamaki-kun sai-"

"No such thing."

After thinking for a moment and taking a deep breath, Miki nodded determinedly as if she were a warrior about to take on a difficult mission. "Okay! I believe you, Kyoya-kun!"

"No way in hell." Haruhi's harsh voice quickly captured both of their attention. They turned to see Haruhi standing there, looking slightly agitated while the twins wore the hats that they used during the 'Which one is Hikaru-kun game.' Tamaki is not far, sulking in his corner.

"Then let's do it this way." The twins said, holding their hats by the brim. "If you miss in the 'Which one is Hikaru-kun game,' then as a penalty, we get to go over to your place."

"Oh, oh! I want to play this game too!" Miki bounced energetically over, standing next to Haruhi with a raised hand and a childish glimmer to her face.

"Alright, Miki-senpai will be joining the game too!" And with that quick announcement, girls began to gather around. The twins switched spots multiple times before stopping and asking in unison. "Alright! Which one of us is Hikaru-kun?" They asked, smiling mischievously.

Haruhi opened her mouth, about to speak only for Miki to cut in. She pointed at the twin on the right, then the twin on the left. "You are Hikaru, and you are Kaoru!" With a triumphant grin, she replied.

"Bzzzt! You got it wrong." Leaning back, they sang.

"No, she got it right." Haruhi shook her head with a wry smile. "You do look very similar, but you are very different."

"She did?" The guests asked.

Miki blinked, the smile on her face turning into a blank stare. "I did?" She asked.

"Miki-senpai... Were you just taking a random guess?" Eyebrow twitching, Haruhi asked.

Scratching the side of her cheek with a cheeky grin. "Ehehe. Pretty much..." She giggled. "I can't tell them apart through appearance and mannerism alone. But if I listened to their voices, I can tell in an instant." Then, she looked up at the first year with a tender smile. "Say, how can you tell them apart, Haruhi?" She asked, cocking her head to the side.

"Yeah, how can you tell them apart?" One of the guests surrounding them asked.

"When they wear those hats that cover their part, it's practically impossible to tell them apart." Another girl nodded with enthusiasm.

"Um, well, let's see..." Haruhi tapped her chin thoughtfully. "If I had to say... Hikaru's speech and actions are ten percent more ornery than Kaoru." She said with a dead serious face.

Kaoru turned towards his twin, giving him a quick glance. He covered his mouth in an attempt to stifle a laughter. "Sorry... Hikaru." And with that, he burst into a fit of chuckles.

"Well, I just don't mask anything and always express myself honestly, so Kaoru is the one who is more spiteful." He said in a slightly aggravated tone.

"Don't go spinning this," Snapping out of his giggled, Kaoru stood up straight. "Hikaru, I'm always the one who's always going along, playing your selfish games, right?"

Miki, Haruhi and the guests turned to look at the twins who were at this point beginning to glare at each other.

"I may be the one to suggest them, but you're the one who gets into them, Kaoru." Hikaru spat. "If you don't like them, then just stop. What are you, stupid?"

"You're too stupid to see it for yourself, Hikaru. Like how, even as you were calling her our toy, you were so quick to make some sort of pass at her. Hikaru, you really are in love with Haruhi, aren't you?" Kaoru narrowed his eyes, jeering back.

"WHAT?" Tamaki budged in at the call of his daughter's name.

"Huh?" Hikaru snapped his neck, staring at Haruhi who stood next to Miki. "H-Hey, you've got it all wrong! You really are an idiot, Kaoru!"

"Yeah! There are some things you can and can't say in this world!" Tamaki commented.

Hikaru whipped his head back, glaring at Kaoru who turned away, refusing to meet his brother's gaze. "For one thing, how is it that I would fall for that little tanuki?"

"Tan-nuki?" Miki cocked her head, blinking in curiosity.

Kyoya appeared out of nowhere behind them, still writing in his notebook. "Tanuki." He corrected her. "A shape-shifting raccoon dog."

"What do you mean by calling Haruhi a little tanuki?!" Tamaki yelled flailing his arms in the air with anger.

Suddenly the sound of electricity and a powerful motor engine began to run, shaking the club room. "Fantastic, this is fantastic!" A high-pitch voice squealed with awe. And before the hosts realized, Renge came spiralling out of the ground with her hands clutched to her chest. "A beautiful, yet poignant four-sided relationship around Haruhi-kun. What's more, two of the figures are twins, bogged down by this development! Renge could eat three bowls of rice over this!" She struck a pose dramatically.

"Otaku, stay out of this." The twins snapped, causing the poor girl to run away in comical tears.

"Renge-kun, I thought you liked Haruhi, too?" Tamaki offered his hand to the dirty-blonde with a wry smile.

Hearing Tamaki's voice, Renge turned around with sparkles in her eyes. "That's another matter." She explained. "Everyone knows, that there is always more room for homosexual relationships these days!"

"Otaku?" Repeating the unknown word, Miki furrowed her brows.

Letting out another sigh, Kyoya closed his notebook. "You have much to learn, Miki." He commented.

"Just on which planet has she been living on all this time?" Haruhi muttered to herself.

"Enough already!" The twins' arguing voices once again captured everyone's attention. "You're always getting into my bed! You're such a pest!"

"That's because you seemed so lonely, Hikaru. I had no choice but to sleep next to you, you idiot!" Kaoru shot back.

"Who are you calling an idiot!? You're doing worse in a number of classes!"

"Look who's talking! Hikaru, maybe you should study linguistics more!"

"Guys, please stop fightin-" Miki tried to step in, only to be dragged out by Mori with a blank look. He placed her next to Honey who watched with a worried expression.

"Don't get involved." He said simply.

"You grind your teeth too loud!" Hikaru yelled.

"Who is it that tosses in their sleep and falls out of bed!?"

"Sex pixie!"

"Sicko!"

"Your mama wears too much makeup!"

"THAT'S IT! WE'RE THROUGH!" They yelled in unison, causing a massive shock to be sent through the host club. All the while, Miki tapped her chin curiously, repeating the insulting words the twins just threw at each other.

"Sex pixie...? Sicko...? (A/N, He said, 'hentai')" She blinked. "And don't they have the same mother...?"

The next day, Miki sat in class tapping her pen as she listened to the teacher talk about their year-long book report in Japanese literature as classes were about to end for lunch break.

"Make sure to choose your favourite book, and conduct an in-depth analysis of the symbolism in the story." The elder man smiled gently as he passed out the planning sheet for the assignment. "Since this is a year-long project, I would like you all to have due dates for certain sections." He remarked, placing the sheet of paper down on Miki's table. "Please have your book chosen by the end of next week, latest the week after and register it with me. Any questions?"

The class was silent.

"Alright, you are dismissed for lunch."

"Say, Miki." Tamaki immediately spun around on his seat, his calm smile hanging from his lips. "Do you have an idea on what you are going to choose for your book?"

Nodding her head as she was packing up her book, the girl beamed nostalgically. "I already have my choice, what about you Tamaki-kun?"

He shook his head, with a troubled smile. "I just have so many books that bring me joy, it will be difficult to choose just one." Noticing Kyoya approaching them from his seat, he brushed his blonde hair aside to face his best friend. "What about you, Kyoya? Do you have an idea for the book you want to use?"

Kyoya opened his mouth, about to say more when one of their classmates called out to them.

"Tamaki-kun, Kyoya-kun, Miki-san!" Sora came running through the halls panting. "Please come to the refectory! The Hitachiin twins are fighting there!"

On the way to the cafeteria, the trio bumped into Honey and Mori who also came after what their classmates have informed them. From what it sounded like, the twins have caused a massive hysteria in their classroom and was now bringing it to the room where people eat.

"Stop copying me!" They heard the twins yell beyond the doors. "I just told you not to copy me, didn't I?"

"Are you two still fighting?" With his hands shoved in his pockets, Tamaki walked in with a troubled expression. "You're embarrassing the Host Club."

Almost immediately after they entered the room, squeals came from all directions as their regular customers fangirled over their favourite hosts being together even during lunch. Reminding Miki just how big of a sensation the club had on the students of Ouran.

"It's the Host Club!"

"Oh my, the Host Club."

"The boys from the Host Club are all together."

Glancing around, Miki spotted Haruhi who stood at the side with a tired expression. Honey went up and attempted to mend the fight between the glaring twins, who she noticed had dyed their hair. Shaking her head, she paced over and tapped Haruhi playfully on the shoulder.

"Hello Haruhi, fancy seeing you here. You rarely come down to the refectory, don't you?" She greeted cheerfully.

"Oh, hello Miki-senpai." Nodding back politely, Haruhi replied before eyeing the twins. "I was concerned about those two, so I followed them without thinking." She explained.

Miki's eyes crinkled. "I see." Her voice trailed off before she glanced down at the object in her hand. It was something box-shaped wrapped in a plaid cloth. "What is that?" She asked, her eyes growing wide.

Looking down at her lunch Haruhi gestured it. "This? Oh, this is a boxed lunch. I wanted to eat it in the classroom, but I guess I'll just eat here tod- Miki-senpai, is something wrong?"

"This is the legendary 'Boxed-Lunch'?" Eyes twinkling, Miki studied the item in the first-years arms.

"Huh?"

"There was this episode on _Crime? Crime Drama_ , where the detective's close friend was murdered via boxed lunch poisoning! He was absolutely determined to find the culprit by himself to the point he put himself in danger in order to lure them out! Ahh, it was such a beautiful episode where we got to see the genius detectives more emotional and humane side." Miki squealed, examining the lunch as if it were some kind of artifact in the museum. "But you should be careful too, Haruhi! For all you know, someone might have poisoned your boxed-lunch out of spiteful reveng-"

"That will not happen." Before she could continue to ramble on, Kyoya stepped in and dragged Miki away towards the lunch line entrance and away from poor Haruhi. "Miki, please try and differentiate between fiction and reality. There is a time and place for everything." He said with a hint of irritation in his voice.

"Hehe, sorry Kyoya-kun." Giggling like a bell, Miki stood straighter as Kyoya's tight grasp on her arm loosened. Despite how forcefully he dragged her, her arm didn't even hurt one bit. She took a tray and began to walk with him as they collected their food from Ouran's lunch selection.

There was a short moment of silence before Miki spoke again.

"Kyoya-kun, what do sex pixie and sicko mean?" She asked with a blank expression.

If Kyoya was drinking water, he would have spit the liquid out no matter how calm and composed he was. But instead, he flinched for a moment and cleared his throat. "Where did you hear those phrases from?" He questioned, a slightly dark aura emitting from his. An aura those around them felt, but Miki didn't pick up.

"From the twins yesterday." Smiling as if those words were as simple as daily greetings, Miki chirped. "Say, what do they mean Kyoya-kun?"

Picking up a cup of tea and placing it onto his tray with poise, Kyoya sighed. "When did I become your personal dictionary?"

"Well, you have always been helping me out whenever I didn't understand something." Her cheeks were glimmering, she giggled. "Kyoya-kun you are a nice person."

"And you are very naive."

"Hm? Did you say something?" Miki leaned forward, trying to get a closer look at his face.

"Nothing," Kyoya shook his head before taking a deep breath. "Very well then, I will help whenever you need to understand something, but I refuse to teach you those two words." He said, lips curling into a smirk.

"Huh? Why?" Pouting, Miki whined.

Amused by her change in expression, Kyoya shrugged before walking away.

That afternoon, the club was closed down for obvious reasons. The hosts sat in the club room over a cup of tea as the discussed their next moves with the new development. Miki sat between Haruhi and Honey, busy working away on their new set design. Silence struck their room, only filled by the faint clicks of Kyoya's calculator.

"If the situation continues, we're going to have to stop offering the brotherly love package," Kyoya announced, jotting a few things down on a notebook nearby. "Our designee rate is definitely down." He then turned to Haruhi with an unbalanced smile. "Don't worry Haruhi; this isn't something you should feel responsible for. Even though you thoughtless comment started this fight."

 _He's clearly blaming me..._ Haruhi thought.

"Hika-chan and Kao-chan fighting with each other... It's never happened before, huh?" Honey commented as he fiddled with Usa-chan's arms.

"Is that so?" Haruhi asked as Mori nodded. Their words caught Miki attention as he pen paused and she glanced up in silence.

"I've known them since preschool. We weren't in the same year, so I've never talked to them, but it seems like they always played together." Honey continued, looking down sadly at his favourite stuffed animal.

"You're right. I've only known them since middle school, but they really stood aloof," Tamaki said thoughtfully, "It seemed like except for themselves, they kept everyone at a distance. Their personalities were several times more warped than they are now. Thinking about it that way, maybe this fighting is a turn for the better. It means that their world is starting to get a little larger, doesn't it? Maybe it's best to leave them alone, under the circumstances."

"But in the end, they are still very lucky to have each other," Miki expressed with her eyes in a downward cast. "Family is a priceless bond." She said thoughtfully before glancing up with an unreadably sorrowful smile. "Do you not think so? Tamaki-kun?" She asked.

"Huh? Well... yeah." Tamaki blinked, unsure of why Miki asked him of all people.

Even the day after, the twins continued to fight. They say time could heal even the deepest wounds, but right now it didn't seem like time was doing anything. Because in the middle of the closed down host club, an enormous stack of random things piled high and topped with poor Honey sitting up there, clutching Usa-chan and swaying side to side without a care in the world.

Hikaru and Kaoru stood on opposite sides of the rooms, drained of energy and panting like barbarians.

"After this long, haven't you gotten over it yet?" Tamaki asked, placing a hand to his forehead trying to look cool as his body trembling in anger.

"Could you both please calm down?" Miki asked, stepping forward. "Haruhi really didn't mean anything bad, and it's causing a lot of trouble." She tried to reason.

"We are causing you trouble?!" Hikaru snapped. "We are causing you trouble you say?! You've got to be kidding! I'm the one who is troubled here! I'm the one who has the same face as Kaoru. I'm sick and tired of being mistaken for you! The truth is I hate your guts!" He declared as he turned back to glare at his brother who scowled in return.

Miki flinched as he made that declaration, her eyes widened, and her body froze.

"You took the words right out of my mouth. Look, I bought this from Nekozawa-senpai," He reached into his jacket pocket, pulling out a familiar looking doll. "Belzenef, the cursed doll!"

Hearing the name of that cursed doll, Miki snapped out of her trance as both her and Tamaki jolted back.

"No such thing," Kyoya reassured her, without looking up from his notebook.

"I'm writing your name on this thing's back Hikaru." Kaoru sneered as he pulled out a black marker. "From here on, you're going to meet with lots of misfortune and sorrow!" His pen began to move as Haruhi lunged forward, delivering a quick punch to their heads.

"Enough already! You can't just go and bring something like this into a simple quarrel," Lifting the cursed doll, she scolded, "You both are to blame for this fight, but you are even more to blame by bothering everyone around you with it! Miki-senpai is correct, your bonds as siblings are priceless and should never be ruined into this level just because of what other people say!"

Miki's eyes widened, hearing Haruhi repeat her word in a manner that struck her a little too close to home. Her eyes subconsciously snuck over, looking at Tamaki who stood with his eyes fixated on Haruhi. A small, determined smile formed on her lips.

Leaning forward, Haruhi placed a hand on her hip and furrowed her brows. "Now apologize, or I'll never let you come over to our house, as long as we live!"

Hearing her make this negotiation, a devilish smirk spread into the twins' faces. They hummed in unison. "Then, if we do makeup," They walked over behind her, mirroring each other perfectly once again. "Haruhi, we can come over to your house, right?" They asked, crossing their arms around each other.

There was a moment of silence as Haruhi looked down at the cursed doll in her hands in disbelief. Turning it around, she found three Japanese characters written neatly down the cat.

 _Blank._

"EHHHHH?!"

The twins exchanged a quick high-fives.

Capturing his brother in his arms, Hikaru raised his chin with fake tears. "I'm sorry, Kaoru. Even though I was just following our script, I'm not fit to be your brother, to say such awful things to you."

"Not at all. I'm the one who was terribly worried about what I would do if I hurt you, Hikaru." Looking up dramatically, Kaoru replied with just as much passion.

"Kaoru, I'll never let you go!"

"Hikaru!"

"Wait..." Miki tapped her chin. "Were they faking the fight?!" She asked, turning to Kyoya wide-eyed.

Haruhi and Tamaki simultaneously fell to their knees as the reality of the situation began to set in.

"From what it seems like, yes," Kyoya replied monotonously as he continued to jot in his notebook.

"What?! That is just so mean! You had us all worried!" Honey whined as he waved his arms like a child.

"Because we were bored~" The devil twins sang with a mischievous eye pull and tongue diss.

"The twins with too much time..." Tamaki muttered lifelessly. "Are the devil..."

Later that afternoon, as the hosts began to slowly make their way home. Kaoru stood at the school entrance with his back leaning against the south school gates, his twin nowhere in sight. He glanced up, feeling a figure approach. Before him, stood the production designer of host club staring at him with round hazel eyes.

"Miki-senpai? Why are you staring at me like that?" He raised an eyebrow.

Hearing his softer voice, the girl bounced over to stand next to him. "Ah it's Kaoru," She sang with a bright smile that resembled the setting sun.

"What do you mean, it's me? Can't you tell through the hair colour?" Kaoru teased with a slight chuckle.

Holding her school briefcase to her chest, Miki giggled airily. "I was worried you might have switched hair colours on me without noticing."

"That might not be a bad idea." He joked. "Are you waiting for your ride?"

Averting her eyes quickly, Miki smiled her unbalanced smile. "Something like that," She brushed it off quickly. "What about you? Where is Hikaru?"

"Bathroom, and yep, we are waiting for our ride." He confirmed.

A comfortable silence fell between the two of them as they glanced out onto the beautiful horizon. Miki's eyes crinkled happily as she looked out into the city in the distance. "Say, Kaoru." She called out after a few moments, hearing an absent hum in return. "Do you like having a sibling?"

"Where is that coming from?" Turning to look at her, Kaoru questioned.

"I'm just curious to know." Shrugging gently, Miki dismissed his suspicions. "Do you think a sibling is worth fighting for? If you and Hikaru were born separately... If the world were to tell you, you can't be together as a family... would you still fight to be with him?"

Eyes turning to the sky, Kaoru let out a chuckle. "Of course I will." He affirmed her. "I thought Haruhi said you thought of 'the bonds as siblings as priceless, and should never be ruined into this level just because of what other people say'?" He repeated.

"I didn't say all that," Miki giggled. "I simply said 'family is a priceless bond.' It was Haruhi who put too much thought into them."

"Then why are you asking me? You have your answer right there." Grinning mischievously, Kaoru looked out before them, spotting a black limo drive through the gates of Ouran. "Ah! There is our ride." He said.

"Kaoru! Did you wait for lon- ah, Miki-senpai." Hikaru rounded the corner having just come back from the school building.

Miki pushed off from the wall behind her and smiled at Hikaru before walking back towards the school building. "I seemed to have forgotten something at school; I'll see you both tomorrow then." She waved with her usual twinkling smile. "Kaoru, thank you for the talk."

"No problem!" Kaoru waved back calmly, leaving Hikaru curious to what they were talking about.

That evening, Tamaki sat in his room in the Suoh family's second estate. Listening to soft music as he bobbed his head, trying to organize his books to find one suitable for the upcoming year-long project. His head perked up when he heard the faint shuffling and mumbling of the staff in the mansion. Crawling over to his door, he poked his head out and saw the maids and butlers hastily preparing one of the guest rooms that are never used across the hall.

Blinking his sapphire eyes, he quickly stopped one of the maids. "What's going on? Why is everyone rushing?"

Before the maid could answer him, the chief of staff Maezono Shima stepped forward in her poised posture.

"I beg your pardon, Master Tamaki." She said with a stern expression. "Please get off of the ground and make yourself presentable, your father is coming to visit."

"Father is?" Eyes widening in both joy and tension, Tamaki immediately jumped up from the ground.

"He will be here in the next five minutes; please be ready in the main hall." After delivering a quick stern bow, Shima went back to directing staff.

In a matter of minutes, Tamaki and the rest of the staff stood in the grand hall with the giant chandelier hanging above their heads. The red carpet perfectly laid out and cleaned, to the point that there wasn't a single spec of dust. The maids wearing their pink and white uniform stood on one side, while the butlers and their black and white suits stood on the other. The all bowed simultaneously when the grand doors opened, revealing the patriarch of the Suoh family.

"Welcome Home, Master Yuzuru." They said in unison.

"Welcome home, father." Tamaki greeted.

"Thank you." The middle-aged man smile at the staff, then his son, finally gesturing for a figure behind him to step out as well. "Come on; you can step out you know." He chuckled.

Tamaki kept his eyes glued to the shadow behind his father, cloaked in the darkness from the outside. Watching intently, realizing he knew that figure very well.

"Miki?!" He gasped, noticing the girl with pink-brown hair step out behind his father holding a large suitcase and dressed in a black chiffon dress.

"Good evening, Tamaki-kun" She smiled a little reluctantly.

Tamaki sat with his arms crossed, tapping it furiously as the clock in the living room ticked away. His father sat across from him, sipping his tea loudly as if to annoy his son who looked more anxious than ever. Next to his father, was the newest member of the host club, sitting almost equally as anxious as him.

"Father could you please explain what is going on?!" He finally asked.

"Explain what?" Yuzuru's eyes widened acting as if he didn't know what his sone was talking about.

"Miki! What is Miki doing here?" He then turned to the poor girl who had her eyes widened. "Did my father kidnap you with ninjas, Miki? Say something!" A chain of questions shot out of his mouth, each one more absurd than the last.

"Why would I kidnap my daughter with ninjas Tamaki?" Placing down his cup, Yuzuru sighed. "You are such a silly boy." He chuckled in a fatherly manner, leaning over to poke his son's cheeks.

"W-Wait! Father, what?!" Tamaki quickly struggled to push his dad's hand away from his face. "Y-You just called Miki, your daughter?" He blinked. "As far I know I'm an only child." He said.

"Being my daughter doesn't mean she is your blood sister." Looking up, he gestured Miki. "Tamaki, meet your half-sister, Suoh Miki. She will be staying here in the second mansion from now on." Hearing her name being introduced, Miki glanced up from her untouched tea, giving Tamaki an awkward smile.

There was a moment of silence as Tamaki gawked, he blinked studying the girl he had come to know and befriend over the last week. The naive, energetic, simple-minded girl. He had so many questions, yet he didn't ask any. It didn't take long before his lips broke into a charming smile.

"Welcome to the Second Suoh Mansion, Miki." He greeted her.

Relieved by how calmly he was handling all of this, Miki nodded enthusiastically. "Thank you, Tamaki-kun." She replied sweetly.

It didn't take long before Miki was ushered off by grinning maids and welcoming butlers. They have insisted on helping her unpack and settle into her new home, something Miki didn't expect. They swarmed her with questions about her favourite foods and drinks, her hobbies, taste preferences, daily routines. Even the family dog, Antoinette was wagging its tail, jumping all over the girl who giggled in response.

"Father..." After watching her figure leave, Tamaki turned to Yuzuru with a slight frown.

Yuzuru's teasing smile disappeared as he looked down into his tea. His aged face looking slightly troubled. "You understand that Anne-Sophie was a lover of mine during my business trip to Paris." He looked up at his son, studying his neutral expression. Hearing silence, he continued. "At the time I was married to another woman, her name was Elisa Fernández whom your grandmother arranged me into marrying. As we announced to the world, we divorced without any children. However, a child was born in secret, not long after you."

"And that was Miki?" Tamaki leaned forward, propping his elbows on his knees as he listened intently.

"Elisa and her family were prideful, to say the least." Yuzuru sighed just remembering the woman. "Anything that resulted in failure must be erased. So because of that, Miki was sent here to Japan to live in the main estate."

Tamaki tilted his head, trying to piece together the whole story.

"Miki was born after our divorce, so Elise gained full custody over her." Yuzuru shook his head. "Her family sent her over, under the pretense for her to be raised in absolute secrecy, as not to create a black mark on their prestigious history."

"What did grandmother think about all this?"

"She believed it was outrageous." Yuzuru picked up the teacup, taking a small sip from it. "But as you should know the Fernández family is a rather powerful one in Spain. Blackmailing wouldn't be beyond them to keep a dark spot like her a secret."

"So then, if she is to be raised in secret, why is she here? Where has she been all this time?"

Yuzuru's expression turned painful as Tamaki brought this topic up. He looked down into his teacup, watching his reflection ripple in the orange liquid. "Miki has been trapped in the Main Estate ever since she landed in Japan thirteen years ago."

Tamaki's eyes widened.

"She had fine tutors sworn to absolute secrecy, and was never let outside beyond the walls of the estate." He continued, eyes dulling. "Like a princess, trapped in a tower."

"So then how is she here now?" Pressing on, Tamaki asked.

"Your grandmother will be away from Japan until the fall." Letting out another exaggerated sigh, Yuzuru slumped over just remembering. "Miki begged me to allow her to attend real school with you, and I eventually gave in." He looked over down the long decorated hallways. "Then today, she came running to me, asking if she could finally be formally introduced to you as your sister. Her puppy eyes are hard not to cave into." He smiled, turning back to Tamaki who looked extremely thoughtful. "What do you think?" He nudged his chin down the hall.

After thinking for a moment, Tamaki stood up slowly. "Father, it should be time for dinner soon. If you'll excuse me..." He flashed an excited grin. "I'm going to get Miki." With that he attempted to leave, only to stop when his father grabbed him by the shoulder and turned him around.

"Awe, look at you." Yuzuru cooed, pushing his finger into his son's cheek teasingly. "Being such a good brother!"

"S-Stop!" Embarrassed, he quickly shoved his father away with a flushed face. "I'm going to go get her now; please wait down in the dining hall." And with that, he stomped off.

Watching his son walk away, Yuzuru let out a wry sigh, then a small, proud chuckle.


	4. Character Introdution

❀ Miki Suoh  
Host Club Set Designer  
5 feet 3 inches  
Cancer  
Blood Type B

❀ Favourite Subject  
-Traditional Literature  
-Art  
-Spanish

❀ Favourite Food  
-Mildly Sweet things (Not excessively sweet)

❀ An adventurous, spunky girl who's eager to learn more about the world. Loves crime dramas and the fairy tale book, Rapunzel.

❀ She is rather gullible and simple-minded, as well as lacking general knowledge of the world. Her clueless nature tends to land her in trouble some or funny situations, but she's quick to adapt and an enthusiastic, fast learner.

 _ **Author Note**_

 _Tried to imitate an introduction like in the manga. The image is not mine._


	5. 4 End of Jungle Rainbow!

_-Chapter 4-_

 **End of the Jungle Rainbow!**

"Miss Miki, where should we put these disks?" The maid helping her unpack named Suzuno asked her with a gentle smile.

"Ah! That's my collection of _Crime? Crime Drama_ DVDs. Nearly the television would be wonderful, thank you!" She giggled as she placed some of her shoes away.

"What about this book, Miss Miki?" One of the butlers asked, showing her a brown book with intricate golden designs. "Would you like me to relocate it to the library?"

Miki turned around, taking the book in both hands as she shook her head. "No, I'd like to keep this book close to me." She said as she clutched it close to her chest.

"Of course." The butler bowed and went back to clearing out her suitcase.

"Miss Miki is that book very important to you?" The maid asked as she organized the DVDs. "You seem very protective it."

Nodding her head, Miki looked down at the leather covered book in her arms. The cover was very aged, to the point the colour was fading from the design. The golden designs of the title were chipping off slightly, yet it was still pretty clear what the book name was.

 _Rapunzel by Brothers Grimm_

"It's the first and only leisure book I've ever owned." She admitted absently, finger glazing over the distressed leather.

"Oh my..." Suzuno brought her hand to her lips as she watched Miki. "Then you must check out the library in our estate; maybe you could even go there with Master Tamaki some time." She suggested.

Hearing his name, Miki's hazel eyes darted down. "Tamaki-kun huh..."

"Shoot, Suzuno." The butler checked his pocket watch. "Dinner will be starting soon, we need to go help with the preparations." He reminded her.

"Oh dear, well then Miss Miki." Bowing deeply to Miki, Suzuno addressed her. "We will be off, once again, we welcome you to the second Suoh estate and hope you have a wonderful time here."

"Thank you." Bowing back slightly, Miki looked around the room once they have left.

The room was large, grand, brightly lit despite the darkness outside. A king-sized bed in the center of the room leaned against the wall, two large mirrors on either side of the bed, a red bench on at the foot of the bed. A beautiful wooden desk in the corner of the room with a bouquet of roses in a vase, a lamp, a bookcase with tones of space for books on the wall. On the wall across from the bed, there was a large flat screen TV with more shelf space for DVDs.

"I'm here..." She murmured, letting out a small sigh still cradling the book in her arms. Twirling around, her black chiffon dress fluttering as she sat down slowly on the bench on the foot of her bed.

Before she had the time to really let loose, the sound of footsteps echoed down the vast hallways of the estate. She glanced up to see Tamaki popped through the door with an excited grin.

"Miki! It's time for dinner, hurry up and come join us!" He beamed, approaching her. "I heard they are making unagi rice tonight!" Suddenly, he froze when he saw her staring at him with a blank look. "Are you alright?" He asked. "You seem rather out of it."

"Huh? Oh, it's nothing." With a small smile on her lips, Miki shook her head and clutched the book further into her chest. _I thought I might get ridiculed from him... But I guess I was wrong._ She giggled at the thought. "Unagi rice, right? Sounds delicious." Standing up, she set the book down onto the red bench.

"If you ever need me, my room is just across the hall," Pointing behind him, Tamaki added. "And say, is there anywhere, in particular, you want to visit?" He asked.

"Hm?"

"Since you've been locked up in the main estate for so long, there's got to be places you've always wanted to visit, right? Tell me, and I'll be sure to take you and visit all of them!"

"Really?!" Miki's eyes sparkled as she gasped lightly. "Anywhere?" She questioned.

Tamaki gave her a curt nod and a triumphant smile.

Miki furrowed her brows and tapped her chin thoughtfully. "W-Well... There is one place I've always wanted to go." Her voice trailed off, as she looked at Tamaki hopefully.

"Anywhere!" The blonde repeated.

Hearing his affirmation, Miki tipped onto the balls of her toe. "I want to go to a water park!" She cheered.

"Consider it done!" With a dashing grin, Tamaki wrapped an arm around her shoulder, pulling her close for a side hug.

Like a toddler receiving a birthday present, Miki's face twinkled. "Yay! Thank you Tamaki-kun!" She cheered.

"Say, call me big brother!" Grinning a bit like a child, he suggested. "Say it! Onii-chan!" Trying to guide her through the words like a parent, Tamaki urged.

Miki felt a comedic sweat drop on the back of her head as they walked out of her new room. "I don't think I feel comfortable with that just yet."

"Awe, please?"

"I assure you, I'm okay.

"Please?"

"No thanks."

"Awe..."

"So with that men!" Tamaki slammed the table of the Host Club, neither girls were present in the room as they held their little morning meeting. "We are taking my dear sister to a water park!" He announced.

"To think Miki-chan is Tama-chan's half-sister." Honey twirling around with Usa-chan. "No wonder why she is so easy to get along with!"

"Yeah." Mori nodded with a blank face.

"And she's just as gullible too." The twins said with a shrug towards each other. "But isn't her existence supposed to be 'absolute secrecy'?" They asked, emphasizing the words 'absolute secrecy'.

"We already have one secret princess, so why not make it two?" Tamaki's poor reasoning fails to save the day as he quickly changes the topic back on track. "Anyways, ideas! A water park might not be a bad idea for relaxation either." He said thoughtfully.

"The Ootori group runs a water theme park nearby," Kyoya suggested, not looking up from his notebook. "Tropical Aqua Garden. It doesn't open until next month, but I'm sure we can reserve it today for an advanced invitation." He said as he continued to write in his notes.

"Brilliant Idea, Kyoya!" Pointing at his friend, Tamaki's face sparkled. "Please reserve that for this afternoon right after school." He then pointed at the twins. "You two make sure to get Haruhi there on time!" He crossed his arms with a grin. "That will be it for this morning's meeting. Dismissed!"

"Okay, Miss Fujioka, please select one." The twin maids pressed their faces together, as Haruhi let out a weary sigh.

"No, I don't need a swimsuit." She said.

"Well, then" One of the two maids smiled, searching through the models of swimsuits. "I will select one for you." Holding up a very revealing black bikini set.

"Hold on, not that one." Haruhi shook her head. "I don't want a bikini."

"But you'd look so good in this one..." The maid cooed in disappointment.

"Oh look!" The other lifted up a very questionable looking bottom. "This would be cute!" She suggested.

Haruhi flinched. "But that's nothing more than strings, isn't it?" She shook her head immediately. "Absolutely not." Rejecting that ideal firmly, Haruhi shook her head.

"Oh, Hello Haruhi," Behind some changing curtains, Miki poked her head out wearing a curious smile. Instead of her school uniform, she wore a lilac white ruffled off-the-shoulder bikini top and matching bottoms. Her long pink-brown hair was tied up into a fluffy ponytail. "Fancy seeing you here," She approached with her hands behind her back.

"Miki-senpai..." Haruhi greeted. "What are you doing here?"

"I don't have a swimsuit, so I asked Hikaru and Kaoru if I could borrow one from their mother's newest designs." Twirling around in her new swimsuit, Miki smiled shyly. "What do you all think?"

"It looks wonderful on you!" The twin maids clapped.

"It looks great on you, senpai. Did you choose it yourself?" She asked.

Miki nodded before gesturing her. "What about you? Which one are you going to wear?" She urged.

"I don't want one."

"You can't say that!" Miki cried enthusiastically, grabbing Haruhi by her hands. "We are at a water park; it wouldn't be fair for you not to wear a swimsuit, now is it?"

Taken aback by how energetic she was, Haruhi sweatdropped. "I-I guess..."

"Come on! Let's go look for a piece we can all agree on." Dragging Haruhi by the hand, Miki gestured for the maids to join them. "So let's see... you don't like a bikini right?"

After a long while of picking and choosing, Haruhi finally agreed to wear a pink frilly one piece with a skirt and a matching swim cap.

Snickering, the twin nurses shoved both girls outside mischievously. "Have fun!" They sang before shutting the door.

Haruhi sighed in an exaggerated manner causing Miki who stood beside her to giggle.

"You look great," She reassured her friend before noticing a figure approach them. "Tamaki-kun?" She called out to him with a blank expression.

Walking up indifferently, he glanced down at Haruhi with a bright red face. Out of curiosity on what he was looking at, she turned to study at Haruhi out of curiosity. Finding nothing out of the ordinary, her eyes darted by to Tamaki only to find his cheeks bright red. She tilted her head in confusion. Before she could ask about it, Tamaki had thrust out a yellow pullover. "H-hurry up and put this on," He stammered, "Girls should only show off that much skin after they get married."

"Huh..." Taking the pullover, Haruhi nodded of thanks. "Thanks, senpai."

Miki then looked up, noticing Tamaki was staring at her with narrowed eyes. She tilted her head with a smile. "How does it look?" She asked innocently.

"You too, wearing something to cover up!" He said, pointing at her.

"Eh~ But I plan on playing in the water." Miki reasoned.

"Yay!" With a high jump, Miki leaped into the pool with Honey by her side. Feeling the water splash against her body, she giggled. The current of the water, the feeling of the liquid enveloping her skin. "Ahh, this is so refreshing." She let out a relaxed sigh, walking around in the water as Honey swam around her in a fit of hurrays. Mori soon joined the two, lifting Honey up onto his shoulders as they swam around in a lapped manner.

"Miki-senpai." Kaoru glanced over his shoulder as he played volleyball. "Since this is your first time at a water park, can you even swim?"

"Nope!" Miki smiled almost too cheerfully. "I'll pick it up eventually, I'm sure of it." She added.

"It feels so calm." Tamaki let out a relaxed chair under an umbrella. He sat back on a lounge chair, running a finger through his hair. "There aren't any guest here that we have to serve, either. It truly is a handsome young warrior's holiday, I guess you could call it."

"I'm going to go get a juice!" Honey announced as Mori placed him down onto the ledge of the pool.

"Wait, I'm going to get one too." Placing a hand on the ledge, Miki tried to push herself up only to feel her body ten times lighter. She turned around, noticing Mori had helped her up by lifting her onto the ledge.

"Here." He said with no emotion on his face.

"Oh, thank you Mori-senpai." She thanked him, quickly getting up to follow Honey who wrapped his arm around Haruhi's arm.

"Haru-chan!" He sang, "Want some coconut juice to drink? Or maybe some mango cake?"

Haruhi hummed. "Um... sure. The coconut juice." She chose.

"Oh, I'll have a coconut juice refill please," Kyoya called out, writing in his notebook under the umbrella.

"Okay! Let's go Miki-chan!" Grabbing Miki by the arm, Honey pulled Miki over to the snack bar as they began to prepare the drinks together.

Honey was squeezing an excess amount of honey into his drink with a fit of giggles. "Still, I'm glad you are Tama-chan's half-sister, Miki-chan!"

"Huh?" Miki blinked blanky as she poured the prepped coconut juice. "What do you mean by that, Honey-senpai?"

"Ah! It's ready!" Completely ignoring her question, Honey took one of the cups and bolted off in Haruhi's direction while holding his own cup with his other hand. "Haruhi-chan here!"

Chuckling wryly, Miki picked up her glass and the one Kyoya ordered and brought it to him. "Here you go, Kyoya-kun." She said, setting his drink down on the table next to him.

"Thanks," Glancing up from his notes, Kyoya froze.

"Hm? Is something wrong, Kyoya-kun?" Tilting her head, Miki blinked feeling a little more self-conscious under his gaze.

Shaking his head lightly, Kyoya picked up the cup and brought the straw to his lips. "It's nothing, if you aren't going to swim you should probably cover up." He stated before taking a sip of his coconut juice. Moving his feet off the edge of the lounge chair he offered her a seat there.

"I'll go back to swimming later," With a bright grin, Miki plopped down next to him before taking a sip of her drink.

Kyoya let out a satisfied sigh, glancing back up. His eyes swept her relaxed figure up and down before resting on her face. "I heard about your... circumstances from Tamaki." He said, turning back to the drink. "So much for 'it may just be a common name'." He smirked teasingly at her.

"Ahaha..." Miki's lips curled as she laughed uneasily. "I'm sorry about that." She uttered.

"It also explains why you are so simplistic." He chuckled, hearing her gasp slightly.

"Once again, what was that supposed to mean?" She pouted, whipped her head to look at him. "You make it sound like I am clueless to everything."

"Because you are." Giving her a weird look, Kyoya stated in a factual voice.

Turning around with her back towards him, Miki grumbled with a puffed cheek. "That's not entirely true." She grumbled.

"Bullseye!" That was when Hikaru's clear voice echoed through the theme park. They both turned around and Miki gasped when she saw the water guns, her eyes glimmering. Kyoya couldn't help but let out a chuckle at just how pretty much anything can make that expression appear on her face.

"Sir! Let's play! Water gun battle!" Kaoru hollered with a wide grin.

"Kaoru and I on a team against you, sir!" Hikaru continued, approaching Tamaki who was wiping down his face with a towel. "If you get hit in the face you lose, and there's a penalty game."

"Hmph," Tamaki closed his eyes as he ruffled his hair with the towel. "Who'd want to play along with that childish gam-"

"I'll play!" Placing her cup down, Miki hopped onto her feet and skipped over. Catching the water gun Hikaru enthusiastically threw at her, she began to wind it up.

"Alright, Miki-senpai is on your team, sir!" Kaoru grinned.

Tamaki grumbled as he watched Miki began to prep her water gun. "Like I said, who would want to play along with that chil-"

"Haruhi, let's get married right now." Hikaru grinned as him and his brother stood on either side of the poor girl, swaying side to side.

"We'll have our honeymoon in Atami!" Kaoru added on.

Hearing their taunts, Tamaki grabbed a water gun. With a dark aura, he began to wind it up, with a spiteful expression. As he muttered incoherently, Kyoya sighed watching the scene unfold. "Miki," he caught her attention, watching as she spun around with an excited beam. "There are some natural phenomena you may not have seen in this theme park, be careful not to wander off too far." He warned her sternly.

"Okay." With an airy, bubbly voice, she nodded.

"DADDY WON'T ALLOW IT!"

And with Tamaki's bizarre declaration, the water gun battle began. Siblings against Siblings.

The battle went back and forth for a while, as the two teams chased each other back and forth across the park. Eventually, the twins duck behind a nearby palm tree for cover. And when Tamaki paused to dash forward, they began shooting at him only for the blonde to dodge with agility.

"Take this!" He cried and began rapid firing. "Surefire sideways leaping beam!"

The twins pulled over some tikis for cover, avoiding being shot by just a hair.

"Boo~ You suck, sir." The twins stuck their tongue out at the blonde in unison.

"Oh, yeah? Wanna try saying that after you lose?" Another voice rang behind them.

The twins snapped around in a panic as Miki dashed out of the bushes with a playful grin. It turns out, when Tamaki was in the front taking the crossfire, Miki snuck behind to launch a sneak attack on the two.

"Surprise Aqua Shot!"

With that, the two twins were hit with two big splashed of water in the face.

"Take that!" Tamaki laughed, stepping back to regain his balance. Only to slip over a banana as he tumbled into a nearby totem pole.

Ignoring the blonde, the trio quickly gathered back by Haruhi, Kyoya and Mori laughing and chatting.

"That was a good game, Miki-senpai!" Kaoru laughed as he wiped off his face and hair.

"You too, that was an amazing game." Miki giggled as she placed the water gun onto the table. "I never imagined water gun fights could be this fun!"

Handing the brunette her drink, Haruhi greeted the trio. "Congratulations on winning." She praised.

"I couldn't do it without Tamaki-kun's help," Taking the drink with a nod of gratitude, Miki sipped it lightly. "Teamwork is what helped us win." She said proudly.

A small thud came from Mori who had dropped the drink Haruhi offered him. Miki was about to ask him about the drink when she noticed his gaze was fixated on something. She quickly followed it, hearing a loud rumble. She gasped, seeing a large wave crash down onto little Honey, sending his pink bunny float flying into the air. The water began to speed up at the rough current began crashing onto the edge of the pool.

"Honey-senpai!"

"Mitsukuni!

Miki panicked as her immediate reaction was to dive after the boy into the rushing water, but she felt a tight grasp on her wrist when she stepped forward. She turned around to see Kyoya staring at her with narrowed eyes. "You are unable to swim, you jumping in will only cause more trouble." He said harshly.

"B-But, Honey-senpai is..." She shook free of his grip and stammered with furrowed brows, unable to argue back. Then, she heard another small thud, seeing Mori had fallen over a banana peel as well.

"No need to worry!" Raising a finger in the air, Tamaki declared in a commanding voice. "Guys, we are going after Honey-senpai! And this pool is the shortest way!"

"Charge!" The hosts ran in that direction, Tamaki leading the pack followed by Haruhi and Mori, then finally the twins and Miki.

"Ah, that way is..." Kyoya spoke up.

"WAHHHH! THERE ARE ALLIGATORS SWIMMING THERE!" The hosts yelled racing back to where they started.

"Wow! Those are alligators? It's my first time seeing one!" Miki's eyes twinkled as the twins dragged her back by the arm, basically pulling her like a kite in the sky.

"Miki-senpai! It's not the time to be admiring those things! They can shred you to pieces!" Haruhi shouted.

"Alright, so that pool's out. Let's try this route!" Tamaki tried to point in another direction only to find more alligators. No matter in what direction they looked, there were at least three alligators with wide mouths and sharp teeth waiting. And everywhere they ran, Miki came close to getting her arm bitten off, out of her sheer desire to pet the terrifying creatures.

"Why are there alligators here?" Haruhi panted, looking utterly exhausted. "And could you stop trying to pet the alligators, Miki-senpai!?"

"Why? They look so cute." Crounching from a safe distance away from the creatures Miki asked, her face indicated that she was dead serious.

"Those pools are the tropical animal area," Kyoya explained, writing in his notebook as if nothing that just happened was a safety hazard. "I guess it is dangerous to let the alligators run loose. Although, it's the current pool switch location that's the problem here. I'll have to speak to the designers." He shut his notebook with an unbalanced smile.

"FOR WHAT?!" The hosts yelled all expect for Miki, who was staring excitedly at the alligators.

A bit later after they managed to get out of the alligator zone in one piece, the hosts gathered around a map of the garden.

"This is the Tropical Aqua Garden's area map. This is our present location," Kyoya informed, pointing at the map with his pen. "To get to this point, where I predict Honey-senpai got carried away to, we will need to go through the jungle area in the southern block. That's a range of about 800 meters."

"There seems to be a lot of indeterminate areas in this jungle along our way," Haruhi raised an eyebrow at Kyoya.

"Those are zones that are still under development." He explained.

"There could be things in there more dangerous..." Kaoru shivered as he stared at Hikaru.

"... Than alligators." Hikaru finished.

"Alright, this is a survival mission!" Tamaki nodded with fists in his hands, "We have to safely penetrate this jungle area, and rescue Honey-senpai!" He declared seriously.

It didn't take long before the hosts were traversing through the unknown jungle. Tamaki was marching forward with a darkened expression while the rest just looked unamused. Miki, on the other hand, was glancing around, hopping from place to place like a little bunny.

"This has all but become a real jungle in here..." Tamaki's eyebrow twitched, looking hyper-aware of his surroundings.

"I've been hearing lots of strange animal calls," Haruhi glanced up at the birds spreading their wings above.

"Those animal sounds..." Hikaru began.

"...Can't be the real things, right?" Kaoru finished.

"I'm not too sure. In all of the work we do, we tend to be authenticity-oriented," Kyoya shrugged.

"You mean to say," The glimmer in Miki's eyes widened as she spun around in circles with her arms out. "All of these animals are the real deals?" She asked with an innocent chuckle.

"I guess you could say that." Kyoya pushed up his glasses.

The group stopped in their tracks once they heard the sound of someone falling. Glancing behind, they realized of all the people; it was Mori who has slipped, evident by the banana peel on his face.

Hikaru leaned in to mutter. "Mori-senpai..."

"...is acting about as clumsy as you, sir." Kaoru finished.

"What?!" Tamaki snapped.

"Mori-senpai, are you alright?" Chuckling lightly, Miki lifted the peel off of his face. "Where do all of these banana peels keep coming from anyways?" She wondered, thinking back to the one Tamaki tripped on earlier.

"I'm fine," Mori responded, his face still as blank as ever.

Suddenly, Miki noticed the area around them had gotten darker. "Whoops," She heard Kyoya say as he checked his watch. "It must be squall time."

Running to get cover, the host club sat under a cabana, watching the rain fall around them like they were in a real tropical jungle. Miki sat next to Haruhi, legs kicking and absently humming when she heard the girl speak, her eyes fixed on Mori who stared out into the rain.

"Mori-senpai is awfully close to Honey-senpai, isn't he? Are they childhood friends, or something?"

"Those two...are cousins." The twins glanced over at the tall third-year.

"Huh? They are relatives?" Miki tilted her head.

"The Morinozukas have been serving the Haninozuka family for generations," Kyoya glancing down at her from a standing position.

Haruhi hummed, tapping her chin thoughtfully.

"Though two generations ago, they became relatives by marriage, and the families' master-servant relationship has long since faded away," Hikaru explained.

Nodding, Kaoru added on. "Even so, Mori-senpai has always accompanied Honey-senpai.

"It must get his blood going," Tamaki theorized, "The blood of the vassals of yore, which flows through Mori-senpai."

"What a great story, I'm touched!" The twins cried dramatically into handkerchiefs.

"Mori-senpai," Tapping the tall man on the shoulder with a playful grin, Miki smiled at him. "Cheer up! Honey-senpai will definitely be fine." She encouraged, pumping her fists together in a 'cheer up' motion. But then as she opened her eyes she spotted a few birds walking in the rain. "Woah! Look, I've never seen those bird before!" Leaping over the edge of the hut, she ran towards it.

"Miki, it's raining." Mori reached out hesitantly as if to stop her.

"It doesn't really matter, does it?" Spinning on her heel, Miki gestured her swimsuit. "There is a reason I'm wearing this." She giggled.

Mori paused for a moment before nodded with a faint smile. "Thanks."

Miki gave him a warm beam before crouching down near the colourful birds she found huddled under one of the palm trees. Gently, she began stroking their shivering heads as if to provide comfort to them. This continued for a while as Tamaki and the twins argued int he hut, Kyoya stayed on the phone while Haruhi and Mori talked.

Soon, the rain stopped and the birds slowly waddled out of their hiding spot. Miki made way for them, watching as they spread their wings open and flew up into the skin. Then, in the blueness of the artificial sky, she spotted something she never thought she would be able to see, at least not this up close.

Seven colours were beaming in the sky, sparkling as if raindrops were resting on them. Miki held her breath as her eyes widened at the gorgeous sight.

"Is that... A rainbow?" She gasped under her breath, her legs unconsciously moving forward. She could faintly hear the voices of Haruhi and Mori nearby, but the only thing reflected in her hazel eyes was that brilliant rainbow in the sky.

 _They say that at the end of the rainbow, true happiness resides._

She stepped into the jungle.

 _I was never allowed to chase after... to go see things for myself..._

Her feet moved on their own accord.

 _But for now at least... I am free..._

She could barely hear the sound of the crunching leaves and tree roots beneath her feet.

 _And for once... I can go see..._

Before she realized, she had broken into a run.

 _What's at the end of my rainbow?_

Meanwhile, Kyoya had finally gotten off the phone and he turned to the remaining three in the little hut. "My family's private police force is going to send in a search team," He said, "They're better equipped to find him than we are. Let's go back to the gate and wait..." He paused realizing how many people are missing. "Hey, where are Mori-senpai, Miki and Haruhi?"

"Huh?"

The end of the rainbow was getting closer and closer. Soon, Miki would be just within reach. Her eyes brightened as the trees faded away from her vision and heard a set of footsteps. Peeking her head out of the bushes, she found...

"Honey-senpai?" Eyes widening, Miki called out to her friend who was glancing around cluelessly. His big beady eyes widened at the sight of her as he leapt into Miki's arms.

"Miki-chan!" He sang with a fit of giggles, nuzzling his cheek onto Miki's. "I finally found you!"

"We have all been looking for you!" Furrowing her brows with a wry smile, Miki hugged him back gently. "Where did you go?"

"I reached the end of the current pool, so I decided to come and look for you guys." Darting his head around, Honey then asked. "Hey, Miki-chan, where is everyone else?" His voice a little quizzical.

Miki flinched at his question, as she realized.

She had no idea where she was.

Honey walked forth with a little bounce in his beat as he hummed to the rhythm. "I can't believe you got lost too Miki-chan," He chuckled. "How did you find me then?"

"Ah, it was on total accident." Tilting her head and laughing uneasily, Miki scratched the back of her head.

"Say, Honey-senpai." Wanting to change the topic, Miki called out, earning a hum and a curious look from the lolita. "What did you mean when you said you were glad I'm Tamaki-kun's half-sister?" She asked.

"Ahh, it's because," Honey giggled as he thought back to earlier that morning when Tamaki told the club about Miki's true relation to him. "Tama-chan looked so excited when he was talking about you!" He chirped. "He was smiling so much; it looked like his mouth was about to fall off!"

Miki's eyes widened as she heard Honey say that. She glanced down to look at him, seeing him in his usual cheerful demeanour.

"Tama-chan had to go through a lot of things when he moved over to Japan," Looking up, Honey's voice was thoughtful, and his observations were strangely wise for someone his size. "So I think he's super excited to have another family member." With that, he turned to Miki with a bright smile. "Take care of him, okay?"

Miki closed her eyes as she remembered how Tamaki burst into her room with excitement the night before. How he'd try to get her involved with conversations at dinner, how he helped her with unpacking and settling into her room after Yuzuru had left, how he checked with the chefs if they could make a Spanish style breakfast one morning just for her, how he enthusiastically woke her up in the morning way earlier than when they needed to, just so he could check if she was really there. She nodded wordlessly, feeling her nose turn sore.

Suddenly, Honey's head popped up and turned towards one side of the jungle. He stopped in his tracks, staring for an excessively long time.

Miki followed his gaze, trying to figure out just what was he staring at. "Is something wrong Honey-senpai?" She cocked her head to the side quizzically, rubbing her nose to push back the tears that welled in her eyes.

Without an explanation, Honey climbed onto a tree with lightning speed seemingly glancing over an area.

"Honey-senpai?"

"Miki-chan, come up here." He gestured for her to move over. So reluctantly, Miki began to climb the large tree, being careful to avoid the tree barks. Once she poked her head over the branch Honey was standing on, Honey pointed over into a clearing. "Over there!" He cried.

Pulling herself up, Miki crouched down. In the middle of a clearing in the wilderness, she could see Mori holding Haruhi in one arm while being surrounded by what seemed like soldiers pointing guns at them who didn't fit into the luscious jungle.

"What? We have to go help them!" Miki panicked about to climb down when she found Honey fidgetting with a few things on the tree they stood on. "What are yo-" Before she could finish her question, a vine was thrust into her hands as Honey leaned back on one of his own.

"Ready Miki-chan?" He asked in an all too lively voice. "We are going swing in like superheroes, picking on my friends is a no-no after all!" He twinkled.

Ordinary people would at the very least, raise an eyebrow or two at the idea of swinging into a fight with armed men on a vine like this. They would panic and asking Honey 'Are you crazy?' or 'I'm scared it's going to break!'.

But this was Miki.

Wrapping her fingers firmly around the vine, she nodded with an adventurous grin plastered on her face. "Of course!" She announced.

Honey went first, pushing off on the branch he swung in. Before Miki could jump off though, she caught a quick glimpse of the sky above. Beyond the luscious green leaves, she could faintly see the seven colours again. Another rainbow in the sky. And this one, it extended from where she found Honey, to that small clearing. The corner of Miki's lips curled as she jumped forth.

"Takeshi, Haru-chan, Move!" Honey warned before yelling a Tarzan like call. Miki following not far behind, in a fit of giggles and laughter on her how exciting swinging on a vine was.

Honey kicked one of the soldiers in the face, knocking him out and landing perfectly.

Miki definitely couldn't do that.

But thankfully, just when it looked like she was going to swing out of bounds, Mori acted quickly. He set Haruhi down and caught Miki over his shoulder, allowing her to let go of the vine and still be safe.

"Woah, hehe!" Miki gasped from the aftershock of suddenly being grabbed. "Thank you Mori-senpai." She greeted him, still trying to calm down from her giggles.

"That was reckless." He stated with a blank face, putting her down next to Haruhi who was in utter shock. Curious to why she had such an expression, Miki turned around, only to find that all the men have been beaten and knocked out with Honey standing in the middle with a small pout. She blinked a few times, her brain trying to process and piece together what has happened.

"Don't be reckless," He shook his finger disapprovingly. "Picking on my friends is a no-no."

"Haruhi! Miki!" Behind them, Tamaki called out as he approached them on a light jog. "Are you both alright?"

"Ah! Tama-chan!" Honey bounced.

"Huh...?" Hikaru leaned forward.

"Honey-senpai?" Kaoru following.

"Haruhi! Miki!" Tamaki lunged forward wrapping both girls in a big hug. "I was so worried."

"I'm alright, Tamaki-kun." Gently slipping out of his grip, Miki laughed uneasily as she tried to turn back to assess the situation.

Before she could see the scene before her again, a slightly agitated Kyoya appeared in front of her. A dark aura emitted off him, one, as usual, Miki could not sense what's so ever. "Where did you go?" He demanded to know as the rest of the club went on to tell Haruhi about Honey's family history as a dojo.

"I saw a beautiful rainbow, so I decided to follow it to the end." She stated with a deadpan expression as if she had done nothing wrong. This only aggravated Kyoya even further.

Hands twitching as he crossed his arms before his chest, Kyoya grumbled. "Didn't I tell you to be careful and not wander off too far?" He asked with a very fake smile, his enraged atmosphere sending a slight shiver down everyone else's spine.

Miki avoided his gaze. "Did you? I guess it just slipped my mind." She lied.

"Oh? Then would you like to tell me why you decided to chase this rainbow you saw?" Kyoya pursed with a low tone.

"The Rainbow's Blessing," Miki stated with an innocent smile.

"The Rainbow's Blessing?" Kyoya raised an eyebrow, the anger in him slightly calmer once he saw that bright expression of hers.

Miki nodded. "It's a story that my personal butler, Arden used to tell me." She explained, looking up at the sky. "If a rainbow appears, and a person is daring and adventurous enough to search for the end. True happiness will be waiting for you at the end." Retelling the legend, Miki gazed back at him with a nostalgic face.

"Kyoya-kun, are you angry?" Seeing Kyoya give her a weird look, Miki asked bluntly with a blank stare.

Eyebrows twitching at her strange yet direct question, Kyoya shook his head. His brows knitted as he observed her. "That myth," He stated. "It's false."

"It's not!" Leaning forward, Miki argued with a slight pout. "I think any story can come true if you just believe in it!"

Kyoya sighed, knowing that he was never going to win against this thick-skulled naive girl. "Very well then," He fixed his glasses. His voice was still irritated, but there were hints of amusement dancing across his brownish-green eyes. "What sort of 'happiness' did you find at that end of this rainbow?" He glanced down at her, a slight smirk forming on his lips.

Miki averted her eyes, and instead observed the rest of the hosts. The twins were turning and about to leave, Tamaki fawning over Haruhi, Honey climbing onto Mori's shoulders right where he belonged. And finally, Kyoya was grilling her over getting lost. She chuckled slightly.

"Kyoya, Miki, are you coming?" Tamaki shouted, waving his hand for the two to catch up.

"Coming!" Miki called back, sending a mischievous wink in Kyoya's direction, watching as his expression turned confused and annoyed once more.

"That will be my secret, for now." She giggled.


	6. 5 The Sun, The Sea and the Host Club!

**A/N: Happy Birthday, Kyoya!**

 _-Chapter 5-_

 **The Sun, The Sea and the Host Club!**

"The beach." The twins mentioned.

"The beach?" Haruhi raised an eyebrow.

"The beach!" Miki's eyes glistened.

"You said so before didn't you?" Hikaru reminded, leaning closer.

"You wouldn't mind going to a real beach!" Kaoru added.

Haruhi looked up, a little uncertain. "Did I say that?" She wondered out loud.

"Yes, you did." The twins affirmed her. "And so we've prepared some swimsuits for you. Isn't it cute?" Moving back, they revealed a sea of swimsuits and presenting a pink ruffled one in the front.

"I think..." Holding up a dark blue one-piece swimsuit, Honey suggested. "This would look good on Haru-chan."

Shaking their head, the twins tsked little Honey. "You don't get it, huh, Honey-senpai?" They said in unison.

"Huh?" Honey tilted his head in curiosity.

"Just wearing this uniform helps to gloss over the fact that she's as flat as a cutting board," Hikaru explained, both he and his twin holding Haruhi by the arms, "A one-piece type suit like that would only invite tears, by making it obvious how utterly poor her figure is."

"On that point," Gesturing the swimsuit they picked with an elegant bow, "We carefully selected this separate-type suit. The frills do a fine job of covering the absence of any bust!"

Miki stood in the sea of swimsuits, holding her tablet to her chest. She had initially walked into the clubroom on a relaxing Friday, ready for the week to be over, only to find this mess she was in. "Is not having any bust an issue?" She wondered out loud, studying the ruffled swimsuit.

Kaoru shook his head, placing a hand on Miki's shoulder. "Miki-senpai, you do not need to worry..."

"... Your chest is of average size with those C cups." Hikaru finished, placing a hand on her other shoulder.

There was the crisp sound of a baseball bat making contact with something, as Tamaki appeared with glaring eyes. "How dare you guy heap sexual harassment on my little girls? That's enough of that!" He yelled.

Miki cocked her head to the side, raising an eyebrow. "Sexual Harassment?" She muttered, still not having her question answered from almost three chapters ago.

"Then, aren't we going to the beach?" The twins asked, hiding behind Haruhi.

"Whoever said we weren't going?" Turning around cooly, Tamaki retorted as he swung his bat over his shoulder.

"Oh, so you do want to go!" The twins grinned.

Clutching his little pink bunny, Honey asked. "Can Usa-chan come too?"

"I have no objections," Kyoya stated as he stood in the forest of swimsuits, still writing in his notebook.

Deciding to drop the subject of that unknown phrase, for now, Miki gleamed. "That sounds exciting!"

"Yeah." Mori nodded silently, his eyes fixed on a strange looking seashell bikini set.

"Huh? Are we really going?" Haruhi asked, a little estranged.

"Come on," Tamaki smiled. "Let's go to the beach!" He declared.

"IT'S THE OCEANNNNNN!" Miki yelled almost too excitedly, her voice washed out by the waves that crashed onto the sand. The calm sea water washed up to her knees, causing her to giggle at the sensation and excitement she felt.

It was her dream to visit the ocean, ever since she was little and learned of a place like this.

"Miki-senpai, you are way too excited..." Haruhi gave a wry sigh as she watched her upperclassman giggle like a four-year-old.

"This is my first time coming to the beach, of course, I'm excited." She said, twirling around to face Haruhi as the waves began to drag away the sand beneath her feet.

Cluelessly, Haruhi raised an eyebrow. "What kind of life have you been living so far, Miki-senpai?" She mumbled under her breath, eyes turning to the insanity before them.

Tamaki sat on a rock in the ocean with another girl, glancing over the horizon of blue and whispering sweet nothings into her ears. Hikaru and Kaoru were playing a round of beach volleyball, only to turn it into a romantic beachside chase like in the TV shows. Mori and Honey were off doing some sort of strange exercise routines with two other girls.

"Why?" Haruhi grumbled. "Why are we conducting host club activities here at the beach?"

"Now, now, don't be so gloomy Haruhi." Miki chuckled, walking back under the protective shade of the sun umbrella. "It's the beach nevertheless, so smile a little." Her cheeks brightened, much like the radiant sun.

"Miki-senpai, you are so optimistic..." Haruhi raised an eyebrow curiously, but her lips were curled into a slight smile.

"Haruhi-kun, Miki-chan."

The sudden footsteps that approached the two caused both girls to look up. Behind Haruhi stood three of her most regular customers. Kurakano Momoka, Sakurazuka Kimiko, and Yumehara Emi.

"Haruhi-kun, Miki-chan, are you two not going to swim?" Momoka asked, leading the trio.

"Oh, I enjoy looking at the sea more," Haruhi replied.

"And I just ran around the shoreline, so I'm a little tired," Miki added.

"Well, would it be okay if we joined you two?" Clutching her hands to her chest with a slight blush, Emi offered.

"How come?" Wearing that charming smile, Haruhi questioned. "Go ahead and swim. You are all wearing such cute swimsuits and all." Her voice was smooth and expression gentle, causing the girls to swoon immediately.

"T-Thanks..." They giggled with flushed faces. "Well, we'll see you later then." With a small wave, they were off.

"Haru-chan, Miki-chan!" Honey's voice echoed across the beach as he began waving at the two. "Let's go hellfish shunting!" He hollered.

"Hellfish Shunting?" Miki's hazel eyes immediately had twinkles. "What's that? It sounds super fun!" She cheered.

"I think he means 'Shellfish Hunting,'" Haruhi said with an exasperated sigh and a drop in her head. "It's when you hunt for sh-" When she looked up, she discovered that Miki was no longer there beside her. Instead, she was next to Honey, the two excitedly chatting. She got up from her spot in under the umbrella and began walking towards them. "Besides, I doubt you would be able to find many shellfish..." Her voice trailed off when she saw the already half full bucket sitting next to Honey. She gasped slightly, seeing a giant crab. Then looking down, she found the entire beach covered in shellfish of all sorts.

"EHHHH?! WHAT IS THIS?!"

"Wow! There are so many weird things in this bucket..." Miki peeked into Honey's first little stash with wide curious eyes. She picked one of them up eyes widening at the weird sensation, she leaned in, looking at it from up close. "I wonder what they are all called?"

Suddenly getting an idea, she took off from Mori, Honey and Haruhi who all began hunting for shellfish. Though to be fair, they were more capturing them then actively hunting. She turned around the large rock, scanning the beach for the figure she was searching for only to find him behind familiar looking men dressed in all black and wearing visor helmets.

"Kyoya-kun, what are you doing?" She jogged over, watching as the men were passing along buckets and buckets of the weird creatures she saw earlier.

"My folks' private police force wanted to make up for their offence toward Honey-senpai earlier, so I'm letting them do this," Kyoya explained before turning back to Miki. "What can I help you with?"

"If that's the case," She turned to one of the policemen, grabbing ahold of one of the few buckets on the ground. "May I borrow this?" She asked them with a beam.

"Yes, go ahead." Once she got the approval, she carried the bucket over to Kyoya who gave a questioning look. He watched as she placed the bucket down at his feet and crouched over it. Glancing up from her childish pose, she urged him to kneel as well.

"Kyoya-kun, come here and help me out." She chirped happily. "What is this thing called?" She asked, pulling out an oyster.

Sighing, Kyoya bent down, pushing up his glasses slightly. "That's an oyster," He informed her.

"Ehh? Is that what they look like in the shell?" Miki thought out loud. "What about this one? It looks like a crab, but it's green!"

"Be careful, don't get to close to that thing." He warned, taking the dark green struggling creature out of her grasp. "It's a live crab." He said as he let the poor thing crawl away.

Miki blinked, watching as the little guy scrambled away on eight legs. "So they do pinch you?"

"Out of self-defence, yes." He turned back around, in time to see Miki reach out for a spiky sea urchin. "I wouldn't touch that if I wer-"

"Ouch!" Retracting her hand, Miki let out a small yelp as the little spiky ball dropped onto the soft sand beneath them.

Kyoya let out another sigh, taking her hand in his as he examined the small prick that began to bleed slightly. "That was a sea urchin; some are poisonous." He told her.

"E-Eh?! Wait, then did I just get poisoned? Isn't that dangerous?"

Seeing her panic like that, Kyoya couldn't help but chuckle. "Why would I let the private police force bring a poisonous sea urchin onto the beach?" He retorted with a smirk.

"You tricked me!" Miki furrowed her brows, lips forming a slight pout. "That was mean!"

"You simply jumped to a conclusion too soon," He shrugged indifferently as he watched the fresh crimson blood build up into a droplet on her finger. "You are too gullible," He spoke absently, bringing her index finger to his lips.

Miki watched him closed his eyes as she felt a light sucking sensation on the tip of her finger where the stinging had been as well as a sense of warmth. Not a moment later, he lifted her finger from his lips and glanced at her. She only stared back at him with a rather blank look. "There," His thumb gently tracing the spot where the blood had been. "That should stop the bleeding," He said as he let go of her hand. Miki retracted her hand slowly and looked down at her finger; she blinked a few times before breaking into a cheerful smile.

"You're right, thank you very much, Kyoya-kun." She said gratefully, having no reservations about what had happened.

"CEN...TI...PEDE!" Screams came from behind the rocks, causing both Miki and Kyoya to get up in alarm as they ran over towards the sound. There, they found girls swarmed around Haruhi while Tamaki and the twins were talking among themselves. They approached the trio, and as they made their way there, Miki cocked her head to the side.

"What's a cen ti pede?"

"A centipede, Miki-senpai," Hikaru spoke with a shrug. "It's a bug."

"Isn't there anything she's afraid of?" Tamaki muttered. His eyes still glued to Haruhi who stood in the crowd of girls.

"Sir! Sir!" The twins suddenly called out to Tamaki, a mischievous grin on his face. "We just thought up of a fun game. Want to play? We call it...the 'Who can find Haruhi's weakness?' game!" The said, leaning forward.

"What an awful sounding game..." Tamaki swallowed hard.

"Yeah, you're probably right," The twins taunted, walking away, "She'd only show her weakness to someone she was close to, and all."

Triggered by their taunting Tamaki snapped up. "What are the rules!?" He asked.

"That's more like it!" Grinning, the twins spoke in unison. "The deadline is tomorrow at sunset. Whoever finds out what her weakness is first, wins." They challenged.

"Ooo." Jumping and fist pumping into the air, Miki shouted. "I want to play too!"

Glasses glistening, Kyoya smirked. "I will give whoever wins a prize," He said, showing three photos of Haruhi, all of her time in middle school.

"We are in on this, too!" Honey and Mori appeared next to the group.

"So then, everyone is playing," Kyoya stated, consistently moving the photos out of Tamaki's reach.

"But Kyo-chan, how is it you have those photos?" Honey piped up curiously.

Placing the photos back into his breast pocket, Kyoya smiled mysteriously. "I have my sources, why don't we just leave it at that?"

And so, the hosts set out on a competition to try and figure out Haruhi's weakness. Hikaru and Kaoru made their attempt with a test of courage in a nearby cave, Honey tried to scare Haruhi with a small confined dark space, and Mori simply attempted with a spear. Now it was Miki's turn...

"Haruhi, did you know?" Pulling Haruhi by the hand along the beach, Miki spoke in an ominous tone. "There was this case in the crime drama I watched, about this poor girl who was murdered by a very creepy looking clown..." She said as they walked on the sand. "They said, he had a big red nose, red hair, sharp shark-like teeth. He would hold up his balloons and choke poor innocent victims and AHHH WOULD YOU LOOK AT THAT THE CLOWN IS RIGHT THERE!" Faking a scream, Miki jumped back as a clown sprang out of the bushed with a growl.

Haruhi, on the other hand, was not phased whatsoever. She took a moment to study the clown. "Aren't you one of Kyoya-senpai's private police force?" She stared. "Do you also work for the circus or something?"

"Eh... No..." The man scratched his head.

Miki hummed, tapping her chin lightly.

Surprise Killer Clown Line of Attack failed.

Miki let out a gentle sigh as she sat atop a tall cliff feeling the late spring breeze weave through her long pink-brown hair. She tucked the single braid she always wore behind her ear breathing in the ocean's salty scent. From her view, she could see the entire beach and even further into the ocean horizon. The red to yellow hue faded into the distance reflected onto her pale skin, warming her up. She clicked her tongue thoughtfully, trying to contemplate what in the world could be Haruhi's weakness when a few voices she recognized called out to her.

"Miki-senpai!" She turned around to see Momoka, Kimiko and Emi approach.

"Oh hello," Smiling back, Miki waved her hand. "What brings you girls up here?"

"We just thought the view up here might be nice." Momoka beamed, her eyes sweeping over the view. "Ah look! It's Haruhi-kun down there. Haruhi-kun!" She called out to him enthusiastically.

Kimiko raised her hand in the air, waving it in a significant motion. "Hey there!"

"This breeze feels great!" Emi added.

Following their gaze, Miki found Haruhi just below them, still gathering shellfish with a blissful expression.

"It's dangerous up there," Haruhi warned.

"Come and join us!" With a slight giggle, Miki beckoned.

"The breeze feels great..." Momoka commented, trying to guide her hair to avoid it from flying in her face.

"Mhm!" Kimiko nodded.

"Oho! There are some chicks up here!" Turning around, the four girls saw two men wobble up with unsteady steps.

Miki tilted her head, brows furrowing at the phrase 'chick.'

"Lucky! The other man yelled with an eager smirk. "Hey girls! Let's play together!"

For reasons Miki didn't understand, the three girls began to tense up as the two men approached, one threw a can off the cliff.

"I'm sorry, but I'm afraid we are a little too old to play games together." Miki stood up from her spot; her face remained neutral.

"Huh?" With a slightly annoyed expression, one of the guys leaned towards Miki and then broke out into drunken laughter. "Man, you are a weird chick."

"We aren't chicks; we are humans." Miki pointed out with a confused expression, though her body was flashing warning signs at the mannerisms of these men.

"What are you guys doing here?" Momoka and the other two girls huddled up behind Miki. "This is a private beach; please leave!"

"Ho~ So does that mean we are all alone?" With a lustful smirk, the other man had snuck past Momoka and Miki and wrapped his arms around Emi and Kimiko who let out a shriek.

Then, the man standing before Miki grabbed her wrist. "A rich girl huh?" He leaned in. She could smell a strange scent emitting off of him, one she found familiar yet foreign. "This is interesting."

She felt uncomfortable being this close to him. Were they trying to kidnap her? Miki wondered, her brows knitting together closer. "Please let go of me." She spoke firmly.

"It must be dull having no one but girls around, huh?" He wiggled his brows suggestively only to let out a yelp in surprise and jump back in shock as Haruhi appeared. Miki noticed all the shellfish stuck to his back as he turned away from her, wincing in pain. Haruhi must've thrown them.

"Would you go away now?" She ordered harshly. "They don't want you! They said you're bothering them."

"Haruhi-kun!" Momoka let out a sigh in relief.

"Why, you little kid..."

Quickly reacting, Miki turned around. She still didn't understand what 'chick' meant, but her entire body told her that these men were dangerous and they needed to get away from them as soon as possible.

"Crime Drama, PUNCH!" With all her strength, she threw a fist towards the man that still held Emi and Kimiko hostage. The man was taken off guard and let go of the girls out of shock. Immediately, Miki grabbed the three girls and shoved them past the man that grasped her arm. "Let's go!" She ordered the girls and was about to run past Haruhi when a hand gripped onto her wrist and pulled her back.

"How dare you punch me..." It was the man she knocked out of the way, he wore a dark look and snaked an arm around her bare waist.

"Miki-chan!" Momoka called back, already halfway down the cliff.

"Get out of here and get help!" Miki instructed as loud as possible, hoping her voice would attract some kind of attention, watching as Momoka flinched out of dilemma to help her or not, "Haruhi, go with them! Senpai's orde-mph!" She shouted after them, only to feel a hand clasp over her mouth.

"Shut the hell up, will you? You can save the screaming for later." The man grunted, pinning her arms to her side with one arm. Miki struggled against his grasp trying to escape. She twisted and turned, letting out small whimpers.

Haruhi furrowed her brows, dropping the bucket. "Hey! Let her go!" She yelled, going against Miki's directions.

The first man who had shellfish thrown onto his back let out a laugh as he grabbed onto Haruhi by the collar and began leading her towards the cliff. "Who do you think you are anyway? What's with these spindly arms?" He scowled, holding Haruhi over the edge of the cliff. "Don't try and act tough when you are such a sissy boy!"

"Let go of her!" Miki declared, prying the man's hand off of her mouth. Her body was trembling. The stranger's arms felt like hot coal burning against her skin, a rush of adrenaline rushed through her bloodstream. "Someone help!"

"Kid, you should just go..." Thrusting his arm out, the man tossed Haruhi into the ocean. "Swimming in the ocean!"

Miki's pupils shrank. "Haruhi!" She leaned forward with a muffled scream as the man held her back.

"Miki!" In the distance, she heard Tamaki as well as a group of footsteps. The blonde popped up beyond the cliff and moved up.

"Tamaki-kun! Don't worry about me!" Fighting to keep the man's hand away from her mouth, Miki instructed. "Haruhi! Go save her!"

Eyes darting between his sister and Haruhi, Tamaki made up his mind and ran by and leap into the ocean after Haruhi, sending the strawberry blonde a little comfort. The next thing Miki felt was the arms that encircled around her waist loosen, and she felt another warmer hand grab her shoulder. Before she realized, she was pushed away from the man who had ahold of her and into Kyoya. She looked up, the adrenaline spike in her body calming down once she saw Kyoya's brownish-green eyes. His arm was around her shoulder, holding her protectively towards him. He quickly looked away from her and up towards the two men. Miki followed his gaze and spotted the twins beating the two people half to death with gleaming eyes.

"How dare you..."

"...hurt Haruhi and Miki-senpai!"

"Hikaru, Kaoru." Kyoya's glasses reflected the sunlight. "Make sure they don't die." He warned them, a flame of anger burning in his eyes.

Miki, in turn, looked down at her hands. They were quivering; her whole body was shaking, her breathing was uneven. In her best attempt to calm her heart, she wrapped her arms around herself, digging her nails into her skin.

 _Why am I so afraid...?_

The sun was already halfway down the horizon. The entire host club waited impatiently at the shore. Miki's breathing had already long since returned to normal, but her heartbeat wouldn't calm down for some reason. She paced around on the beach back and forth, staying on the watch for Tamaki and Haruhi. She focused herself on worrying about their wellbeing, but it was not like that helped in any way. The longer they took, the worse the scenarios played in her mind.

"Miki-chan," Honey held onto his floatie with a worried expression, "You should sit down, constantly walking around like that is only going to make you more anxious."

"It's alright." Miki flashed an unconvincing smile. "It helps me calm down."

"Ah! Over there!" Honey's eyes brightened and suddenly called out as everyone quickly turned their attention to a figure in the distance. Miki squinted as she looked into the sun, her heart rate increasing once she confirmed that was, in fact, Tamaki carrying Haruhi, lifeless in his arms.

"Tamaki-kun! Haruhi!" Pushing her feet off against the sand, Miki dashed into the shallow waters of the ocean moving forward until the water reached her mid-thigh. From there, she slowly walked back with the two.

"Sorry Miki, did I worry you?" After putting Haruhi down on the sand, Tamaki gently soothed his sister's head with a wry smile.

Forcing her lips to curl up and hiding her hands behind her back, Miki beamed. "I'm just glad you are alright." She tilted her head.

Expression turning stern, he asked Kyoya who draped his white shirt over Haruhi. "Where are they?" He asked.

"We kept their IDs and asked them to leave respectfully, the girls went back to the hotel," Kyoya replied, staring at Haruhi as she shook the water out of her ears. "I've called a doctor who should be here shortly."

"I see."

"I'm alright." Haruhi shook her head one last time. "I don't need a doctor."

"Are you one of those?" Looking down at Haruhi who clutched the white shirt around herself, Tamaki's voice grew low. "Actually a martial arts master, like Honey-senpai?" His brows knitted together as he leaned forward to grab Haruhi by her shoulders. "How could you think that you, a girl, by yourself, could do anything against those boys?"

"It had nothing to do with being a boy or a girl." Haruhi stared back defiantly at the blonde. "I was just there and didn't have time to think about anything like-"

"Well then think about it, you idiot!" Cutting in, Tamaki's face turned into a slight scowl. "You are a girl!"

Haruhi was quick to follow. "I will apologize for making you come after me, but I can't understand any other reason why you'd be mad at me. I haven't done anything wrong!" She stated.

Taken aback, Tamaki moved back slightly, letting go of her. "You haven't, huh?" He whispered. "Then go right ahead." He walked past her, brushing against her shoulder. "I'm not speaking to you again until you admit you were wrong!" With that, he walked off.

That evening, Miki sat at the dinner table in a dark blue chiffon dress, drinking a warm cup of honey lemon tea Mori and Honey had insisted her to. Tamaki was not far behind, sulking in a corner.

"Osu~" The twins walked into the room, announcing their presence in unison. " Miki-senpai that dress looks great on you." The greeted her.

No response. Miki was staring blankly at her reflection in her tea.

"Miki..."

"...senpai!" The twins greeted her again, taking a seat on either end, causing her to snap out of her daze.

"Woah, Hikaru, Kaoru!" She beamed automatically. "When did you two get here?"

The twins glanced at each other before looking back at Miki.

"Miki-senpai, perhpas are you..." Hikaru began.

"...Still worried about what happened?" Kaoru finished.

Miki blinked. She quickly recomposed herself as she put her tea back onto the table and stuffed her hands into the folds of her dress. "What? What makes you think that?" She quickly tried to reason, noticing how serious of an expression the twins were making — something she rarely ever saw on either of their faces.

"Because your hands..."

"... are still trembling."

Miki's eyes widened as she felt her fingers twitch involuntarily, she finally noticed just how stiff her body had been the entire time. She bit her bottom lip, about to say something when Kyoya appeared from across the table.

"Miki."

She glanced up to meet his eyes, a small hum escaping her lips.

"I'd like to speak with you," He said with an unreadable expression. "Come to my room after dinner."

"Okay." Miki nodded.

"Huh?" The mischievous tone was returning to the twin's voices, they leaned in. "Miki-senpai, is there something going on between you and Kyoya-senpai?" They asked in unison, glancing at her suspiciously.

"Going on?" Miki's expression turned blank once again. She turned to look at Kyoya who looked away to greet Honey and Mori who came in with steaming plates. "We aren't fighting or anything." She said, after thinking for a while.

"No, not like that!" Hikaru shook his head.

"We mean, are you together?" Kaoru rephrased their question.

Miki furrowed her brows looking even more confused. "Well, we are all together in this room right now." She pointed out.

"No, no, no. As in, are you an item!?" Getting fed up with how dense she was, they tried one more time.

"We are both humans."

Slouching over and throwing an arm over the backing of the chair, they let out an exasperated sigh. "Ah forget it..." They gave up, leaving Miki to cock her head, completely puzzled.

Soon, Haruhi walked into the dining room with Mori dressed a soft pink gown, and everyone immediately crowded around her at just how adorable she looked. As they talked about Haruhi's dress, Miki peeked over her shoulder, watching as her half-brother hid behind one of the tall poles, blushing.

"It looks great on you, Haruhi." She complimented.

As the clock in the dining room ticked away, awkward tension loomed in the air. No one touched the food; no one dared to. Well, except for Miki, who as usual, can never read the atmosphere or have any self-awareness. She sat between Kyoya and Kaoru, munched away happily on some of the fresh crabs on her plate.

"The air... is stuffy, huh?" Hikaru commented.

"It's kind of tense in here," Kaoru affirmed, giving a side glance to the upperclassman who had swallowed down a piece of meat.

"Is it?" She blinked at him, picking up another crab leg. She noticed how both twins were nudging in the direction across from them, so she followed their gaze and noticed no one else was eating. "Aren't you all going to eat?" She asked.

"Y-Yeah, let's eat, Haru-chan." Honey suggested with an uneasy smile as he lifted a crab, Mori mimicking him behind. "I'm sure the crabs we caught today are delicious enough."

Immediately after that, Haruhi got to cracking and gorged herself with nearly all of the crab. "These crabs... taste in-crab-ible? Get it?" She jested sarcastically, the sound of how loud she was cracking the crabs open even caused Miki to stop eating and glance up curiously.

"Aren't you eating too much, to say the least?" Tamaki questioned, looking very uncomfortable with the sounds she made as she broke open the crab legs.

Like a child, Haruhi didn't even give him a second glance. "Huh? I thought you weren't speaking to me." She stated nonchalantly before cracking another crab extra loud.

"Okay, I get it." Had enough of her nonsense, Tamaki slammed a hand into the table and stood up, his eyebrows twitching furiously. "You're not going to reconsider what you've done. Fine then, I'm going to my room. Kyoya, show me to my room." He walked away, hands in his pocket.

"All right," Wiping off his mouth, Kyoya then stood up. "Well, if you'll excuse me, too."

"Tamaki-kun..." Miki muttered as she watched her brother walk out the door, slamming it behind him in slight frustration.

After Tamaki left, Haruhi stopped with the crab cracking and peered down thoughtfully at her crab shells, piled high. "Maybe I should really learn some karate or something..." She murmured.

"Oh, then it is bothering you." The twins sighed, leaning their cheek on their palm.

"That's the direction your thought is going, is it?" Hikaru hummed.

"It's not like we'd stop you or anything." Kaoru then adds.

"But that's not what it's about, is it?" Their voices then merged together once more.

"Huh?"

Hikaru sighed as he glanced over at Haruhi. "To be honest, I wish you'd reconsider how rashly you acted today, too."

"Why?" Haruhi looked quizzical. "Hikaru, I didn't make trouble for you guys, did I?" She raised an eyebrow, only for the twins to sigh at just how dense she was too.

"That's not true, Haru-chan." Honey chimed in, helping the twins to prove their point. "You should tell everyone you're sorry, okay?" His eyes crinkled sweetly. "And tell Tama-chan you're sorry for worrying him, too." He suggested.

"You were all worried about me?" Haruhi blinked.

Honey, Hikaru and Kaoru all let out a sigh in disbelief.

"Do you believe either of these girls..." The twins grumbled.

"I agree with them, Haruhi." Miki smiled tenderly as she wiped the excess crab juice her mouth with grace. "Tamaki-kun might have been a little awkward with expressing it, but I think he just wanted you to rely on us more." She stated, averting her eyes to the door where her brother disappeared from. "I was so scared. You went against my orders to leave and confronted those men all alone." She tilted her head with a melodious voice. "So yes, we were all super worried, because you are very important to us, after all."

Haruhi's big brown eyes widened in realization. "I see..." Her eyes darted down to her eaten food. "I'm sorry." She muttered.

Almost immediately, everyone gathered around to give her a big group hug, when...

"Miki-senpai?" Hikaru called out to her.

"Don't you have to go meet Kyoya-senpai in his room?" Kaoru reminded her.

"Oh yes, I nearly forgot!" Quickly glancing over at the clock, Miki gave a swift bow to the rest of the hosts. "Well then, if you will excuse me. Have a great evening." And with that, she left the dining room.

As Miki began to make her way down the hall, trying to remember which door led to Kyoya's room. The doors of the dining hall behind her slammed open, and a desperate looking Haruhi bolted past her with lighting speed and ducked into the next room over. Blinking, Miki quickly approached the room, making sure to knock prior.

"Come in," It was a familiar voice.

Poking her head in, Miki glanced over at the slammed close bathroom door. "Did Haruhi just run in here?" She tilted her head, waltzing forth with her hands behind her back. "Is she alright?"

"She probably ate too much crab for her own good," Kyoya sat at the back of the room in a chair near the window.

Miki hummed as she stepped further into the room, noticing how he had a yellow towel over his black hair and wasn't wearing his glasses or his shirt. "Kyoya-kun." She called out to him.

"Hm?"

"Why aren't you wearing a shirt?"

"I just took a shower," He replied indifferently, rubbing the towel in his hair, trying to dry it.

"I see." Blinking a few times, Miki stepped in closer. "So? What did you want to speak with me about?" She asked, cocking her head to the side.

"Sit down," He instructed her, gesturing his bed.

Following his instructions, Miki sat down obediently. She glanced out the window behind him, noticing the clouds that began to gather outside the mansion.

"What did those men say to you?" He followed up, resting an elbow on the armrest of the chair.

"They asked me to play, and then called me a baby chick." Tapping her chin as she tried to recall said events, she found her body stiffening up further. But her expression remained unchanged.

Glancing up at her without moving, Kyoya sighed. He took a bottled water that rested on the coffee. "And what did you respond with?" He asked before taking a sip.

"I told them we were too old to play, and that I was a human," Miki responded truthfully.

Putting down the bottled water, Kyoya dropped the towel around his neck and made his way over to the wall where the light switches were. "Do you understand what they were trying to do to you?" Finally, he asked her as he dimmed the lights until they were turned off.

Miki looked at the golden ceiling fan that spun, lost in thought. "Kidnapping?" She suggested, watching as he walked towards her, his figure towering over hers in the darkness of the room.

Kyoya leaned down, staring at her from the same eye level. "I have told you many times at this point. You are very naive." He paused, studying her unchanging expression. "I said, there are malicious people in the world that may try to take advantage of you, haven't I?"

Without having much to say, Miki simply nodded.

"Then, this was one of those moments. Since you don't happen to understand, I guess I'll just have to teach it to you." Narrowing his eyes, he reached forward and grabbed Miki's hand that rested on her lap, noticing how it quivered to the touch. Pushing her back onto the bed, he crawled over her body, pinning her wrist into the soft mattress as gently as he could. "You asked what sexual harassment is, Miki." He said, looking down at her slightly widened hazel eyes as shock circled in them. "It's what happened to you. Do you understand that?" He asked her, feeling her fingers twitch under his grasp. He glanced over at them, noticing how much they were trembling. He then looked back at her, to notice droplets of tears rolled down the side of her face.

"So this is..." Biting her bottom lip, Miki choked through her voice. Her eyes round in disbelief. Letting go of her wrist, Kyoya back away gently. He sat on the edge of his bed, observing as she sat back up and tears began to drip down her chin.

"When he grabbed me by my wrist... My whole body was telling me that it was wrong..." Hugging herself, Miki finally allowed herself to tremble visibly. "Is that why... I can't stop myself... from shaking so much...?"Her fingernails clawed at her forearm as if she attempted to stop herself from quaking. Her breath hitched and her breathing rhythm was becoming disrupted as she remembered how uncomfortable the man's touch was on her body. More tears coursed down her cheek as she stifled a whimper when she suddenly felt a hand brush against her cheek and wipe away some tears.

"What a bothersome woman," Kyoya stated with a stern yet gentle expression. "It could've escalated to much worse, but it didn't. This is just for you going forth," He leaned in closer to her, allowing his hand to gently ruffle her silky hair as her sniffles filled the room. "Stay on guard of people, and be wary. Hm?"

Hearing his tone turn soft, Miki nodded as wiped away the tears that built in her eyes with the base of her palm. She closed her eyes as Kyoya gently ran his fingers through her long hair. It slowly calmed her trembling heart.

The sound of the door creaking open startled the two as they turned to look in the direction. Haruhi had stepped out from the brightly lit bathroom into the darkness of Kyoya's room.

"All done?" Kyoya raised an eyebrow, finally putting on his glasses.

"I'm sorry for intruding into your room." Bowing her head, Haruhi apologized. "Was I interrupting anything?"

"No, not really." Before Kyoya could reply, Miki answered bluntly as she quickly wiped away the last traces of your tears. "Are you feeling better?" She asked, her usual tender smile resurfacing on her lips.

Stepping further into the room, Haruhi hid her hands behind her back. "Yes, much better. Thank you for your conc-" However, she was interrupted by a knock on the door and another familiar voice.

"Kyoya?" Tamaki entered the room; his focus fixed on his shoulder at first. "Do you have any location? This sunburn is worse than I thought-" His gaze quickly moved up and fixed onto the sight before him.

A dimly lit room.

His sister, sitting on his best friend's bed with said best friend not too far away, shirtless.

His 'daughter' standing close to the duo.

His mind automatically jumped to the worst case scenario.

Tamaki's handsome face turned into a scowl as he growled under his breath. "Kyoya, you rotten..." But before he could get his full sentence out, Kyoya had grabbed both his shirt and the bottle of sun location, slapping it into his face.

"Here." He spoke in his usual indifferent tone. "Use as much as you want, you goof." He told him before glancing at Miki. "Let's go." He beckoned.

"Eh? But..."

"Hurry up." Putting his shirt on, he began to walk out of the room.

Standing up, Miki quickly followed him, brushing past Tamaki who grabbed ahold of the red bottle. "Okay..." She muttered, closing the door behind them. Once they were outside, she cocked her head to the side as they began to walk down the halls. "Why did you leave the two of them in there?" She questioned. "Aren't they in the middle of a fight?"

"It would be easier for them to reconcile if they were finally on speaking terms, wouldn't it?" Kyoya explained, placing his hands in his pockets.

Hearing his explanation, Miki thought for a moment before giggling lightly. "You really are a nice person, Kyoya-kun." She chirped merrily.

"Even after all that, calling me nice..." Kyoya pushed up his glasses with a weary smirk. "You are indeed fascinating."

Suddenly, a flash of light struck down from the sky, illuminating the entire hallway for a few moments accompanied by an eruption of crackling. Miki snapped around to face the window excitedly.

"It's lightning!" She cheered, pressing her hand against the hallway window. Her eyes brightened in awe as bolts of light darted across the clouded sky, along with the rain that fluttered down.

Kyoya followed up, glancing over her at the common phenomenon she seemed to have an immense appreciation for. "Do you like lightning?" He questioned, looking out into the back garden as the plants swayed in the harsh wind.

"Yeah, I love it." Nodding her head up and down, Miki confirmed as she pressed her palms into the glass. "I've always loved lightning ever since I was a little girl." She informed him. "And not just lightning," Beaming up at him, she added. "Lightning, thunder, hail, snow, rain." She listed off, her voice growing bubblier with every addition. "I love them all."

Raising an eyebrow, Kyoya looked out at the view, trying to figure out what's so appealing about it. He never thought much of this natural phenomenon, he wasn't afraid neither did he particularly like them. "Is there a particular reason why?" He finally asked.

"Because," With a wry smile, Miki pressed her forehead against the cold window. "All of these things I just mentioned, they were my only connection to the outside world. I could open my window, and touch the rain, hail or snow. I could hear and see the strikes of lightning. " She closed her eyes listening as the pitter-patter of the rain form a peaceful lullaby. "They remind me that, in a way, I am still connected to the world, that everyone else, trapped or not, are seeing the same brilliant view before me."

Gazing at her curiously, Kyoya's eyes turned to amusement. "The beauty this world has to offer... huh." He muttered, returning his sights back to the thunderstorm outside.

"Huh? Kyoya-senpai, Miki-senpai?" Hikaru and Kaoru's voice echoed down the hallway as them, Honey and Mori ran to catch up with the two. "What are you two doing here? Where are Haruhi and Milord?" They asked.

"We left them in Kyoya-kun's room." Miki waved at them, greeting them with her usual bright smile.

"Eh?" Hikaru raised an eyebrow. "Are you such this is okay?"

"Leaving the two of them together?" Kaoru suggested.

"She's with our Tamaki." Kyoya pointed out dryly. "What could possibly go wrong?"

As they made their way to the door, the twins knocked lightly. "Sir, we are coming it." They announced before swinging it wide open.

Everyone except for Miki quickly froze in shock at the slight. Haruhi was kneeling on the ground with a white blindfold on.

"You see? With the blindfolds, you can't see anything, and sound wise if you wear earplugs..." Tamaki crouched next to her, earplugs in hand, helping her put them in.

"Ah! You're right!"

"Despicable," Hikaru growled, catching Tamaki off guard.

Kaoru's eyebrow twitched. "What kind of 'play' is this?"

"I-It's not like that!" Tamaki protest, waving his hands, "It's not like that at all!"

"Be careful, Haruhi." Hikaru sighed as he opened the black limo's car door.

"Milord apparently has a thing for S&M, too." Kaoru continued with a disappointed glare in Tamaki's direction.

Holding his bags at the front door, Tamaki justified. "It wasn't like that!"

"I see. So that's what S&M is," Haruhi glared turning away and rolling up her side of the window, "I let you get away with something funny without even knowing it."

"It wasn't like that! I did it for your sake!"

Miki blinked confusedly at her brother as Mori and Honey ushered her into the car.

Turning to the driver, Kyoya instructed. "Start Driving."

"Miki-senpai." Hikaru swayed side to side with Kaoru with an aloof expression. "You might want to..."

"...stay away from Milord's room from now on." Kaoru finished.

Hearing the twin's suggestion, Miki's confusion only increased. She turned to Kyoya who sat next to her. "Kyoya-kun, what is S&M?" She cocked her head to the side.

"No comment."


	7. 6 The Lobelia Girls Strike!

_-Chapter 6-_

 **The Lobelia Girls Strike!**

"Hmm... this colour palette..." Scrolling through the wheel of colours on her tablet, Miki pressed her lips together. She was currently looking over the host club's final performance production sketches for the culture club's expositions; despite that, she still couldn't wholeheartedly say she liked the contrast between the host club's cosplay and the set they were already building.

"Suoh Miki-san." A voice called out to her causing her head to perk up.

Jounouchi Ayame. The vice chairman of class 2-A looked down at her with her usual emotionless, but crystal clear eyes.

"Good afternoon, Ayame-san," Miki greeted with a bright smile, momentarily taking her eyes off her tablet. "And please, you can drop the honorifics, how may I help you?"

Fixing her glasses, Ayame did not return her smile. Instead, she spoke in her monotonous voice. "I believe you haven't reported to the literature teacher which book you are planning to use."

"Oh, I must have forgotten." Realizing that she was correct, Miki gasped. She glanced over at the clock hanging above the blackboard and also realized it was time to head over to the club, she scrambled to get her things together and swiftly bowed at Ayame. "Thank you for the warning; I'll be off then." She exchanged a knowing look with the vice chairman before dashing out of the classroom.

Quickly making her way to the teachers' office, Miki pulled out the thin, yet aged leather covered book and registered it with Mr. Kobayashi, her literature teacher.

"Rapunzel, huh..." Jotting down it down in his notes, the old man hummed. "Interesting choice, Ms. Suoh." He said, glancing up at Miki with a tender expression.

"Huh? Why is that?" Eyes rounding, Miki cocked her head to the side, sliding the book gently back into her brown briefcase-like bag.

Mr. Kobayashi turned back to his notes, flipping through them with a thoughtful look. "Most of the other students have chosen either non-fiction or long-classic fiction works. It's rare to see anyone chose such a simple tale."

"You asked us to choose our favourite story." Holding her bag that contained her precious book closer to her chest, Miki beamed. "And Rapunzel is and always has been my favourite."

Nodding with approval, Mr. Kobayashi closed his full notes. "Very well then," He said. "I'm looking forward to your story beat organizer next month."

"Thank you very much." With a soft bow, Miki turned around and jogged down the somewhat empty hallways towards music room #3, where a brand new set of problems awaited with a brand new day.

As she got closer, she could hear the sounds of arguing between Tamaki's voice, and another she was not familiar with. Soon, she heard Tamaki let out a small yelp. Worry tugging at her heartstrings; she picked up the pace of her steps. Her fluffy strawberry blonde hair bounced on her back, swaying gently. Soon, she heard something she was not quite expecting.

"Lobelia~."

"Lobelia~."

"Lobelia~."

Stopping in her tracks, Miki raised an eyebrow at the singing that floated out of the opened doors.

"Are they finally using the music room for music?" Muttering to herself, Miki poked her head around the corner to assess the situation only to be even more confused.

Three girls wearing very flashy costumes stood under limelights that came from god knows where.

"St. Lobelia Academy, high school 2nd-Year, Amakusa Benio," The one who stood in the center, dressed up in a suit and tie introduced, tipping a fedora.

"Lobelia~."

"Also, 2nd-Year, Maihara Chizuru." The slender woman on the right from Miki's perspective presented herself.

"Lobelia~."

"Also, 1st-Year, Tsuwabuki Hinako." Finally, the smaller girl on the left said, holding a lily that she seemingly pulled out of nowhere.

"Lobelia~."

"We are Lobelia's white lily league, but people call us..." Throwing away their current costumes, they opened their arms in a flashy manner. "The Zuka Club!"

Deeming them harmless, Miki stepped into the room with a slightly blank expression as silence filled the room. Looking around, she saw Haruhi not too far away, also staring incredulously at the Zuka Club. Miki then turned back and watched the host club's reaction from behind the bundle of feathers that stuck out of the tacky costumes, noticing that Tamaki was becoming paler and paler by the second. Soon, he fell to the ground with a small whimper as the twins burst into laughing tears.

"Nice taste in names!" Hikaru chortled. "The Zuka Club! My stomach hurts!"

"The Zuka Club! That's great! And to intentionally wear those costumes under their uniforms!" Kaoru wheezed.

"You must not take the Zuka Club lightly!" Renge's voice echoed through the air as the sound of the motor powered through the ground. The rose up, sitting underneath a Japanese styled umbrella, one Miki recognized as one she was asked to design days ago. "I may not know about instant coffee, but I can tell you about infatuations with girls' schools," Renge said, sipping the cup of coffee in her hand before putting it down after making a strange face. Cupping her hands together, she spoke. "St. Lobelia Academy - truly, a woman's world. The Zuka Club is a gathering of damsels that consider females to be especially superior, even for there. It prides itself on 30 years since its founding as a society of maidens, by maidens, for maidens. The Zuka Club's activities include 'Maidens' Tea Parties,' 'Maidens' Debate Forum,' and most importantly, singing and theatrical routines performed by the top members."

As Renge continued to monologue, Kyoya had taken off his costume, placing it gently on a coffee table. "Renge-kun, you sure cover a wide field." He praised.

"Still, ultimately, it is but a fond fantasy. Not actually having any boys around makes it no good for me," Renge shrugged with an exaggerated sigh, before lowering back into the ground.

"A maiden's beauty...It is to have a spirit pure enough not to give in to superficial beauty, influence, or lust," Suzuran explained, cupping her hands together.

"'As a girl, you...' 'For a girl, you...' We're fed up with all the oppressive male contempt for women," Hinako said, striking a thoughtful pose.

"Our pride...It comes from having soulful relationships based on equality, as a result of being of the same sex," Benibara explained, hugging the other two close, "including, yes...even relationships of love."

"Oh, there you go, Benio..." Snuggling closer, Chizuru sighed.

"Ah! Benibara-sama!" Sighing dreamily, Hinako leaned in closer.

Completely fed up with them, the host club immediately lost interest. Hikaru sat down on the sofa, pulling out his video game with Honey over his shoulder, Karou sat next to him picking through a brown paper bag Miki recognized as commoner's coffee. Kyoya sat on the armrest of the sofa, not even facing them. Mori stood in the back, swinging a sword with no particular expression.

"Ahh... I've gotten tired of laughing." Kaoru complained.

Clicking furiously on his gaming console, Hikaru agreed. "Yeah, seriously, go away."

"Oh, my, does this mean you have nothing to say about our sublime love?" Hinagiku asked, laughing into the back of her hand.

"You have to feel sorry for them, Hinagiku," Chizuru said, stroking Benibara's cheek before peeling off the faux mustache from her face, "Their patented host skills did not work on us, and they don't know how to handle it."

"If you say you take pride in equality, why are you putting the host club down so much?" Miki asked, finally piecing together what these strangers were saying and announcing her presence to everyone in the room.

"Another rose in the valley of thorns!" Benibara jumped back in surprise as the other two around her gasped.

"Ah, Miki-chan!" Honey waved, brimming with excitement.

"When did you..." Kaoru raised an eyebrow.

"...get here?" Hikaru finished, looking up from his game.

"When they started singing," Miki stated, tilting her head to the side with a gleaming smile as strands of hair slipped off her shoulder.

"I see," Not looking up from his book, Kyoya readjusted his glasses. "Then, you should have announced your presence."

Blinking, Miki's face returned to confusion. "No one asked." She said bluntly, but before she could get else anything out, she was quickly surrounded by the three Zuka club members.

"Oh my," Benibara gently brushed a finger across Miki's cheek as she simply stared back with that clueless look. "Just look how lost this little lamb's beautiful eyes are." She cooed. "Did this horrendous club brainwash you into their mind slave?"

"Huh?" Miki tilted her head, trying to understand the concept of being called a 'chick,' then a 'lamb.' Did she look that much like an animal?

"Actually, no. " The twins interrupted. "Miki-senpai's eyes tend to have a blank look like that when she's confused."

"And look," Chizuru moved in as well, "Her lips are quivering out of the sheer fear of remembering her horrid experience."

"Actually, Miki-chan is always smiling." Honey pointed out, giggling slightly.

Ignoring either comment, Benibara sighed dramatically. "You poor, poor maidens." She expressed, hugging Miki into her chest while looking over at Haruhi who let out a 'huh.' Glaring back at the hosts who still sat on the rose coloured couch, she smirked. "Being stuck in this fledgeling club that satisfies their own needs under the guise of club activities... But do not fret, we shall rescue you from this trash heap. " Turning around, she quickly called upon Chizuru and Hinako. "Prepare the paperwork for these two maidens to transfer into Lobelia at once and welcome them into the Zuka Club!" She announced.

"WHAT?!" Tamaki shrieked, body completely turned to stone.

After a few seconds of silence that seemed to have lasted for an eternity, Miki gently pulled away from Benibara's arms. Lifting her head to see her eye to eye, she flashed a radiant smile. "Sorry, but I refuse that offer." She spoke in an all too cheerful voice.

Another few seconds ticked by, as the host club began to relax when Benibara grabbed Miki by her shoulders.

"Why?" She asked in an exaggerated manner. "Have they toyed with your pure maiden heart to the point you've lost sight of reality?"

"J-Just wait a second, please, there seems to be some kind of misunderstanding here." Stepping in, in an attempt to mend the situation. "You labelled Tamaki-senpai a halfer, for one."

"What do you mean?" Miki cut in, looking even more puzzled with what Haruhi had said. "Tamaki-kun is a halfer." She pointed out.

Honey nodded, carrying Usa-chan on his shoulders. "A French and Japanese half-chan!" He giggled innocently.

"Ah. But still, I'm so sure about calling the Host Club fledgling, and picking on them on other pretexts, as well," Haruhi tried again sweatdropping.

"No, we are pretty new. We were only founded two years ago," Hikaru shrugged.

"His highness created it when he reached high school, after all," Kaoru informed with a nostalgic smile.

Haruhi twirled her index finger with one last attempt. "Well, be that as it may, if anything, saying that their club activities are only held to satisfy their own appetites is going too far, it's not as though they're charging their guests anything-"

"I wouldn't call it a charge, but we do have a point system," Kyoya said as he clicked away on his laptop, "We do offer priority service, depending on the items won in net auctions on the club's homepage." Clicking into a page, he gestured the screen. "Ah, you see here, Haruhi? Your used mechanical pencil just sold for a winning bid of 30,000 yen. Good for you."

"EH?!" Letting out a yelp in surprise, Haruhi dashed over to the laptop, "That's the one I thought I'd lost! This is the first I'm hearing about any of this, you know! I never heard we were taking money for this!"

"You thought we were providing this service as volunteers?" Kyoya smirked, "Well if you subtract the expenses we have for throwing events, costumes, and refreshments for our guests, we do make a slight profit."

Snapping around with fire in her eyes, Haruhi yelled back. "Then please don't go selling other people's things without permission! That's thievery!"

As the twins and Tamaki joined in the argument as well, Miki was drawn over away from Benibara and towards the laptop. She leaned forward, staring at the screen.

"Why was it bought at such a high price?" She wondered out loud, trying to figure out why this mechanical pencil was worth that much money.

Kyoya shrugged, eyes resting on Miki as she observed the picture intently. "Some of our guests would pay a large sum of money just to get an item used by a host," He told her. "It's wonderful profit."

Miki tilted her head. "Why would they pay so much to get a second-hand object?" She furrowed her brows, glancing at Kyoya.

"Perhaps it is because they harbour romantic feelings for the owner of the object, and want an item of theirs as a keepsake." Pushing up his glasses, Kyoya closed his laptop.

Tapping her chin, Miki pressed her lips together. "That's a little strange." Turning around, her eyes averted back to Haruhi who looked extremely annoyed while standing in the midst of the Lobelia girls. She then glanced at Kyoya, thinking back on what he said. "Romantic feelings huh?" She muttered.

"You poor thing..." Chizuru pouted, eyes filled with pity. "It must be a shock to be so deceived."

Hinako nodded in agreement. "Come on, dump this bunch, and come over to us."

"Now hold on, Hinakigu." Benibara stopped her with a sigh. "This maiden is all shaken up today. Let's ask again tomorrow; we'll be expecting a favourable answer." Turning to leave, she shot Miki a smug glimpse. "And don't worry lost lamb. We will come to rescue you as well, hang in there a little more." Waving snobbishly, she winked. "Adieu..."

And with a strange amount of twirls and unusual laughter, they were gone.

Pressing a finger against her temple, Miki tilted her head. "How do they manage to laugh like that...?" She murmured.

"Don't go attempting," Kyoya recommended.

Haruhi snapped around to glare at the hosts for a few moments as they all tensed up.

"I'll be excusing myself now, too." She announced as she left for the door.

That evening, Miki sat in her room humming lightly to the opening theme song of _Crime? Crime Drama_ as she sketched away on her tablet. Tapping the side of her head to the beat, she was finishing up a few drafts when Suzuno knocked on her door.

"Miss Miki," She bowed. "Master Tamaki asked you to head over to his room."

"Okay." Grabbing the remote next to her tablet, Miki paused the TV. And with a light skip to her step, she headed towards Tamaki's room across the hall. "I wonder what could he need me for." She murmured curiously, knocking gently on the door. Throughout the past few weeks, she rarely ever visited Tamaki in his room. It was always him barging in to walk her up, or him bolting in to talk to her about the next set theme for the Host Club. "Tamaki-kun, I'm coming in."

"Listen, men!" His voice almost flew over towards her and hit her in the head as she opened the giant doors to her brother's bedroom. "We are going to call this the Freebie Campaign!"

Raising an eyebrow, Miki walked into her room to find the blonde yelling at the wall in the middle of the room. His room wasn't too different from her's. It was the same size with the same setup. He just had a lot more photo frames on his nightstand. "Tamaki-kun, what are you doing?" She asked with a chuckle at just how silly he looked.

"Ah! It's Miki-chan!" Honey's bubbly voice suddenly flooded the room.

"Hello, Miki-senpai." The twins sang in unison.

"Good Evening." Now that was Kyoya's voice.

"Hm." Mori hummed.

Their voices caused the strawberry blonde to perk up and look in the direction of the source.

Hanging on the wall Tamaki was standing before, were four blown-up portraits of the hosts. Going from left to right, there was Mori in a profile shot, Honey happily gorging a cake, Kyoya in almost a comical pose, and finally the twins with graffiti over their faces spelling the word 'idiot.'

Miki blinked rapidly.

"Miki!" Tamaki let out a yelp in glee immediately bouncing over to her and wrapping his arms around her into a bear hug. "I'm glad you made it!" He grinned with comical tears flowing down his face. "I haven't gotten your portrait installed yet so I couldn't add you into our conference call!"

"I'm just in the room over, you don't need to do that for me." Giggling lightly, Miki patted Tamaki's back before turning to portraits.

"And good evening to you all." She greeted before trying to separate herself from her brother who was still clinging onto her. "So why did you call me here, Tamaki-kun? What's going on?"

"Don't worry Miki!" Letting her out of the hug, but grabbing onto her shoulders, Tamaki continued to cry. "I will make sure your niece stays with us in Ouran! I promise! You don't need to worry!"

Miki blinked, tilting her head. "Niece? I don't ever recall hav-"

"He means Haruhi." It seems even in the evening, Kyoya can never get a break from this clueless girl.

"His Highness has a plan..." Hikaru started, his voice pouring through the twin's portrait.

"...To get Haruhi to stay with us." Kaoru finished.

"But in order to do that, we are going to require your assistance," Kyoya added, a muffled sigh accompanying his statement.

Nodding with her hands behind her back, Miki gleamed. "Of course," She nodded curtly. "How can I be of assistance?"

"Hikaru, you need to suck in more." Miki couldn't help but burst into a fit of giggles as she tried to buckle the bra strap around Hikaru's ribs.

"I can't Miki-senpai." Hikaru's face was burning red out of embarrassment and from holding his breath for too long. "I have a rib cage like anyone else!"

Finally being able to clasp the strap Miki, backed away trying to stifle her giggles. "Alright, that should be the last one." She gasped, helping him zip up the back of the teal dress they had the seamstresses make on a whim.

"Miki-chan, my eye itches..." Tugging on the hem of her school uniform, Honey whined, holding Usa-chan in his arms. He wore blonde extensions that curled at the ends as well as a giant hot pink bow to match his pink dress. If one didn't look carefully, they could mistake him for a porcelain doll.

Miki smiled wryly, helping Honey itched his eyelid as gently as possible not to disturb the makeup. "Sorry, Honey-senpai. Please endure it, for now." She implored.

It turned out; the hosts needed Miki's help with changing into their new costumes as well as makeup and hair. Against Miki's suggestion, Tamaki had decided to go overboard with the makeup. The colour of the eyeshadow and the lipsticks were so intense; they could've passed for stage makeup.

"Mori-senpai, you are lucky you don't need to wear this thing..." Hikaru muttered as he walked out of the changing room with Honey and Miki, the elder twin was scratching and clawing at the metal wires of the bra as well as the tight waist of the dress. "It's so uncomfortable..." He complained.

"I can't believe people wear these things every day..." Kaoru nodded in agreement, attempting to claw at his own as well to relieve the pain.

Everyone was changed and ready to set Tamaki's 'Freebie Campaign' into motion, all except Kyoya who opted to get dressed last.

"Alright! Kyoya!" Pushing his friend towards the direction of the change room, Takami looked fired up with his violet purple eyeshadow and bright red lipstick. "Your turn! Go on, transform into Big Sister Kyoya!" He ushered.

"I thought Kyoya-senpai..."

"...was 'mommy'?" The twins pointed out.

Leaving the three to their bickering, Kyoya stepped into the changing room with an irritated sigh as he drew the yellow curtain shut. Miki giggled at his reaction, pointing at another mini dressing room.

"Take your blazer and shirt off in there; I'll do your makeup afterwards." She instructed, cleaning up baby blue eyeshadow on the counter. Honey definitely didn't like getting his eye makeup done.

Leaving only his dress pants on, Kyoya sat down reluctantly onto the makeup chair as Miki took a closer look at him.

"Let's see... I don't think you need the eyeshadow. Your dress is a darker colour after all, but we really need to do something about those panda eyes." Humming lightly, she pulled away to search through the makeup case. Pulling out the concealer bottle, she quickly made a comparison to his skin colour before dotting it under his eyes. "You don't get much sleep, do you Kyoya-kun?"

"I don't particularly enjoy rising early." Kyoya simply stated as he kept his eyes closed, feeling the cool liquid dot under his eyes. "What about you?" He asked, opening his eyes once the dotting stopped. "You seem to have some dark circles yourself."

"Tamaki-kun wakes me up early in the morning, that's all." Putting the concealer away, she beamed thoughtfully. "Close your eyes." She directed, blending the liquid with a delicate finger once he did. "You, on the other hand, you probably stay up late due to host club business, right?"

"I have no idea what you are talking about."

"Hehe." With her fingers touching her lips, Miki giggled as she began pumping the mascara wand. "I'm only going to use mascara on you; any eyeshadow will screw up the colour balance with your dress, alright?" She told him. "Close your eyes."

Letting his eyes fall shut once again, Kyoya felt the thin strokes that brushed against his eyelashes. A small comfortable silence loomed between them before Kyoya asked her absentmindedly.

"May I ask, what was it like growing up in your... circumstances?"

He felt Miki's hand twitch, brushing against his cheek for a moment. She then answered.

"I wasn't completely alone." She justified. "I had Arden and father who visited me from time to time, besides, I had the faint memories of my mother from when I was little."

"Have you seen her since you were sent here?" In a low and hesitant tone, Kyoya questioned.

Miki shook her head gently, finishing up his other eyelashes. "I don't even remember her face." She said dryly. Her voice trailed off as she closed the mascara bottle.

Changing the subject, Miki reached for a lilac lipstick. "I'm just going to put some lipstick on you, try not to flinch and move like Honey-senpai, alright?" She warned as her voice grew bubbly once again, gently holding onto his chin.

Leaning in close, she began to swipe the colour over his lips. Kyoya opened his eyes to find her very close to him; if he were to move forward a bit, he could plant a kiss on her forehead. Averting his eyes, he waited for her to finish. "You seem very comfortable doing this." He commented with a small smirk once she back away, closing the cap.

"Hm? Why wouldn't I be?" Glancing over with a quizzical look, Miki's hazel eyes blinked rapidly.

Eyebrow twitching slightly, Kyoya let out an exasperated sigh. "Just an observation." He asserted.

"She's coming!" Miki whispered in a cheerful tone. "Places everyone!" Quickly running to the light switch she dimmed it down, watching in slight amusement as the hosts scrambled to huddle in the middle of the club room.

"Sir, your dress is in my face."

"Stay quiet!"

The doors to Music Room #3 creaked open as light streamed into the darkness, causing the hosts to fall silent once again. They waited for a moment, allowing time for Haruhi and the three Lobelia girls to step in with confusions. Then, Hikaru and Kaoru rose, and Miki had to fight the urge to laugh out loud and ruin the entire plan.

"Ouran~."

"Ouran~."

Mori, Kyoya and Honey soon followed.

"Ouran~."

"Ouran~."

"Ouran~."

Taking it as a cue, Miki slid the light back to full allowing the entire room to be illuminated.

Tamaki stood up, his long blond hair swaying behind him as he belted out.

"Ourannnnnn~!"

"Host Club~ Welcome~" They sang in unison as Mori tapped his tambourine.

Stepping forth, Tamaki walked forward as elegantly as he could on heels. "Oh, welcome Haruhi!" He greeted.

"Haru-chan, Haru-chan!" Honey went up twirling around. "I'm a princess! Do I look good?"

Snapping out of her daze, Benibara stepped forward in anger. "What kind of stunt is this?! Are you trying to make fun of our culture?!" She accused.

"Make fun?" Tamaki tapped his chin, "No, certainly not. I have taken everything into account. This is a surefire technique, guaranteed among commoners to make even a crying child happy! The Freebie Campaign!" He announced, striking a victory pose. "You ladies who have lived shelters lives at Lobelia might not know this, but commoners are apt to have a weakness for free things," Tamaki continued, "It's true that Haruhi may now be distracted, and sensing the appeal of joining the Zuka Club. However, if you choose our club, your brothers and sisters come with it!"

"Yes, the plan is to experience the feeling of being in the Zuka Club, while staying in the Host Club," Tamaki explained as he twirled around in a dramatic yet elegant fashion, "You see, Haruhi? Aren't I pretty?"

"We are the Hitachiin Sisters!" The twins greeted with a curtsy. "Which one is prettier? Just teasing!" They jested before leaving in Renge-like giggles.

"Haru-chan! Haru-chan!" Honey waved. "You can call me Big Sister."

Mori simple shook his tambourine with the brightest expression he could muster while Kyoya hid his face in his fan.

Fuming, Benibara shouted. "Y-You think a maiden can be taken in by this? We've had enough of you fooling arou-"

But suddenly, Haruhi began to burst out in laughter. Clutching her stomach, she fell to her knees. "Too much!" She chortled. "I don't even know what that means! I knew you guys were goofballs, but geez!" As she began to calm down and wipe away her tears of joy, Hikaru, Kaoru and Honey approached her with playful grins plastered on their faces.

"Are we really that funny?" They asked.

As the trio began to chase Haruhi around, Miki herself has finally calmed down. Cupping her hands before her legs, she walked forth with tender eyes and joined up with the rest of the hosts.

"What were you guys thinking, really?" Haruhi asked through her laughter.

"Well, we want to run the Host Club with you Haruhi," Hikaru commented, running a finger through the clip on pigtails on his head. His words caused Haruhi to break into a gentle smile

Benibara stood over Haruhi with a flabbergasted expression. "Maiden, are you..."

"I'm sorry. There are all sorts of people in the world," Haruhi got up and began to dust herself off, "and I do think that your way of thinking is unique and interesting, but I'm studying at this school because I have a goal for my future, so I never intended to quit Ouran, to begin with."

Benibara was taken aback by Haruhi. She turned to look at Miki for her answer.

She cocked her head to the side, her fluffy strawberry blonde hair sliding off her shoulders as she did. "I already said I refuse, didn't I?" She reminded cheerfully, drowning out Haruhi and Tamaki's little argument in the background. "I just arrived at this school recently; it wouldn't be right for me to just up and leave right?"

"Benio..." Chizuru stepped forward.

"Yeah, I know." Closing her eyes, Benibara sighed before turning to look at Miki, then Haruhi. "We are not giving up on either of you maidens." She announced. "We swear to you, someday we will come and rescue you from this place, and bring down this host club." Then with a smug smirk, she turned around.

"Zia Jian. (再见/Until we meet again)" She waved as they began to twirl down the carpeted hallways of Ouran with their Renge-like laughter, only to slip on a banana peel each.

"Where do those bananas keep come from?" Miki tapped her chin, remembering the last few times a banana conveniently appeared to trip someone.


	8. 7 Let's go, to the Commoner's World!

_-Chapter 7-_

 **Let's go, to the Commoner's World!**

On a beautiful mid-spring Sunday morning, Miki had planned the night before to sleep in. She laid on her side, curled up comfortably and snoozing away. Her long hair was sprawled into the white pillow covers, the slight wavy texture creating hearts. The morning sun peeked through the window, beaming down gently onto her face as if they were trying to poke her awake. It was a peaceful, tranquil morning. Or it was supposed to be when...

"T-That's just ordinary lean tuna, and is by no means fancy tuna!"

Tamaki's loud shriek shook the entire second Suoh estate, worrying the staff and jolting Miki up. She glanced over that the door with hazy eyes wondering what that could be about. But after a few seconds, she concluded that Tamaki probably had a nightmare and gave into her heavy eyelid's demands. Flopping back down onto her bed, she lazily hid her face under the blankets, ready to fall back into a deep sleep when...

"Miki! Get up and get ready for school!" The double doors to her room busted open as Tamaki dashed in wearing half of his school uniform. Stomping hastily up to her, he pulled the bed sheets out her grasp, watching as she sat up and began rubbing her eyes in a daze.

She let out a small yawn before opening her eyes, Tamaki reached forward and began shaking her by her shoulders. "Come on!" He urged, dragging her out of bed and shoving her into her bathroom. Miki jolted slightly at the feeling of the cold tile press against her feet. It was enough to wake her up a little, but only by a little. Then, before she realized, the Ouran yellow dress, hung up neatly in her closet was tossing into the bathroom and the door slammed shut. "Hurry up, get changed and get ready!"

Miki just blinked wearily at her clothing piece about to doze off while standing, only to be woken up by a desperate voice behind the doors.

"Don't laze around in there, we need to get to school as soon as possible!" He commanded.

As soon as Miki stepped out of the bathroom with clouded eyes, fully dressed and cleaned up, Tamaki proceeded to drag her down the stairs. He charged forth with sheer determination glistening in his eyes, his sister's wrist in hand, and his bookbag clipped under his arm.

Miki followed sluggishly, still haven't fully woken up on this supposedly relaxing weekday. She yawned once more as her eyes trailed down to her brother's mismatching pants and house slippers. She blinked curiously.

At the end of the staircase, Shima greeted them. "Good Morning, Master Tamaki, Miss Miki."

"Good Morning... Shima-san..." Rubbing her eyes as she felt another urge to yawn wash upon her, Miki gave a tired smile.

"We will be leaving at once. Please bring the car around immediately." Tamaki order, finally letting go of Miki's wrist as she swayed drowsily, trying to stay awake.

"Yes, Master Tamaki." The family driver, Koganei, bowed in response.

"I beg your pardon, Master Tamaki," Shima interrupted as Tamaki began to step towards the front door. "But what will you two have breakfast?"

Hearing the word breakfast, Miki perked up slightly. "Oh, I would like French toast and some commoner's cof-"

"Ah! Enough!" Flailing his arms like a child, Tamaki whined. "There's no time for that! Miki, we need to be on our way!" He announced turning his head dramatically.

"Begging your pardon, Master Tamaki!" Shima scolded in a stern voice. "You are still half dressed in pyjamas, and you still have house slippers on your feet."

"Ahhh!" Hearing her, Tamaki flinched and immediately turned to dash back upstairs. "Miki, why didn't you tell me?!" He yelled, voice trailing all the way upstairs.

"You never asked." Tilted her head in confusion, Miki replied as her brother paced his way back downstairs, attempting a new take at leaving the house.

"My, what poor manners," Shima muttered beside her.

Coughing into his hand, Tamaki grumbled with a slight blush. "All right, once again, we will be off." He took Miki's wrist once more, attempting to leave when Shima stepped in again.

"I sincerely beg your pardon Master Tamaki, but today is Sunday, so there is no school today." She pointed out with a deadpan face.

As Tamaki and Shima began to banter back and forth, Suzuno approached a dozing Miki with a cup of commoner's coffee. "Here you go, Miss Miki." She smiled gently, handing the high-class plate and coffee cup to the girl.

"Ah, thank you Suzuno." Flashing a tired look, Miki was about to drink the warm drink when Tamaki's voice once again interrupted her.

"Someone, bring me the phone!" He yelled as he was about to be dragged off by Shima to the disciplinary room, the adorable Suoh family dog, Antoinette following close behind.

One of the giggling maids brought the phone over a top of a pillow, handing it over to the young master who began dialling a set of number. "Kyoya, is that you? I need to discuss something important with you." He said.

Sitting in one of the two luxury limos, Miki sipped her commoner's coffee happily. She has since changed out of her school uniform and into something much more fitting for a Sunday, a white chiffon dress while her hair remained in the braided crown that tied to the back. Finally feeling awake, she let out a satisfied sigh as the limo pulled to a stop. Placing the cup down, she peeked out the window letting out a gasp in awe.

"What are you doing?" Kyoya asked.

"This is so exciting!" She chirped, pressing her palm against the cool window. "My first time going over to someone else's house!"

Soon the car door opened. "Master, if you please..."

With that, the hosts began to trickle out of the two limos. Tamaki, Kyoya, and Miki in the first, Hikaru, Kaoru, Honey and Mori in the second.

"Wow, so this is Haruhi's house..." Kaoru hummed.

"It's pretty big, isn't it? Bigger than I thought." Hikaru added.

"It had lots of rooms!" Honey squealed in excitement.

"But why are all the hallways outside?" Miki tapped her chin. "Isn't that a little unpractical to have to go outdoor just to reach a different room?"

"No, this is what's called aggregate commoner dwelling," Kyoya explained, "Haruhi's place is probably just one of the rooms among these."

"Eh? So they only have one room each?" Miki asked, wide-eyed.

"Kyoya! What's with all of these people?!" Placing a hand on his friend's shoulders, Tamaki grumbled, "Especially those two doppelgangers!"

"Oh." Placing his hand under his chin, Kyoya said thoughtfully. "I was sure that you didn't have the courage to come alone, so it would be better if we came en masse, I guess that was uncalled for. Okay, children, let's go home." He urged tapping the twins on the shoulder.

"No way, I don't want to go home." They protested.

"I'm sorry, forgive me, I don't want to be alone..." Tamaki sulked.

"Alright, listen up, men. Do not forget..." Pointing a finger up, Tamaki warned. "This is just a 'we happened to be passing by' sort of nonchalant visit, and is definitely not research on the Fujioka family's standard of living! The words 'shabby,' 'cramped,' and 'run-down' are absolutely forbidden!" He emphasized.

"Yes, sir!" Honey, Miki, Hikaru and Kaoru responded with a salute.

Getting a satisfactory answer, Tamaki continued. "Under no circumstances are you to say or do anything to make Haruhi or her father wish that we would leave."

"Too late for that. Go away, right now!" A voice behind Tamaki immediately drew everyone's attention. They look up, to find Haruhi standing there with plastic bags in hand and visibly twitching in anger.

"Ah! Haruhi!" Miki waved, jumping for joy.

"Plain and simple, looking good!" The host complimented.

"Shut up! Get the hell out of here!" She spat.

As Tamaki went on to accuse and lecture the twins about 'not teaching Haruhi bad words,' Miki went up to her with a clueless beam. Peeking into the grocery bags Haruhi was carrying, spotting some fresh vegetables. "What do you have there Haruhi?" She asked with an innocent beam.

"Some advertised special from the supermarket, Miki-senpai," Letting out an exasperated sigh, Haruhi's shoulders slumped in defeat.

Miki's eyes went wide. "You went to the supermarket?!" She gasped in disbelief, staring incredulously.

"Yes, why?" Eyebrows twitching, Haruhi followed up reluctantly. She had a terrible feeling in where this conversation was going.

"What was it like, shopping all by yourself?" Miki questioned, her eyes glimmering with admiration. "What does a supermarket look like from the inside? How big is it? Just how many assortments items are there? It's always been a dream of mine to visit a real supermarket!" She beamed.

 _Damn these rich people..._ Haruhi thought to herself.

After convincing Haruhi to finally open the door to her apartment with Honey's cake offerings, the view of an adorable little room came into view. It was rather simple, much less grand than what Miki was used to. She heard her brother let out a sigh in what seemed like relief next to her. She, in turn, held her breath, feeling a little uncomfortable by how small of a space this was. She felt as if the doors would shut on her any time, and she would be alone in the room.

"Shabby," Hikaru muttered, earning himself a face pull from Tamaki.

Kyoya hummed as he glanced around the room. "A wood built, two-story 2K. That's about right for a two-person father-daughter commoner family." He observed.

"Yeah, at Haruhi's size, she won't go hitting her head on the low ceilings." Kaoru nodded.

"It's a darling little room." Honey twinkled.

With another eyebrow twitch, Haruhi muttered. "That's okay; you don't have to force yourself to compliment it." She sighed.

"It's quite small, is it not?" Miki stated more than asked, distracting herself from the nagging fear by gasping at the strangely unfamiliar items in the room.

Haruhi took off her shoes and began to walk into the room.

Noticing this, Honey pointed at the shoes at the foyer. "Haru-chan, we take our shoes off?" He asked.

"Yes, please."

"We have to take our shoes off before going in," Honey beamed up at Mori. "This room is like a dojo, huh?"

"Yeah."

"Okay, forgive the intrusion!" Honey, Hikaru and Kaoru sang, stepping carelessly into the room.

"Pardon the intrusion," Mori said, passing by Haruhi.

"Excuse us." Tamaki apologized.

"Sorry to intrude." Miki bowed slightly.

"Forgive the intrusion." Kyoya tailed the group into the main room.

The Host Club filed into Haruhi's living room, as they goofed off over their sitting positions, Miki was off studying some structure details in Haruhi's home. She ran her hands along the walls of the compact Japanese style room; it helped to distract herself from the unsettling feeling that chilled her skin and assured that the walls weren't going to close in and swallow her whole. The small table, the placement of everything was minimal and allowed maximum storage, something Miki made sure to make a note of in her mind. Running her hand along with wall, she looked out the balcony window absently. Gripping the pastel green curtains in her hand, the voices of the host club drowned out of her mind as she watched the busy people bustle by, families holding hands, cars turning corners.

Kyoya, who had been looking over Haruhi's books noticed she froze up in the corner. Curiously, he waltzed over.

"Something the matter?" He asked, glancing over her shoulder at the view.

Shaking her head, Miki smiled blissfully. "It's nothing." She chimed as Haruhi called out that tea was ready. "Let's go; I'm a little hungry." Pulling Kyoya by the arm, she led him over and sat down on one side of the table, opposite to Mori.

"Haru-chan, you get to choose your cake first," Honey announced as he opened the box enthusiastically, showing a large assortment of cakes.

"Oh, are you sure?" Haruhi asked. "Well then, let's see..." She thought completely ignoring Tamaki and the twins in the background, eyes scanning over the colourful selection. "The strawberry one!"

"How cute!" Miki glanced over, watching as Tamaki, Hikaru and Kaoru move around restlessly muttering incoherently. Kyoya also raised an eyebrow, staring quizzically at them.

"Miki-chan, what about you?" Honey turned to the strawberry blonde curiously. "Haru-chan and I are going to have the strawberry ones; you can pick next." He offered with a small giggle.

"Then I'll have the Spanish Flan," Miki beamed, thanking the lolita as he picked up the dessert and placed it in front of her.

Before Haruhi could dig into her cake, Mori began to place strawberries onto her plate with a calm expression.

"You like strawberries?" He asked.

"Yes, thank you very much!"

Miki's eyes crinkled as she took a bite of the Flan, but before she had long to indulge in the flavour, she noticed a stifled yet dramatic cry coming from her brother and the twins. She blinked, watching as the trio as they cried and squealed, hammering their fists against the ground.

"Should we have taken action?"

"I wanted to give them to her!"

"We were taken in!"

Miki cocked her head to the side, not understanding what they were talking about. Cluelessly, she turned to Kyoya for help, who was also staring at them. "Kyoya-kun," She called out, tapping his shoulder. "What do they mean by 'taken action' and 'taken in'?" She hummed, pointing her fork in their direction.

Kyoya looked down, observing her for a moment. Then, with a slight smirk, he picked up a piece of cake in his fork. "I'll show you, open your mouth." He instructed her, watching as she stared blankly for a few seconds before opening it obediently. His smirk deepened as he quickly placed the dark chocolate cake into her mouth.

"Mmph..." Miki automatically closed her mouth, feeling Kyoya pull the fork out and let go of her. She began to chew slowly, indulging in the slightly more bitter and structured piece of cake. "So it means to feed someone?" She cocked her head, gently wiping away the crumbles of chocolate cake that got on her lips.

Going back to eating his cake without making eye contact, Kyoya shrugged with a slightly smug smirk.

"You could have just told me so, Kyoya-kun." She stated with a wry smile.

"I prefer actions over words."

In a matter of no time, the hosts have each finished their respective cakes.

"Ah, after eating that cake, I'm getting a bit peckish." Honey piped up, letting out a satisfied sigh.

"Now that you mention it, it is long past lunchtime." Hikaru noticed.

Then in unison, Hikaru, Kaoru, Tamaki and Honey asked. "Is lunch ready?"

"Could you please stop living so relentlessly fancy-free..." Haruhi muttered, eyebrow twitching.

"Now, we're the ones who dropped in on you without warning, so we'll put up the money. Why not order some of your favourite sushi or something?" Standing up, Kyoya offered.

"No, that's okay," Haruhi declined with a fearful look, "Kyoya-senpai, I'm going to dread it later if it's on you."

Taking out a credit card, Kyoya's glasses shone. "Not to worry. This comes out of sales of photos of you that we auctioned." He assured her.

"Then, it's really on me..." She muttered before letting out a sigh. "All right. I have a friend who runs a nice sushi shop nearby, so I'll give them a call, they have some high-quality stuff." She informed them.

The moment Haruhi mentioned high quality, Tamaki snapped around. With a pen and paper that came out of nowhere, he swiftly wrote something down and passed it over to her.

"Even if the sushi pack says 'premium' on it, you can't call it 'high-quality.' Be very careful," Haruhi read out loud. Then with a dark look, the crumbled the paper up and threw it into a nearby trashcan. "I know that much, at least." She growled.

"Ehh?!" Slamming her hands on the table, Miki looked utterly awestruck. "Really?! Then what's the point of it being called 'premium'?!"

"Miki-senpai..." Haruhi's shoulders slumped in defeat, "Just what sort of world have you been living in...?"

With a finger to his chin, Honey requested. "I'd like to have something made by you, Haru-chan."

"That's fine, but even starting now, it will take some time." She reasoned.

"We'll wait." Honey sang.

"Well, then..." Haruhi sighed. "I'll have to go to the supermarket again."

Hearing that word, Miki jumped onto her feet. "Supermarket?!" She repeated, her hands clutching to her chest. "I want to go! I want to go!" Cheering, she stared at Haruhi with round puppy eyes. "Please, can I come with you?"

"Hey, that's not fair. I'm coming too." Hikaru got up.

"We want to come to the commoner's supermarket, too." Kaoru followed.

Honey raised his hand. "Me, too! Me, too!" He jumped.

"Well, this might be a good experience." Kyoya reasoned.

"Yay!" Putting on their shoes, the twins ran out of the Haruhi's apartment. "Commoner's supermarket! Commoner's Supermarket!" They cheered.

"Hey! Wait for me!" Miki giggled as she put on her gladiator style sandals, Miki quickly followed after the two. "I was the one who suggested we should go!"

Flying down the unsteady staircase, Miki quickly caught up with the twins.

"Took you long enough." They grinned at her.

"That's because you both had a head start!" Miki reasoned with a cheerful expression. "If we started at the same time, I swear I can probably beat both you!"

As the trio exchanged waves of laughter, Honey hopped down the stairs gleefully, Mori a few steps behind him with his usual stoic expression. "Miki-chan! Hika-chan! Kao-chan! I can't wait to see what Haru-chan is going to cook for us."

"Neither can I!" Miki exclaimed with excitement, noticing a figure approaching the apartment building. She quickly turned to look. In the distance, a woman with beautiful auburn hair was walking towards them. She brushed past the hosts and headed up the stairs with a slight bounce to her step.

"Do you think that person..." Hikaru started.

"... Is Haruhi's father?" Kaoru finished.

"Eh?" Miki tilted her head to the side in confusion. "But that was a woman." She pointed at the figure turned the corner on the second-floor staircase.

Clicking their tongues in unison, the twins shook their finger at Miki who grew more puzzled. "Miki-senpai, you don't get it." They patted her head with a hand each, gazing at her with eyes of pity. "That is called a tranny." They explained.

"A... Tranny?" Blinking rapidly, Miki hummed before instinctively searching for Kyoya who was right behind her. She looked up at him, asking for an explanation.

Kyoya let out a soft sigh, pushing up his glasses. "Tranny is a short form for transvestite." He explained, and before Miki could follow up with another question, he answered. "And transvestite a person who takes pleasure from dressing in clothes primarily worn by the opposite sex, in other words, a crossdresser. "

Miki pressed her lips, looking down thoughtfully as she blinked.

"His Highness and Haruhi are taking so long..." Hikaru whined as he looked up at the apartment building.

"We'll go check on him; you guys wait here." Kaoru offered, leaving with his brother.

With beady eyes, Honey looked up at Miki who kept her gaze to the ground as if she were lost in thought. "Miki-chan, is something the matter?"

Closing her hazel eyes, Miki pursed her lips. She reached her hand up and began tapping her chin. "Wouldn't that mean..." She began. "Haruhi is one too?"

The three present with her became dumbfounded, staring at her without words.

"She's a crossdresser, is she not?" Miki pointed out innocently.

With a weary sigh, Kyoya placed a hand atop her head. He gently ruffled her hair, causing her to lower her head slightly.

"It's a little different, Miki." He said, eyebrows twitching.

As it turns out, the person, the rest of the hosts, ran into was in fact, Haruhi's father. And so, they were invited back in to be properly introduced much to Miki's discomfort. Something seemed to have happened between 'Papa-san' and Tamaki because he was in his usually sulking position in the corner of the room.

"I see. You're the Host Club I've been hearing about. You really are a fine set of boys; I don't know which one of you I would take. Right, Haruhi? Oh, you can just call me Ranka-san. 'Ranka' is the professional name I use at the tranny bar where I work." Ranka greeted the group, cooing at all of them. As Ranka talked, Miki couldn't help but absentmindedly stare at how pretty that auburn hair was.

"Professional name? Like a stage name?" Honey piped up curiously.

"That right, Mitsukuni-kun." Ranka smiled.

"Huh? How do you know my name?"

Ranka's eyes narrowed as she swept across the hosts, "3rd-Years Haninozuka-kun and Morinozuka Takashi-kun... 2nd-Year Miki-chan... And you would be the 1st-Years, in the same class as Haruhi, Hitachiin Hikaru-kun and Kaoru-kun, right? Which one of you is which, I wonder... I'm always hearing stories about you."

Kaoru looked dumbfounded as he asked. "Haruhi talks about us?"

Ranka shook his head. "Mm-mm, it's always from Kyoya-kun on the phone." He said before turning around to high-five Kyoya.

"Ranka-san, you really are beautiful!" He complimented, smiling and high-fiving with Ranka.

"What?!" Everyone yelled.

Seeking for answers, Tamaki reached out of his sulking corner. "Kyoya..." He muttered.

"We're looking after his precious daughter. It's only natural that I'd say hello, and give periodic reports on her, right? Ordinarily, that should be your job, right?" Sipping his tea casually, Kyoya commented indifferently.

"You really are a fine club president." Ranka rushed forth to compliment the boy as arrows of betrayal jabbed ruthlessly into Tamaki. "Oh, Kyoya-kun, you're the vice-president, aren't you? So the president isn't good for much, huh?" After dealing with all the shock, Tamaki crawled into the futon closets as mushrooms began to form and grow on him.

"Hold on there, Dad!" Haruhi cut in, looking a little pale from all this new information, "I never heard that you were keeping contact with Kyoya-senpai!"

"Huh?" Ranka whined. "But Haruhi, you never tell me anything about school."

"So then, without telling me, you..." Haruhi paused and snapped at Tamaki who was growing mushrooms at an alarming rate, "Senpai, would you please stop growing mushrooms in other people's closets?!" She let out a tired sigh, clearly having a headache with family and friends clashing to meet.

"Haruhi, the thing about you is...you're even cute when you're angry!" Ranka cooed, nuzzling Haruhi.

With a grumble, Haruhi pried herself out of Ranka's grip and grabbed her bag. "Miki-senpai." She called out to the strawberry blonde who was still entranced by Ranka's hair. "We are going." She announced.

"Eh?" Miki's eyes widened. "Okay!"

"Oh, no, where are you going?" Ranka pouted.

"To the supermarket," Haruhi opened the door, gesturing for Miki to hurry up. "Miki-senpai said it was her dream to go, so I'm bringing her along. The rest of you, please behave yourselves at home." Once Miki had her shoes on, they two girls walked through the door, closing it behind them.

 _Should I ask if Haruhi is a tranny?_

Walking down the streets, Miki's eyes wandered to the sky. The conversation that played outside the apartment building a little earlier was still fresh in her mind, though she never got an answer from Kyoya in the end. She remembered Kyoya's face. He looked a little angry, though she couldn't understand why.

 _Maybe asking would only make him angrier... I'll just drop the subject then._

"I'd never know..." Haruhi murmured, quickly catching Miki's attention. "Who'd thought dad and Kyoya-senpai were in touch with each other..."

The blonde giggled, seeing her underclassman in such a defeated state. "You have a great father, Haruhi." She commented, causing Haruhi to look up. "He loves you very much," Her eyes crinkled as she thought nostalgically.

"Miki-senpai, how's your relationship with your father?" Haruhi turned to ask, expression slightly softened.

"Huh? Me?" Averting her eyes, Miki looked back up at the bright blue sky. "My father loves me very much too," She said, thinking of Yuzuru. "We don't see each other very often even when we lived in the same place, but he does his best to get through to me when he has the chance."

"I see," Humming Haruhi glanced forward. "What about your mother?"

Miki's eyes widened for a moment as a blurry image she managed to carve into her memories resurfaced. She doesn't remember the face very well, but she remembers seeing a figure looming over her with a delicate warm hand petting her forehead along with a smile, a smile that could ward away all the evils of the world.

"I don't get to see her very much either, all I have are memories of her." Her expression turned sorrowful, yet tender.

"I see, I'm sorry."

"By the way," Miki chuckled as she changed the subject, her mannerisms a little childlike. "Thank you for taking me to the supermarket!"

Haruhi smiled wryly. "You said it was your dream to visit a supermarket; I couldn't just shoot that simple-minded dream down."

Giggling, Miki's steps grew lighter. "You are so kind, Haurhi." She stated merrily.

A comfortable silence loomed between them as the late May breeze brushed past, sending Miki's dress a flutter. "Haruhi," Miki finally called out, earning a small hum. "Did you, you are my first and only female friend?" She revealed, a little absentmindedly.

"Eh?" Haruhi was taken aback by her statement, her silence urging Miki to go on.

Miki flashed a bright smile towards the brunette and hopped over, taking her hands in hers. "I guess I'm just saying, I'm glad to call you my friend. And I sincerely hope it will stay that way for years to come." She pronounced, her voice clear like a bell.

Haruhi was taken aback, but moments later, she too smiled.

"I hope so too, Miki-senpai."

A/N, Please take the time to read this: Hi everyone, so now that we are seven chapters in, I would like to clarify a few things I worried didn't come across as clearly as well as ask a few questions of my own.

First thing I'd like to clarify is Miki's perception of Kyoya. She believes that Kyoya is a 'nice person,' something he definitely is not. He was acting in his own benefit from the very beginning, well, Tamaki's to be exact. He first invited Miki to the club for the sole reason of keeping an eye on her. Having someone who has not only the same family name as Tamaki and not existing on any records is quite alarming, especially to the powerful Suoh family. He did that as a mechanism to keep her under surveillance in case she turned out to be an enemy, which ended up being the complete the opposite. Miki thinks of Kyoya that way, only because of her simple-minded nature and her inability to see past the superficial reason he gave her. However, it is because of her cluelessness and naivety; she intrigues Kyoya.

Second thing, this story will be extending into the manga quite a bit. You see, for a story with an OC like Miki, who is a relative to Tamaki, to seem and feel real. She needs to interact and form a relationship with Tamaki, and most of his development as a character happens in the manga. Having a sudden sibling, half or not, suddenly barge into their life like this is a huge deal. And I want to flesh out the sibling bond between them rather than just glossing over it as 'they accept each other,' especially with such a strange circumstance like theirs. Tamaki is fine. It's been demonstrated that he fully accepted Miki into the family no problem, he is a very family-oriented person. The issue lies with Miki, she wants to get close to Tamaki as a sister, but she doesn't know how to act and feels quite awkward about it. She has spent her entire life, basically on house arrest, after all. She doesn't know how to act like a family member to Tamaki, the only person she had that was her family was her father, and he was rarely present as he often went on business trips. I also want Miki to be able to establish a connection with everyone else in the host club in her own, unique way. You can already kind of see this in Kaoru (Chapter 3) and Haruhi (This Chapter). So yeah, for Miki to be more fleshed out and feel like she could really fit into this world, I will be including manga chapters.

However, this leads us to thing three. I will be rearranging the manga chapters and the storytelling order to make it fit in an actual yearly schedule. For those of you who don't know, in the manga, the story of the host club goes on for two years despite Honey and Mori needing to graduate. So some chapters will be cut out, and others will be moved around to make more sense from a timeline perspective. Also, for you manga readers, Mei will be cut out. Summer only happens once a year, and I don't feel like she is vital to the story with all these changes and shifts. Also, I'm lazy, so sorry Mei lovers :P.

Finally, a few questions from me, the author. How do you feel about Miki's character? Do you like her? Do you hate her? Why? Do you think she should be a bit smarter? Or do you think staying her clueless unintentionally comedic way is fine? How do you feel about her relation with Tamaki and Kyoya? How do you feel about those things above? Please tell me in the comments or discussions, I would love to read them, and I'll do my best to respond to everyone.

Also, before I go, I'd like to thank you all for reading this story. It's barely been a month, and I've already received so much support from you all. Would it be selfish more to ask for more support? I love reading all your comments after all.

With that, have a great day, and thank you once again.

Astra,

XOXO.


	9. 8 Elder Sibling's Dilemma!

_-Chapter 8-_

Elder Sibling's Dilemma!

"Welcome."

The doors to Music Room #3 opened once again as rose petals fluttered out in a spiral swirl. Seven shadows stood, basking in the light in their police costumes. A theme that Miki has been suggesting and working on for almost weeks, and it wasn't hard to guess where she got the idea from. One look at the strawberry blonde's starry eyes when they were in the prep room, and the answer was pretty obvious. This time, even she requested to join in on the cosplay fun, though once again, it wasn't a mystery why.

A little girl stood at the grand double doors. She had large crystal blue eyes, and her blonde hair was tied into two pigtails. If she hadn't opened the door on her own, one could mistake her for one of those beautiful ball jointed dolls. The little girl stared dreamily at the host club as Tamaki hummed.

"My, what an unusual guest we have here." He reached a hand out before flashing that charming smile of his. "Welcome, my lost kitty cat."

As the little girl continued to stare at the group, Miki approached them from her designated design corner with a curious expression. She tilted her head as she studied the little blonde girl. "Tamaki-kun, she's not a kitty, she's a hu-"

"Metaphor, Miki." Before she could finish her question, Kyoya reminded her as he crossed his arms.

"Ah."

"Kitty cat, where did you come from?" Tamaki asked, leaning forward.

With a slight flush on her cheeks, the little girl raised her finger and pointed at the host club. "Reverse harem!" She stated with no reservation, causing the entire host club par Miki to turn stiff. "This is a reverse harem!" She announced.

 _Reverse... Harem?_ Miki blinked as she tried to decipher the strange words.

There was a long silence as everyone just stared at the girl. Tamaki broke first as he began hitting the side of his head gently as if he were trying to get water out of his ear. "This can't be right," He forced a laugh. "Apparently, there's still some water left in my ear from when I was swimming at the pool."

"But we went to the pool almost three weeks ago." Miki pointed out.

"No, no, it's definitely the water, Miki-senpai." Hikaru wore an aloof smile as he also tried to fix his ears.

"The reason why it sounded like this little girl said 'reverse harem' must be because there's something funny going on with our ears," Kaoru added, copying his brother.

Hearing their reasoning, Miki too began to try and fix her ears. "No, she definitely said reverse harem." She concluded once she realized there was no difference in her hearing.

The little girl then raised a finger and said, "Debauchery." Causing the entire host club, par Miki to freeze up once again. "Yay! There is a debauchery here!" She cheered jumping up and down.

Miki quickly turned to Kyoya, who adjusted his glasses uncomfortably. "A reverse harem is when there are a group of men in love with a single girl and debauchery is the excessive indulgence in sensual pleasures." He replied in a slightly awkward and irritated manner.

Blinking, Miki then looked down at the jumping girl who raised a finger and pointed at her and Kyoya. "Clueless harem lead... Glass character..." She then switched to Honey and Mori. "Boy Lolita... Stoic Type..." Then to the twins who grunted uncomfortably. "Twincest... Studyhound." She announced the last one towards Haruhi before turning to Tamaki, who recoiled in fear at what archetype he was about to be given. However, she didn't assign him anything. Instead, her eyes widened with glee. "Big Brother..." She muttered before pushing off the ground and leaping up into Tamaki's arms who hurried to catch her. "You're blond, so you're big brother!" She declared.

"Clueless... Harem Lead?" Miki muttered as she pointed at herself, slightly puzzled.

"Miki-senpai, that's not the issue here!" Hikaru shouted.

"Yeah, another girl is claiming to be milord's sister! Where is your pride?" Kaoru continued, pointing at Tamaki and the little girl who hung off of him like a koala.

"H-Hold on, Tamaki stammered, the shock and confusion present on his face. "As far as I know, I only have one sibling." His eyes darted to Miki, who was still off in her world repeating the words 'clueless harem lead'. "As of late at least..."

"Now that you mention it, maybe you do kind of look alike. You're both blonde and all." Honey pointed out with an innocent beam.

"Honey-senpai, Miki-senpai is also blonde." The twins sweatdropped.

"But they are different shades," Honey stated as he glanced over at Miki. "Tama-chan is blonde, but Miki-chan is strawberry blonde."

"Hold on..." Haruhi was left utterly confused at the exchange. "From the way you guys are talking, you make it sound like Miki-senpai is Tamaki-senpai's sister..." Her voice trailed off as the hosts, except Tamaki and Miki stared back with equally puzzled expressions. They quickly thought back to the day Tamaki announced Miki's identity to everyone in the club room.

"That's right, Haruhi..."Hikaru mumbled.

"... you weren't there." Kaorus finished.

Having her suspicions confirmed, Haruhi quickly snapped around to stare at the two who were allegedly siblings. One was the flamboyant, self-proclaimed 'King' of the Host Club who struggled to pry the little girl off of him. The other was the airheaded, overly energetic production designer of the Host Club who was blankly mumbling words to herself in a contemplative state. Her shoulders slumped as she averted her eyes. "What a strange set of siblings..." She murmured.

"Um... Miss, what's your name?" Tamaki asked, a little lost on what to do.

"Kirimi." The little girl grinned, squishing her cheek into Tamaki's chin.

"Kirimi-chan, you've made some kind of mistake, haven't you?" Tamaki questioned, putting Kirimi down, as he pointed at himself. "I already have a sister."

Hearing this, Kirimi began to tear up as she pouted at Tamaki. "You're not my Big Brother, even though you're blond?" She whimpered.

Tamaki seemed to have taken a critical hit from her as he stumbled back.

Seeing as he was about to lose his composure, the twins dragged Miki out of her little world and pushed her over to the other two blonds. "Miki-senpai, do something!" They instructed.

The strawberry blonde blinked at the little girl named Kirimi as they held a long stare. Lowering herself, she crouched next to the teary-eyed girl and flashed a soft smile. "I'm sure his sister wouldn't mind." She offered. "You can have him if you'd like."

.

.

.

 _~Tamaki's Mind Theatre~_

 _Miki holding a sign. 'Big Brother for sale.'_

"Miki!" The twins still managed to accomplish their goal by snapping Tamaki out of it, as he burst into comical tears and quickly clung to Miki. "You didn't mean that, did you? Tell me you didn't mean that!"

"Of course I was kidding, Tamaki-kun." Smiling brightly, not minding the salty tears that poured onto her face like a waterfall, Miki giggled.

"Miki!" Tamaki gasped in delight.

"Though, I do feel a little bad for Kirimi-chan."

"I have an idea!" Raising a finger, Tamaki picked up Kirimi and began spinning around like a top with a face of adoration. "All right. As of today, I will become your Big Brother as well, your Big Brother! You're so cute... you're so cute..."

"No matter how easily carried away by your feeling you may be, do you really think you should make such irresponsible declarations to a child that young?" Haruhi sweatdropped.

"I'm not irresponsible! I'll make sure I look after you! So come on home with me!" Tamaki retorted, still swinging Kirimi around.

"What should we do, Kyoya-senpai?" Haruhi turned to possibly the sanest and most logical person in the room.

"It's possible that she actually does have a blond older brother in high school, isn't it?" Kyoya placed a hand under his chin, proposing the possibility when the sound of a door creaking open caught everyone's attention.

"Kirimi... Kirimi..." A ghostly voice spoke as a young man with long blond hair and crystal blue eyes, much like Kirimi stepped out behind the door of the Black Magic Club, a room Tamaki has repeatedly emphasized Miki not to step into out of the worry that she will become 'cursed.'

"Um, who are you?" The twins sweatdropped.

"He's a foreigner!" Honey chirped.

"And for that matter, didn't that door just appear out of nowhere?" Haruhi grumbled.

Seeing the little girl in Tamaki's arms, the blond man stepped forth hopefully, muttering her name with two other stepped out of the shadows of the black magic room. One was a maid, dressed in a Victorian-styled gown, while the other wore a black suit and tie.

"Master..."

"...you've forgotten your attire."

Swinging a piece of black velvet cloth over the young man, they quickly covered him and spun him like a tornado. Revealing an all-too-familiar man dressed in a black hood and spotting the cat puppet in his right hand. He grinned deviously.

"Nekozawa-senpai?!" Everyone quickly exclaimed.

"K-K-Kirimi..." Approaching Kirmi, who was put down by Tamaki Nekozawa stuttered. "S-So this is where you were..." His shadow loomed over and quickly consumed the little girl who jumped back in fear.

"Wahhh! A monster!" She screamed, looping her arms around Tamaki's neck in fear.

"It's all right... The cursed puppet Belzenef here is not the least bit scary. The Nekozawa family has worshiped cat-shaped objects for generations..." Nekozawa continued to approach her as he played with Belzenef in his hands.

"I don't think that's the problem here." Miki pointed out bluntly as she tapped her chin.

"It's not the puppet she's afraid of. Nekozawa-senpai, it's you. Yourself." Haruhi followed up with Kyoya nodding behind the two.

"It's because of the way you're dressed, isn't it?" The twins' eyes glistened as they lunged forth, trying to tear off his cloak.

"Don't do that! It's so bright; I'll die!" Nekozawa screeched.

"Master Umehito is terribly vulnerable to bright lights. As such, if he doesn't shroud himself in black attire, he cannot endure the brightness, and will collapse." The maid explained. "He even has to cover the lightness of the colour of his hair with a dark wig!"

"On the other hand, his sister, Miss Kirimi, hates dimly lit places," The Butler continued.

"So Kirimi-chan is really Nekozawa-senpai's little sister?" Haruhi asked, pointing at the little girl who clung to Tamaki for her dear life.

Clutching her hands to her chest, the maid nodded in a sorrowful way. "There's a legend that says that, for whatever reason, once every few hundred years, a person in the Nekozawa family is born, who, like Master Umehito, is fated to be possessed by darkness... The Master, as a result of his condition, is unable to go near his sister without his black attire, and Miss Kirimi fell in love with the fairy-tale prince of an older brother that she only knew from his portrait. After she learned that her older brother was enrolled in high school, she's gotten so that she will come looking for Master Umehito like this. Of course, we have repeatedly tried to comfort the Miss with bedtime stories of princely characters and having run out of stories to tell, we have lately added shoujo manga having prince characters that appear in them to her repertoire, and she has gotten utterly absorbed in them." Placing the back of her hand against her forehead, she exclaimed dramatically. "Ah! One basked in light, the other shrouded by darkness. Indeed, they are like the Romeo and Juliet of the Nekozawa family!"

"Romeo and Juliet?" Haruhi repeated, raising an eyebrow at the maid. "But Nekozawa-senpai and Kirimi are brother and sister; the situation is greatly different."

"Incidentally, we've been sent here to pick up Miss Kirimi..." The butler concluded the conversation as he quickly bowed his head to the blonde child.

"Is the whole Nekozawa family..." Hikaru began.

"...as strange as all this?" Kaoru finished, clutching onto his brother behind Tamaki and Kirimi.

"What are you talking about?! The Nekozawas are a distinguished, proper family, descended from the Tokarev dynasty of Russia!" The maid shouted with gleaming light in her eyes as she began to stretch Nekozawa's face in her hands like putty.

"Tokarev?" Kyoya repeated as everyone tilted their head to the side.

"D-don't you mean the Romanov dynasty?" Tamaki corrected with a sweatdrop.

"Come, Miss Kirimi," Ignoring the blond, the butler directed his attention to the little girl in his arms.

"Let's go home," The maid stood next to him, trying to take the little girl only to back away as she let out a shriek.

"No!" Kirimi shouted, clutching onto Tamaki's neck for dear life. "I'm staying with Big Brother! I'd rather stay with Big Brother!"

"Miki-senpai," Hikaru and Kaoru pulled the observing strawberry blonde into a corner and whispered. "Shouldn't you feel a bit jealous at that?" They asked in a low voice.

"Huh? Why?" Miki blinked as she glanced back at Kirimi who was sobbing into Tamaki's shoulder, her little hands clutched his uniform, forming wrinkles.

"Because if it were me, I wouldn't ..." Hikaru shook his head with a defeated sigh.

"...like another person clinging onto my sibling like that." Kaoru finished, copying his brother.

Miki hummed as she studied Tamaki and Kirimi, searching deep within herself. Should she be jealous? Was she jealous? She couldn't tell.

"Nekozawa-senpai..." Tamaki muttered.

"That's okay, Suoh-kun. It doesn't matter what happens to me. Please, please, give Kirimi the love that she needs!" Nekozawa shouted before running out of the clubroom.

"Nekozawa-senpai!"

"Siblings are such that they are the source of problems, in any family," Kyoya spoke knowingly as he lifted his glasses. Miki turned around to look at him with her brows knitted together. His eyes were obstructed by the glare, not visible to her.

"I'm jealous of them," Haruhi sighed, staring out the window. "I've been an only child my whole life. Yet actually having a brother, but not getting along with him is kind of sad, huh?" She commented with a thoughtful expression.

Hearing her speak, Miki's eyes locked with Tamaki. "I want to help them, Tamaki-kun." She announced, finding relief in her system as he nodded in agreement.

"What's the matter, Big Brother?"

"I'm sorry, Kirimi-chan, I'm not your big brother," Tamaki's voice trailed off as everyone except Haruhi gathered around him. "We are the police!" He declared, then his face dissolved into a patient smile. "But don't you worry. Kirimi-chan, you have a prince that's even more handsome than me, and he's your real Big Brother." He glanced at the hosts behind him, who were all saluting as if they were really part of the police force. "All right men, once she came here, Kirimi-chan became a guest of the Host Club. Ouran Host Club exists in order to bring happiness to girls. Having a brother and sister that don't care for each other, and who can't be with each other, is a serious problem that should not be! As of now, 'Operation Reform Nekozawa-senpai into the Bright, Princely Character that Kirimi-chan Prefers' is underway!"

"But Tamaki-kun, how should we go about this?" Miki tapped her chin thoughtfully, sounding like a detective from the show she loved so much.

Then, before anyone could say anything more, there was a large rumble in the room followed by the sound of a power motor. The ground shook as the floor opened up and the sound of familiar laughter filled the room.

"Ohohohoho~" Renge rose from the ground on her revolving platform and her hands on her hips and her feet in a wide stance, once her fit of snobbish laughter came to an end, she flashed a confident smile at the hosts. "I have concluded that Nekozawa-senpai will require my special training. Someone get him to Science Room #3! Our training begins immediately!" She pointed forward with a prideful grin.

"No one..."

"...asked you." The twins sighed.

"Your golden hair, as it flickers in the candlelight...Your shining, ivory skin...Your smile, more mysterious than a flower, illuminated by moonlight...Yes, almost as if..."

"...AS IF YOU WERE A CURSED WAX STATUE, WITH YOUR MALEVOLENCE-"

"Wrong!" Renge shouted, slapping Nekozawa sharply with a paper fan and placed her hands on her hips. Her dirty blonde hair seemed to have transformed into vipers like the day when Miki first met her. "You numbskull! Who told you to say that line?! How many times do I have to tell you using occult terms is off-limits?!"

"B-but, my vocabulary is limited to these sorts of words..." Nekozawa tried to reason, only to piss Renge off even more as her eyes gleamed in a fury.

"Talking back to me is off-limits, too!" Hitting him even harder and fiercer, Renge yelled. "A princely character doesn't come up with such a sissy excuse so easily!" She pointed a finger at a slide show she made. "Remember, it's good to have a dark side. Solitary characters work pretty well with young girls, too. But these days, the occult, horror, and the like are out of the question!" She then turned to Mori who stood at the blackboard with a piece of chalk in hand. "Mori-senpai, add another no-good word!"

"Wax statue, right?" Mori repeated as he added another word to the full list.

"Renge-kun is really ripping it up, huh?" Kyoya spoke with a hint of amusement, leaning against the table.

"She's on a roll," Honey agreed.

"But I'm not sure if those lines will be practical for his sister, though." Propping an arm up on the chair, Hikaru hummed.

"Really? I'm learning lots!" Miki chirped happily as she glanced over at the blackboard as her legs were swinging around beneath her. "Look at all those new words I've learnt."

"And, you are not to use a single one of them." Kyoya felt his eye twitched.

"Eh? Why?" Miki's eyes rounded as she turned to look at Kyoya, she pouted a little with disappointment laced in her voice.

"They are not words to be used on a daily basis in the first place." Adjusting his glasses, Kyoya informed her.

Miki glanced over at the board as she tried to come up with a scenario where she could possibly use words such as 'Blood Ritual' or 'Wax-Statue.' After a little while of thinking, she concluded that he was correct and let out a small chuckle.

"What are you laughing about?" Giving her a weird look, Kyoya asked.

"Kyoya-kun, you really are a nice person." Miki giggled, earning her an eyebrow raise of skepticism from him.

"Evil beam!" Renge shouted, shining a flashlight in Nekozawa's face, causing him to shrink and shriek in fear. "Don't you let a mere flashlight upset you! Pluck up your nerve! It's not a physical problem for you, which means its a problem of guts! Don't you want to make Kirimi proud?!"

Once she switched off the flashlight, Nekozawa slumped over and curled up int he darkness of the science room. "Even if I go through any more specialized training, there's no guarantee that Kirimi will accept me..." Nekozawa sighed gloomily, "Rather than Kirimi having me for an older brother, Suoh-kun, you should be her substitute older brother, instead." He said gloomily.

"You're the one that girl really wants to see, aren't you?" Tamaki furrowed his brows. "If you hold your sister dear, then show more guts, even if it kills you! Reach out to her, whether or not she decides to respond is up to her!" He declared loud and clear, the vibrations of his voice rattling Miki's heart. Her hazel eyes widened slightly, then flickered down as the Tamaki's words echoed in her head.

 _Miki! It's time for dinner, hurry up and come join us!_

 _Good Morning! Get up and get ready for school!  
_

 _Look! We have unagi rice tonight for dinner!  
_

 _Do you want to dress up as a policewoman with us? Of course, I'll make that happen for you!_

She felt a slight clutching in her heart as her lips curled into a wry smile.

Suddenly the doors to the room opened as a bright light beamed into the darkened science lab, cutting Miki off of her train of thoughts.

"Haruhi!" Averting her attention away from Tamaki and Nekozawa, Miki jumped off the table and greeted the brunette.

"What's wrong Haruhi?" Kyoya stood up straight as well. "Aren't you good with children?" He asked.

"No, I don't dislike them or anything..." Her voice trailed off as she thought back to past few days, where she was trapped in the club room reading shoujo manga to Kirimi. "She had me read around 50 volumes of shoujo manga for the past three days. And of all the things, this stuff is really full of reverse harems, and debauchery."

"Would you like for me to take over? I could take her outside and play for a little." Miki offered as she stepped towards the brunette.

"That would be great, thank you very much." Haruhi beamed.

In the central garden of Ouran Academy, Miki held Kirimi by the hand as the little girl balanced her way on the concrete ledge. The sound of water flowing from the fountain filled the area as Kyoya sat under a pavilion, reading a book. Tamaki had sent him out to watch over Kirimi along with Miki as he assists with Nekozawa's training, though admittedly it was more like him watching over two kids.

"Just a little more!" Miki encouraged as Kirimi nodded with determination. And with just a few shaky yet concentrated steps, she made it to the other end of the ledge and burst into a fit of giggled as the strawberry blonde picked her up and spun her around with praises.

As she was being lowered to the ground, Kirimi glanced at the pavilion behind her. She watched as Kyoya flipped another page of his book, once her feet touched the concrete, she let go of Miki and pointed at him. "I want glasses character to play with us!" She ordered.

After sending her off to one of the grassy fields nearby to wait, Miki approached Kyoya from behind gingerly.

"What is it?" Noticing her presence, Kyoya called her out.

Realizing that she had been found, Miki hummed as she leaned over the open-aired bench next to him from the outside of the pavilion. "Kirimi-chan wants you to come and play with us." She explained with an airy voice.

"Tell her I'm busy." He responded indifferently as his half-lidded eyes continued to scan the book before him.

"Eh? You are going to make her cry, you know?" Miki reasoned.

Against Kyoya's better judgment, he looked up from his book and at her. She was pouting with a disappointed and depressed look. She looked more like the one that was about to cry. If she had cat ears, they would be flattened. He felt his eye twitch as he averted his eyes, his mind began to list off any positives to joining the two on their little game, but not much came up. Because there wasn't any. Giving her upset form one last glance, he let out a sigh in frustration and closed his book. "Very well then." He caved in.

Cheering, Miki quickly looped around to the exit of the pavilion with a bright beam. "Let's go, Kyoya-kun!" Grabbing him by the hand, she dragged him towards the field towards a waving Kirimi with shining cheeks.

"What are we even playing?" Kyoya raised an eyebrow, the annoyance in him dissipating slightly.

Miki let go of his hand, she glanced up and tapped her chin in thought. Then an idea flashed across her hazel eyes like a shooting star, as she ran up to Kirimi and began whispering.

Kyoya's brows drew closer as he crossed his arms, watching as she grinned from ear to ear. Kirimi's expression brightened, the longer she talked.

"How does that sound?" Backing away, he heard the strawberry blonde with a bubbly voice.

"Yeah! I want to play that!" Jumping up and down, Kirimi agreed.

"Alright then," Backing away with a bell-like giggle, Miki turned to Kyoya with a playful expression.

Kirimi struck an empowering pose, forming a gun with her little hand. "I'm the Pretty Girl (Bishoujo) Detective, Nekozawa Kirimi!" She announced enthusiastically.

Kyoya shot Miki a weird look, watching as she got into a mirrored pose and raised a gun signal of her own. "And I am her assistant, Miki!" She winkled mischievously.

"Foul villain!" Kirimi pointed at Kyoya with a severe face. "How dare you steal the love slaves of the reverse harem! We will have you arrested for this!"

No doubt this detective themed game was Miki's idea, it had her name practically written on it. Already regretting his agreement to play with them, Kyoya heaved a sigh and raised both hands in the air with an emotionless face.

"He's resisting arrest! Commissioner Kirimi, what do we do?" Ignoring his clear signal of surrendering, Miki gasped as he felt mouth tugged into a displeased frown.

"Tackle him!" And with that, the two girls charged forth, tackling an already agitated Kyoya to the soft grass in a fit of giggles.

Looking down, the boy with glasses glared at the real mastermind of this game in his arms, only to find a carefree expression as she continued to chuckle. Once again, he found the irritation simmering down just slightly.

Sensing a pair of keen eyes staring at her, Miki glanced up with a blank expression. She seemed rather unfazed by how close their faces were. "Is something wrong Kyoya-kun?" She tilted her head, blinking a few times.

"What am I going to do with such a troublesome woman?" With an amused yet wry smirk, Kyoya reluctantly placed his hand on her long, fluffy hair, earning another radiant smile in return.

After a little more playing in the grassy fields, or Miki and Kirimi playing, while Kyoya got dragged around, the little girl suggested playing hide n' seek in the hedge maze. So with Kirimi being it and counting, Kyoya and Miki hid behind a tree not to far from where she was counting. However...

"Oh, it's a cat." Peeking out of their hiding spot, Miki whispered as she spotted the giant stray creature standing before the unmoving little blonde girl, it was almost half her size. "Do the whole Nekozawa family warm up to felines quickly?" She asked.

"Something is not right." Kyoya hushed, watching intently with narrowed eyes.

From their angle, they couldn't quite see her face. But Kirimi was so unresponsive; it was a little worrisome. Then, they heard a small sniffle. "Help... Big Brother." She whimpered.

Before either of the two had time to react to her cry for help, there was a loud crash, the sound of shattering glass followed by a loud cry for Kirimi. Nekozawa has jumped out of the third-floor science room and into the bright sunlight, shocking everyone. However, instead of falling and losing consciousness, he landed on his hands and feet just like how myths depicted that cats could and bolted towards Kirimi.

"Kirimi!" The little girl's crystal eyes widened as she spotted Nekozawa rush over to her at full speed, scooping her up into his protective arms. Kirimi quickly wrapped her arms around him with a blissful smile on her face.

"Big Brother!" She reached out her clammy hands.

"You see, Kirimi? No need to be afraid of that bad kitty anymore." Nekozawa comforted the little girl as he placed her down. Holding up Bellzenef, he continued. "With the power of this cursed puppet, Belzenef... I'll curse... curse..." Then, his voice trailed off as he quickly lost balance and fell forth as his body began to twitch from being in the sun for too long. The cat narrowed its eyes at the two almost in an endearing manner before tottering away.

"Nekozawa-senpai!" Miki cried out as she rushed toward the two, Kyoya following behind. "He jumped out of the window for her..." She spoke in awe as she knelt next to Nekozawa and a thoughtful looking Kirimi.

"Well, I suspect his family will have to pay quite a sum of money for breaking the glass." With his arms crossed before his chest, Kyoya's eyes were glued to the shattered window.

"Still..." Watching Nekozawa in admiration, Miki tilted her head. "That was a very courageous thing to do for your sister, Nekozawa-senpai."

That evening, Tamaki was doing some homework in his room when he heard a faint knock on the door. Usually, the maids would announce their presence with a cheery tone, so it was a little strange for someone just to knock silently. He glanced up to find Miki standing at the door, wearing her usual chiffon dress and clutching her tablet to her chest.

"Miki?" Pushing away from his desk a little, Tamaki gasped. "What can I help you with?"

"May I come in Tamaki-kun?" Miki chuckled, feeling a little awkward. "I wanted to spend a little time with you."

There was a brief moment of silence as Tamaki just stared at his sister with a dumbfounded, surprised expression. The past month she had been in the Second Estate, she rarely visited his room, not by her initiative at least. It caught Tamaki a little off guard.

As the silence ensued, Miki tilted her head with a slight pout forming on her lips. "Can I not?" She asked, a little disappointed.

Hearing her assumption, Tamaki shook his head. "Of course you can!" He exclaimed, jumping out from his seat to usher her in with a delighted smile. "I'd love to spend time with you, my dear sister."

A/N: Hope you guys enjoyed this chapter~ I personally love this episode of both the anime and manga. Sibling Relationships can be so sweet and endearing at times, it makes me as a single child, a little jealous. I'm sorry if any of the characters seem OOC, please don't kill me!

By the way, thank you to all of you who replied to my questions in the last chapter! I appreciate it very much! As an authour, I really do value your opinions. It's you guys who read my story, after all. That being said, the upload for these chapters may slow down a little, seeing as right now I'm pretty much posting a chapter every three days. I honestly don't really have an update schedule, and I just post whenever I feel like it's the right time to. So the best option would be to save this story to your library if you haven't.

Happy December everyone!

XOXO,

Astra.


	10. 9 Covering the Famous Host Club!

_-Chapter 9-_

 **Covering the Famous Host Club!**

The Floral department was rushing back and forth in the inner garden of Ouran Academy, Miki both helping out to plant some flowers as well as monitoring the progress. Ten more minutes until the host club opens, and they were running some final touch-ups.

"Miki-san, where should plant these?" One of the designers asked.

"This should go by the pond," Pointing over at a blue to a purple assortment of flowers, Miki instructed patiently as her arm instinctively wiped away beads of sweat that glistened on her forehead. "Hikaru and Kaoru are stationed there; this colour should help their costumes pop." She then turned to one of the other workers. "Make sure Tamaki-kun's station is surrounded by hydrangeas." She reminded. "That'll help him play into the forbidden rendezvous act."

The worker pointed at the crowded flower clusters. "Is this enough?"

Miki paced over, glancing around and noticing a slightly bare spot. "Please add more over there; it needs to feel secluded."

"Understood."

"How are the bonsai trees looking Miki-san?" The gardener asked.

Holding her hands up, Miki formed a camera frame with both her thumbs and index fingers. After a moment of humming and adjusting the angle, she nodded with a bright beam. "It's perfect! Thank you for your hard work! We can start running the stream anytime now!"

"Miki-senpai." Approaching Miki from behind, Haruhi called out to her. She was already dressed up in her kimono, ready for the host club to open for business.

"Haruhi!" Miki skipped up to her friend with a cheerful smile, observing her beautiful costume. "You look wonderful!" She complimented.

"Thank you very much." With a small bow of gratitude, Haruhi proceeded to look around the inner garden in slight disbelief. In a matter of hours, it seemed to have gone from a regular garden to an outdoor garden suited to the Heian Era. "But you really did a number here, Miki-senpai. It looks so realistic."

Miki giggled, scratching her chin shyly. "I will have to thank Kyoya-kun later," She explained. "He gave me lots of reference materials to draw from. With data and detailed information like that, inspiration comes like a breeze."

"I see..." Haruhi hummed, still taking in the beauty of the garden.

"Miki! Miki!" The next to enter the area, was Tamaki with sparkling eyes. Like an overly doting father, he beckoned Miki over excitedly. "Come here! I have a surprise for you!"

Blinking rapidly, Miki tilted her head to the side wondering what could the surprise be.

By the time Miki got back to the inner garden, the host club has opened its doors to the customers. Girls gathered around the station of their favourite hosts, being entertained with honeyed words and hilarious jokes. Some caught sight of her and squealed.

"Miki-chan!" One of the guests called out to her. "You look so pretty!"

As it turned out, the surprise Tamaki had in store for her, was a beautiful kimono of her own. Since that incident with Nekozawa and Kirimi, the two have been spending more and more time together, with Miki often drawing up her production sketches in Tamaki's room. And while she was sketching up the layout for today's theme, Tamaki had overheard her muttering about how she wanted to try wearing a kimono as well. Of course, when he revealed the surprised, Miki practically jumped onto him and enveloped him into a bear hug.

"Thank you very much!" Miki giggled, twirling around gracefully, being careful not to step on the fabric accidentally.

"You look great Miki-senpai." Haruhi waved, standing in the gardens with a tranquil expression.

Bouncing over with a giddy heart, Miki stood beside her friend singing a word of thanks. "You look so happy, did something good happen?" She asked with a radiant smile.

"No, nothing like that." Haruhi quickly shook her head, glancing over the hydrangeas. "I just think that it's so peaceful, I guess that's what acclimation will do to you." She said thoughtfully.

"Acclimation?" Miki blinked.

"When you try and adapt or get accustomed to the new climate," Haruhi explained. "Like right now, we are transitioning from Spring to Summer."

"I see," Sneaking a quick glimpse over her work, Miki agreed. "It is very peaceful. I felt the same way just by looking through the catalogues." She then turned to look at the hosts, each absorbed in their roles. Hikaru and Kaoru were playing a shell matching game, Honey and Mori had stuffed themselves into a single kimono with only Honey's face popping out as Mori attempted to feel the soba noodles to the lolita. Tamaki, he was at his station, speaking to a love-struck guest in the midst of the flower field. She then turned to look a Kyoya who stood not too far away from them with a couple of guests, overlooking the yarimizu channel as he wrote down reservations in his notebook. Feeling a sense of peace overcome herself, she let out a satisfied sigh, but that was when...

"Haruhi! Miki! Watch out!" Tamaki yelled.

Haruhi and Miki snapped around, seeing a ball heading directly for them and the blond bolting towards them in full speed, a trail of dust behind him. Miki let out a shriek in shock and jumped out of the way, but poor Haruhi didn't react in time as Tamaki grabbed onto her, tumbling into the field of flowers.

"Ouch..." Rubbing the side of her head that hit the soft grass when she landed, Miki murmured under her breath. With on eye closed, she sat on the ground, gently rubbing her head when she felt a figure loom over her. Glancing up to meet his eyes, she saw Kyoya looked down at her. He bent down to have a look at her.

"Are you alright?" He asked, touching the side of her head.

"Of course." Hearing his concerns Miki, nodded with glimmering cheeks. "Something as little as this won't hold me down," She quickly bounced back onto her feet. "Don't worry, Kyoya-kun."

"That's good to hear." An amused smirk plastered across his face, watching as she dusted off her kimono.

Miki turned to look at her brother only to find his eyes gleaming. "What?!" He growled. "Then, try catching this!" Reeling his leg back, he kicked the ball on the ground with full force. "Starlight Kick!"

"What!?" Kaoru gasped.

"That's fast!" Hikaru added.

"Wow!" Miki squealed.

"Take care." The twins cheered sarcastically, waving handkerchieves at the ball that curved up into the air and vanished with a sparkle.

Miki held a hand over her eyes to shield them from the sun. She watched with an awestruck expression as the ball once again curved in midair. She blinked, her face turning blank.

"Tamaki-kun." She called out to him.

"Yes, Miki?"

The strawberry blonde blinked a few more times, still looking out into the distance.

"The ball is going to crash into a school window." She said with an oddly face.

"What?!"

Sure enough, the sound of shattered glass echoed through the school, followed by two frantic voices yelling 'President!'.

Sitting on the ground, holding the dustpan as Haruhi swept the glass in, Miki glanced around the room curiously. Tamaki stood behind her apologizing continuously.

"No, not at all. It was just a mari ball breaking through the window and hitting me right on the head." The newspaper club president Komatsuzawa Akira spoke, resting his hands on his chin. One of his club members held an ice pack over his head, trying to sooth the bump Tamaki's starlight kick gave him.

"Sorry!" Tamaki bowed again.

With a wry smile, Akira continued. "However, this works out perfectly. In fact, I was just thinking about asking the Host Club to let us do a story on you." He proposed.

"I never realized Ouran had a newspaper club," Haruhi said, cleaning up the last bit of glass shards as Miki nodded in agreement. Standing up, she made her way over to where the twins were and began looking through the bundles of newspapers, noticing they were all the same. She raised an eyebrow and cocked her head. I thought people only buy one issue of the news.

Almost as if on cue, Hikaru and Kaoru turned over the separate articles they were reading.

"It's mostly just gossip, we call it Ou-spot." Hikaru explained, pointing at an article that read 'Teacher is growing hair!'. "It covers the school love affairs, separation in class divisions caused by family power struggles and so on."

Kaoru nodded, holding up a piece that read 'Love across the Social Classes!'. "It's a gossip paper, specializing in excessively stirring up scandals."

With narrowed eyes, they glared at Akira and spoke in an indifferent tone. "It's all made up, so no one reads it anymore."

Miki hummed, looking over all of the identical bunches of papers. "So all of these are their unsold copies?" She asked bluntly, adding salt to the wound, causing Akira to freeze up.

"It's true; we lost sight of the truth as we've focused on getting attention." He stood up, slowly with a solemn expression. "However, evident by those unsold papers, we are getting close to being shut down. Yet it is now that our eyes have finally been opened. We have realized what we should be covering and reporting on." Bowing their heads at them, they pled. "Please, for the last paper of the 1st term. We would like you to let us reveal the truth behind your charm, in an up-close special edition of the host Club. Please offer us your help."

Miki left the pile of new papers to stand before them with the Host Club, blinking as they kept their heads bowed. She wanted to help them.

"Just leave it to me," Tamaki responded, swiping his hair to the side. "I would be happy to acc-"

"We must decline." Before Tamaki could finish, Kyoya shoved him out of the way plastered with an unbalanced smile. "Unfortunately, we limit any information about us to our guests. We will gladly pay any costs related to treating your injury."

"Eh? Why?" Miki turned to look at him, a little shocked. She always thought Kyoya was a nice person, so she was surprised by his immediate decline.

"Because Miki-senpai." Kaoru crossed his arms. "There isn't any benefit to help them out after so much nonsense they've written."

"Besides," Raising his arms above his head, Hikaru continued. "We don't want to get involved their drama. And we don't like people who cause trouble for others." He shrugged.

"But..."

"I see..." Cutting Miki off before she could protest, Akira sat slumped onto the chair. "I guess you really can't erase the sins of the past, huh? You can't get people to offer you a chance to redeem yourself, huh?" He muttered before letting out a shriek of pain. "Aah! The pain in my head!" He yelled dramatically as the two members of the club ran up to comfort him. He continued to yell and scream in an exaggerated manner about his lightheadedness. "I guess we can only disband in grace..." He groaned, clutching onto his head. Miki felt her heart clutch in pain at his words.

"That's not true!" Tamaki exclaimed. "People can always get a fresh start. Very well, we will rally the strength of the Host Club, and work together to re-establish the Newspaper club!" He declared.

"Not us." The twins muttered — each grabbing one of the girls and dragging them towards the exit of the room.

Miki blinked as Hikaru grabbed her by the arm. "We'll never be able to go along with how trusting you are sir."

"Besides, it's too much trouble." Kaoru reasoned.

"We're leaving, Tamaki," Kyoya told him, turning to leave as well. "We're holding an evaluation meeting in the club room, mostly about you."

"Wait!" Quickly shaking free of Hikaru's grasps, Miki ran back to Tamaki and turned around to look at the hosts. "I agree with Tamaki-kun!"

"Miki!" Tamaki cried comical tears as he clung to her.

"The club that they poured their hearts into is at risk!" Miki exclaimed. "Sure they may have done some unjustly things in the past, but life is all about experiences. If they learned their lesson, then don't they deserve a second chance?"

"Exactly!" Tamaki let go of his sister and glared sternly at the backs of the host. "This is an order from the club president! I will not allow you to refuse!" He declared.

Slowly turning around, the hosts scowled at him. With gleaming eyes and a flat tone, they said in unison. "We refuse!"

After leaving the newspaper club, Miki couldn't help but constantly worry about them as she walked back to the clubroom, having changed out of her kimono. They looked so upset and distraught over their club nearly being disbanded. She also couldn't shake off how coldly Kyoya and the twins refused to aid them. Looking up, she noticed another figure approaching the door.

"Kyoya-kun?" She called out to him, stopping in her tracks.

Kyoya was about to open the door to music room #3 when he heard his name being called by a familiar voice. He glanced up to see Miki standing there, looking a bit dumbfounded. Though he knew what was coming, he adjusted his glasses in a reserved manner. "Yes Miki, is something the matter?" He smiled uneasily.

"Why wouldn't you assist the newspaper club with their article?" She asked, her brows furrowing slightly.

"I already explained, we try to limit information about us to our customers." He spoke in an indifferent tone, crossing his arms.

"But still..." With a slight pout, Miki lowered her eyes to a downcast as she heard Kyoya's footsteps approach. "Don't you think they deserve a second chance? They looked so desperate and a-"

"Miki." Interrupted mid-sentence, she looked up to find Kyoya directly before her. "How many times do I have to tell you? The world isn't as black and white as you make it out to be." He looked down, studying as her expression changed to realization. "Besides," He paused, in a low voice, he narrowed his brownish-green eyes. "I don't think you understand the situation you are in."

"Huh?" Perking up slightly, Miki blinked.

Lowering his body, to her eye level. "In all your time here, I think you have forgotten that your identity is meant to remain a secret." He gently pressed her shoulder, backing her into the soft pink walls of the corridor. Miki strangely felt her heart rate spike as her back collided softly into the smooth surface."If we allow them to investigate our club, they will get dangerously close to uncovering you and your family history." He warned her, a small hint of amusement dancing across his eyes.

Gasping slightly, Miki's eyes widened. Her eyes flickered down to the ground, noticing just how close he was to her. "Kyoya-kun..." She muttered.

"Hm?" Kyoya raised an eyebrow, his small frown not fading.

She kept silent for a few moments, thinking about something. Then she opened her mouth. "Isn't this considered sexual harassment?" She asked, her face blank.

Kyoya blinked for a few moments, feeling his eye twitch lightly. Then before he could say anything back, he heard Miki let out a small snicker. He looked down in slight annoyance to see her giggling into her hand.

"Miki..." He grumbled, the dark grimace on his face corrupting the air around him, but it was seemingly countered by the radiating light her laughter was emitting.

"Hehehe, kidding~" Finally calming down from her fits of giggles, Miki wiped away some tears that found their way into her eyes through laughing. "I see, so that was the reason why." She tilted her head. "Kyoya-kun, you really are a nice person."

"One of the reasons, at least."

"Despite that, I still want to help them though." Her shoulders shrugged, Miki beamed. "I understand your concern for me, but I think I'll be just fine." She reassured him sweetly. "I've been hiding for years; I doubt they would be able to figure it out within a day." With an overly bubbly voice, her hands balled into fists before her chest.

"That's different; you were actively hidden away then." Kyoya gritted his teeth. Sometimes, this girl really drove his sanity up the walls, much like her brother.

"Kyoya-kun... You look angry." She pointed out with a deadpan, wide-eyed expression. Not knowing what else to do, she gently patted his soft hair with a childish smile. "Don't worry so much, if you do your panda eyes are going to get worse."

Letting out a frustrated sigh, Kyoya placed his hand on her head. Letting it linger there for a while, his fingers twitching out of irritation. He considered taking his frustration out by gently squeezing her head a bit, but decided against it. Then, turning around on his heel, he reached for the doorknob once again. Since he was turned away, Miki couldn't exactly see his expression under the shadow of his hair, but she quickly assumed they are once again on good terms. So with a slight hop to her step and hum to her voice, she waited for him to open the door, which he did once he calmed himself down a little.

However, when he opened them, a new set of problems awaited him.

Curled up like a pillbug near the windows, was Tamaki who still hasn't changed out of his kimono. He crouched there, toying with the white ball he had kicked earlier before turning around and shooting Kyoya his best puppy dog eyes.

Kyoya's eyebrow twitched.

 _Does he ever win against either of these two?_

Feeling like he just lost years of his life, he lifted his glasses with closed eyes. "There will be some conditions." He grumbled.

"Woof!" Tamaki barked.

"Yay!" Jumping up with a fist pump, Miki cheered.

"The outline for the special feature articles will be submitted by us. Interviews will be cardinally prohibited. Views of us entertaining the customers will be intrusive to them, so they are out."

"Woof! Woof!"

"Understood!" Miki giggled, running up to give her brother, now turned dog, a ruffle on the head.

"I saw you move Kyoya!" Tamaki yelled from across the field, waving his finger around like a little kid.

The entire host club was playing 'The Daruma Doll' out in the inner garden which has been reverted to its original form. Tamaki, the host club's king, was chanting the commoner's children game. Kyoya was only glad Tamaki came up with the idea of the game. If it were Miki, she would've suggested something insane like the 'Pretty Girl Cops' one she played with Kirimi the other day. He sighed and walked over.

"Yes, yes."

Haruhi sighed next to Miki with a weary yet merry expression. "I hope this ends soon..." She wondered out loud, her body slumping from how much they have been playing.

"Awe, come on!" Giggling, Miki reached her arms up in a stretch. "Don't be like that; this is so much fun!" She opened her eyes to see Akira approaching with his mini-notebook open and his two other club member holding cameras and lighting equipment.

"Fujioka-kun and Suoh-san, wasn't it?" He asked, approaching the girls.

"Hm?" The two girls turned to look at him.

"Might I have a brief word with both of you?" He smiled an unreadable smile, pen ready to record.

"Okay," Haruhi replied first.

"Why did you join this club?"

"Oh, well, it was over me being a little careless..." Haruhi's voice trailed off, remembering her debt.

"You are an honour student, aren't you?" Brushing off Haruhi's answer, Akira continued to pursue.

"Yes, I am."

"So in other words, you are a token member of this club here in order to allow the Suoh family to flaunt their power."

Miki blinked at those words of his.

"Huh?" She stared at him.

Lowering his voice, Akira whispered. "Could I ask you to tell me about his darker side? Perhaps I will be able to help you out of here, as well."

"He doesn't have a darker side," Haruhi stated factually.

"What?!" Seeing as he was getting nowhere with Haruhi, he turned to Miki who blinked. "As the only female member of the club, do you have an input on this Suoh-san? Does he ever coax you with sweet words to follow him?" He asked, leaned closer. Miki noticed how his pen was moving at a rapid pace.

"No." Lifting a finger with a bright smile, Miki said. "Tamaki-kun is a wonderful person. I stay with him because I want to."

"So you both are telling me, that those high school kids genuinely enjoy playing these games?" He gritted his teeth, seemingly frustrated.

After a few moments, Haruhi replied. "Is that strange?"

"It's really fun Komatsuzawa-senpai!" Miki chuckled, she grabbed onto his hand and began pulling him towards the games. "Do you want to try it?"

"N-No."

"CHOP!" Suddenly, Hikaru and Kaoru busted between the three and separated them. Each of them grabbing one of the girls they began to run off.

"Hey! That's not where you are supposed to cut you know!" Tamaki yelled after them, flailing his hand with Kyoya's in it.

After getting tired of that game, Tamaki suggested to play 'kick the can' instead. After declaring Kyoya as 'it,' Tamaki reeled his feet back, once again using his signature move.

"Starlight Kick!" The colourful can whizzed past the newspaper club members and the host club scattered, each of them searching for a hiding spot. Miki bolted off, towards the courtyard, settling for a small bush her and Kyoya hid when they were playing hide n' seek with Kirimi.

As she was settling into her hiding spot, a shadow quickly loomed over her. Blinking a few times, she glanced up to see Kyoya looking down at her with a smug smirk.

"Kyoya-kun!" Miki exclaimed, standing up from the bushes and dusted down her skirt. "You were peeking, weren't you? Besides, there is no way that was thirty seconds."

"The Game is on hold, Miki." Pushing up his glasses, Kyoya sighed. "I have something more interesting in mind." And with that his smirk deepened, leaving Miki to tilt her head in confusion.

"Eh?"

As the hosts gathered in the newspaper club, Miki tilted her head, her blinking speed increased. With no explanation what-so-ever, Kyoya gestured for Miki to sit on a stack of old newspapers which she obediently complied with. She glanced around the room; the entire club was here except for Tamaki and Haruhi. Mori perked up as he turned to the door.

"He's coming." He muttered.

Kyoya nodded, pushing up his glasses once more as he snuck as side glimpse as Miki who, as usual, was utterly clueless to what was going on.

"Don't say a word, and listen to this very carefully." He told her in a hushed tone.

Suddenly, Akira's voice echoed down the long corridors of Ouran, growing closer and closer. "I just have to write an article that exposes him. If I set my mind to it, I can cook up any number of articles that will throw the idiots at this academy into a tizzy. In any case, we have to set Suoh up." Then the doors to the newspaper club busted open. Miki held her breath, processing what the club president had just said.

"So, it is true." Kaoru hummed as him, and Hikaru sat mirrored on the desk in the center of the room.

"Why, you..." Akria scowled.

"Although, it was pretty obvious." Hikaru scoffed.

"I'll bet his highness is the only one who hasn't caught on." Karou narrowed his eyes. "He's especially dense when it comes to himself."

"I'm warning you," Hikaru spoke again. "If you start something against his highness there will be consequences."

"Are you ready to turn not only the Hitachiins but all of our club members' families against you?"

With his glasses shattered, Akira stepped back in anger. "I knew it," He grumbled. "Suoh is wielding his parents' power and giving out orders to you!"

Miki's hazel eyes widened, her heart pounded against her chest. He's one of those 'bad' people.

"No, he isn't" Stepping out from behind the doors, Honey told him. "Tama-chan wouldn't do that. You know what?" His face melting into that sweet smile of his, he chuckled. "We all love Tama-chan, and that's why."

"He is a hopeless idiot," Kyoya said. "Even so..." His voice trailed off as nostalgic smiles surfaced on everyone's faces. Each of them remembering the good times they had with the Host Club's president. The Heart of the Club.

Miki looked down at her black leather shoes with a smile. She could hear his voice as clear as the day he said it.

 _Miki! It's time for dinner, hurry up and come join us!_

"Even so..." She breathed out, the toes of her shoes clicking together as she hummed. "We all love him very much." Her cheeks were sparkling, she pressed her hands against her chest, tilting her head.

"So?"

"What will it be?"

"Don't do this, okay?'

"Damn it!" Growling under his breath, Akira glared at everyone in the door with a scornful look. "It's not just Suoh anymore; I'm going to ruin all of you now!" The hostility emitting off of him startled Miki slightly who hid behind Kyoya and a couple stacks of newspapers.

"Please, feel free," Kyoya smirked with amusement as he paced over the desk. Picking up a first aid box, he flipped it over and pressed a button. A disk ejected out of the machine as he held it between his fingers. "I wonder what you should do about his disk," He raised an eyebrow smugly. "Which has been secretly recording all of your remarks since yesterday?"

The other two members clung to their leader in fear, begging him to give up. Without much to say, his knees which have been trembling for a while buckles as he fell forward and to the ground.

"To put it in the same terms that you would, here's the deal," Kyoya explained walking over to a horrified Akira. "You'd do well to remember that with just the stock that the Ootori Group and the Hitachiins own, we could replace the president of your father's publishing firm whenever we like." He paused. "However, we are not like you. We are after fundamentally different things."

After settling things on their end, the host club par Haruhi and Tamaki made their way back to the courtyard to look for the two.

"So you were right in the end," Eyes in a downward cast, Miki muttered next to Kyoya. "They were awful people with malicious intentions..."

Kyoya glanced down at the strawberry blonde. She looked upset, like a lost little puppy. A smirk spread across his lips as he reached up and flicked the side of her head with his index finger. She immediately reached up to protect it. "Don't look so down," He chuckled in amusement at her swift reaction. "I merely wanted to teach you a little more about the people in the world."

Hikaru and Kaoru glanced at each other behind the two. As much as they wanted to tease them, they knew nothing they said would even get through to their numbskulled upperclassmen. So they exchanged a look, then a wry shrug.

Miki pouted slightly, rubbing the little area where he flicked. "By the way, do you have an idea where Tamaki and Haruhi are?" She changed the topic.

"I saw them running into the hedge maze."

"Ah! So you were peeking!"

Just like Kyoya said, they found Haruhi and Tamaki in the hedge maze, sitting in under a rose covered pavilion. Once collecting them, the group began to walk back towards the school building chatting happily. Miki was talking to Tamaki and Honey about cake while Kyoya and Haruhi trailed behind the group when Haruhi's voice turned into a panic.

"Miki-senpai!"

Turning around immediately, Miki blinked as a response to her friend.

"You and Tamaki-senpai... are the chairman's kids?!" She exclaimed.


	11. 10 The Iris Blooms!

_-Chapter 10-_

The Iris Blooms!

"I have received everyone's story beat organizer as of yesterday." Tidying up the books and lesson plans at the front desk, Mr. Kobayashi announced. "Please submit your character relations chart as soon as possible. Try to turn it in before summer break so you can focus on the symbolism analysis, which will be due right after the school festival. And please don't forget to check your midterm results. Dismissed!"

With his final announcement, the class of 2-A immediately grew rowdy. Everyone quickly scattered joining up with their groups and filed out of the classroom to check their midterm results. Miki let out a small yawn, rubbing her eyes as she glanced out the window. Mid-June was undoubtedly the worst time of the year. Rain, not holidays, no special events, term exams. She let out a small sigh as the moisture in the air continued to implore her to fall asleep, as much as she loved the rain, she never appreciated this side effect.

"Mi-Ki!" Tamaki's excitable voice was the much-needed wake-up call as Miki jolted awake. "What's wrong? It's not like you to be so quiet."

"It's nothing Tamaki-kun," Rubbing her eyes gently, Miki let out another yawn. "It's just the heavy continuous rain; it makes me very tired. Besides, it's June. There are no special events I can design for."

Humming, Tamaki quickly packed up his bag. "Anyways, hurry up! We need to check our results before heading to the club." He stood up, adjusting his tie as he turned to Kyoya who sat diagonally behind Miki. "Kyoya, you coming?"

"Yes, yes." Standing up, Kyoya readjusted his glasses.

Midterm Results for Second-Years

1\. Kyoya Ootori

2\. Tamaki Suoh

3\. Ayame Jounouchi

4\. Miki Suoh

"Woah!" Miki's eyes twinkled as she looked at Tamaki and Kyoya who stood on either side of her. "You both did wonderfully! Look! You are first place Kyoya-kun!" She jumped up and down in the crowd, trying to get a clearer look at the board, over the sea of people that were much taller than her.

"I don't know why you are surprised." With his arms crossed, Kyoya read the board with an indifferent expression.

"But Ayame-san is so cool!" Miki's eyes sparkled as she stood on her tiptoes, tired from jumping. "I heard she's been consistently third place for two years straight!"

"You did great too Miki!" Tamaki excitedly hugged her, nuzzling her cheek. Causing her to giggle at the affection her brother was showering her with over a good test result.

"Fourth for your first attempt. It's not terrible." Smirking, Kyoya turned to leave. "We're going you two." He called over his shoulder, almost like a parent telling his kids it's time to go. The two siblings exchanged a giggle as they followed him down the slightly crowded halls to Music Room #3.

Once they arrived, it seemed like Honey and Mori have already gotten there as they sat on the sofa. "Ah! Tama-chan! Kyo-chan! Miki-chan!" Honey waved, already munching on a piece of his favourite strawberry cake, Usa-chan in hand. It seems like only the first-year trio hasn't arrived yet.

"What?!" Everyone shouted in unison as Haruhi, and the twins finally stepped into the room, and they were graced with shocking news. "Haruhi, you didn't make first place?!"

Blinking for a few moments, Haruhi spoke almost too calmly. "No, I guess not." She scratched the back of her head.

"Then I should express my condolences." Kyoya closed his eyes, sipping on his tea as he sat cross-legged on the sofa.

"Haru-chan! Don't give up!" First place in the third year, Honey's hands balled into fists as he encouraged her. Mori, who was a close second, nodded from behind.

"How did that happen?" Miki touched the side of her face in a very concerned manner. "You always got first place among the first years."

"Hey, what's wrong with third place?" Hikaru, fifth place in his grade, raised an eyebrow. "Aren't you overreacting a little?"

"It's not like good grades mean the person is not an idiot," Kaoru, who is fourth place, added.

"Case in point, milord over there." Together, they turned around to point at Tamaki who frantically dug through his personal items, random of things flying out. Haruhi's portrait, all sorts of instant ramen, and even a cactus.

"Where is it?! Where is it?!" He panicked, looking up with a horrified expression. "My mechanical pencil is gone!" He exclaimed.

"Perhaps you dropped it somewhere at home?" Miki suggested, trying to help out.

"Maybe, it went on a trip!" Honey added with a light chuckle, but it didn't help as Tamaki went to sulk in his corner. Repeating the words, 'my mechanical pencil.'

"Anyways," Reverting their attention to Haruhi, the twins patted her head. And somehow, Mori was also in the cluster, gently noogie-ing the poor girl. "Why are you so worried about being first?" Hikaru asked.

"It's not like you'll be expelled from school," Kaoru reassured her.

"Yeah," Miki nodded in agreement, picking up Haruhi's hand. "As long as you do your best next time, everything will be alright!"

"But she will be expelled." Kyoya interrupted, taking another sip of the tea.

"Huh?" The twins and Miki turned around, blinking.

Placing the cup down, Kyoya turned to look at them with a hint of amusement in his eyes. "She must achieve and maintain the top score in her year to keep her scholarship." He explained. "She'll have to take the make-up test to improve her grades. Worst case scenario, she will be expelled. If she's lucky, she may be demoted to D class."

"Eh?!" Miki gasped.

"That sounds bad..." The twins muttered, sweatdropping at how harsh the life of an honour student is.

Hearing this, Tamaki snapped up. "Haruhi! Don't fret! You'll clear the make-up just fine! I wanted to give you my mechanical pencil as a good luck charm, but I can't find it! Take this instead!" Kuma-chan in hand, he thrust it into Haruhi's face.

"I don't need a good luck charm with a blank stare like that." With a dreadful look, Haruhi averted her eyes. "It might jinx me."

Turning pale, Tamaki dropped to the ground. "That's so mean Haruhi!" He shouted, crying comical tears. "Are you still upset about not knowing we were the chairman's kids? You think I kept that from you deliberately?!"

Haruhi sweatdropped. "I may curse myself for not looking into it, but it doesn't really matter to me anymore." She let out a weary sigh. "I know why I didn't get first place; it was a super careless mistake. I'll be more careful during the make-up test."

Tilting her head to the side, Miki went round-eyed. "What happened?"

"I left a question blank. I meant to fill it out later, but I forgot." Chuckling awkwardly, Haruhi scratched the back of her head. "So, I'm sorry, but I have to take three days off from the club so I can study for the makeup."

Suddenly, there was a flash, and all the hosts were suddenly wearing professor like glasses. "Choose your tutor." They all announced as their glasses glistened in the fluorescent light, causing Haruhi to flinch.

"Professors Hitachiin," Tamaki glaring passive aggressively at the twins. "Your grades are lower than Haruhi's, so I'll be taking the honour."

"No, No, No, Mr. Suoh," The twins grinned, shaking their finger in unison. "It is vital that the tutor has a strong friendship with the student."

"Haru-chan!" Honey jumped forward, twinkling with his glasses. "I'll be your math teacher!" He giggled.

"History," Mori mumbled behind the lolita.

"If that's the case, I can help you with literature." Adjusting her fake glasses, imitating Kyoya, Miki chuckled.

"Come on! Choose one Haruhi!" The twins exclaimed. "Don't you want to have a private tutor?"

"No, not at all..." Backing away, Haruhi's fingers trembled as she collapsed to the ground from shock.

"Choosing one of you will more than likely distract her from studying." As he wrote in his notebook, Kyoya pointed out.

"That's true." Taking off her glasses with a small chuckle, Miki thought for a moment. Searching her mind for a suitable candidate to help out as Haruhi's private tutor, when a certain person flashed across her mind. "Kyoya-kun, I have a good idea for who to ask!" She glimmered, waving her hand like a child.

And so, the first day of the tutoring sessions began with the rain pouring outside. The sound of the calming rain filled the empty club room as they decided to close down as to not disturb Haruhi and Ayame's study session. Sitting with his cheek and side pressed up against the cold window was Tamaki, staring outside gloomily. Miki was not too far, away, curled up as she focused on drawing up new set designs for the host club. Honey sat next to her, legs dangling off the edge, playing with Usa-chan's arms.

"Will you stop moping around milord? The rain is already depressing enough." Hikaru approached them, hands in pocket.

"Haruhi didn't want to choose; there is nothing we can do about it." Kaoru followed up.

"That's not it..." Tamaki replied, not even looking at the two. His gaze glued to the falling rain.

"He's been like this since last night. Apparently, a new problem has arisen," Miki informed the two, glancing up from her tablet with a wry smile. "Do you want to tell them why?" She urged on gently.

"I can't talk about it too loud, but," Letting out a sigh for the tenth time in that hour, Tamaki pulled out a picture from his pocket. "Kuma-chan has been kidnapped, just like my mechanical pencil!" He spoke gravely, expression dark.

Placing a hand on his chin, Hikaru furrowed his brows. "Who'd want that bear with weird eyes?" He asked with an equally severe tone.

"Maybe he went on a trip!" Honey suggested again.

Miki shook her head, pressing a finger to her lips as she said thoughtfully. "We looked throughout the estate last night; we couldn't find a trace of him." She too seemed to have snapped into investigation mode. Imitating the detective of _Crime? Crime Drama_ , she muttered. "This could be a tough case; I'll savour my time solving it." She then turned to the twins and Honey. "Can I count on you all for support?" She proposed with an excited grin.

"Yes, detective Miki!" The three saluted.

Nodding with satisfaction, Miki lowered down. "Now, any ideas what happened to Kuma-chan?" She asked in a low voice.

"Maybe he ran away from home," Kaoru suggested, lifting a finger. "Maybe he got sick of you, milord."

"What?!" Hearing Kaoru's idea, Tamaki exploded. Flailing his arms in the air, he protested. "Who got sick of who!?"

"There's something I want to ask you," Ayame's clear eyes closed as she listened to the Tamaki and the twins banter back and forth, her stern voice catching everyone's attention. Opening her eyes, she lifted the frame of her glasses. "I know there are people who concentrate better when there's a certain level of noise. I'm wondering if this racket is for our benefit. If that is the case, I'm afraid I prefer a quieter atmosphere. Either way, this is far beyond a certain level of noise. You say you want to help Fujioka study, but your actions don't match your stated intent. This is just the kind of hypocrisy I detest. Now, will you kindly shut up?"

By the time she finished her sentence, all the hosts except for Kyoya and Miki were out of breath. They crowded into a corner, pulling the latter in with them as they panted heavily.

"Milord," Finally regaining their breath, the twins asked. "Is she an expert diver? When does she breathe?"

"Really?" Miki blinked, averting her eyes to look at Ayame. "I don't see anything wrong with her speech." She tilted her head.

"Miki-senpai... You wouldn't notice anything." Kaoru sighed.

"I've noticed it too," Tamaki spoke, wearing a careful look. "Her distinctive, monotonous tone of voice reminds me of..."

They turned to glare at her.

"The Morse Code." They glared at her, hissing in unison. Giving her the nickname "Miss Morse."

Haruhi sweatdropped, watching the gleam in the hosts' eyes. "I'm so sorry to trouble you..." She apologized to Ayame.

"Don't worry about it." The pristine student replied. "Ootori-san think highly of you to ask me for help." She replied her clearbright eyes in a downcast.

"No. He just wants me to owe him." Haruhi grumbled.

Eyes sweeping over the work, Ayame didn't even take a moment to pause as her voice carried on. "Unlike some people who fling sweet callous things at girls, I'm proud of my words and actions. And since I am committed to this, I will-" However before she could finish, Tamaki, swooped by, holding a tea tray.

"Excuse me," He flashed a dashing smile. "Please accept some tea. Today, we're serving rosehip tea, which is known to make ladies prettier."

"I'm afraid I do not care for tea with a distinctive aroma. Will you take it away?" Waving a hand, Ayame quickly dismissed him.

Not admitting defeat, Tamaki then brought forth a Melon Bread, offering it to her with a charming flash of his teeth. "Why don't you have one of these? It's a pity it doesn't taste like melon, but you can at least appreciate the common folk's desire for elegance. You can see their longing crystallized in its shape."

"We can work better if we feel somewhat hungry. Besides your explanation doesn't go beyond your own interpretation of the facts. If you have the time to delude yourself with sympathy for the commoners, why don't you develop a melon bread that actually tastes like melons?" With that, Tamaki tumbled backwards. Out of breath himself with what she was saying.

"Tamaki-kun!" Miki rushed over, watching as her brother hyperventilated through an oxygen tank that Mori had brought.

"Geez..." Hikaru eyed Ayame's back as she continued her lesson with Haruhi. "I thought Haruhi's straight blow was harsh, but that woman's suffocation technique is something else."

"Huh?" Miki tilted her head. "But she isn't suffocating Tamaki-kun at all; she's just sitting there."

"It's a metaphor, Miki-chan." Giggling as he patted Tamaki's back, Honey reminded her, seeing as Kyoya was too busy assessing the situation.

"I've never met someone that talks more than milord before." Hikaru laughed dryly.

"Really?" Cocking an eyebrow, Miki couldn't help but comment again. "I can think of a few..." Her voice trailed off as a certain blonde with a big pink bow, as well as a trio that sang a lot came into mind.

Hikaru and Kaoru shuddered just remembering them.

"Please don't..."

"...Remind us of them."

Kyoya, who stood over them, hummed as he watched Ayame and Tamaki interact. "When Ayame and Tamaki are in the same room, the atmosphere turns sour... It's just as I anticipated."

"Um..." Sheepishly, Haruhi glanced up from her books to meet Ayame's blank yet clear eyes. "Do you hold a grudge against Tamaki-senpai or something?" She asked.

With half-lidded eyes, Ayame looked out the window. "Let's see. They say rain cleans the air. Some love the rainy season, seeing it as the natural poetry of Japan. I am very well aware of that, but I still don't like it. By the same token, the some of out respectable chairman may be intelligent and popular among girls, he may appear charming to a majority of human beings. Yet there's something about him that I can't help but feel repulsed by." She explained, hand running through her long straight hair.

Pounding a fist on her open palm, Miki let out an 'oh.' "So in other words, you hate him." She stated bluntly, sending Tamaki another arrow to his heart.

The next day, the rain still hasn't let up. Tamaki, Kyoya, and Miki were gathered around Kyoya's desk as Tamaki was about announce something important when...

"Suoh-san," Ayame called out, her monotonous voice made it extremely easy to recognize. The three turned around to see her holding a folder. "You were in charge of class yesterday, weren't you? It looks like you failed to make a proper entry." She stated, opening the book to yesterday's record page.

"Oh, sorry about that." Tamaki quickly stood up. "I'll correct it."

Slamming the book shut, Ayame shot the blonde a glare. "No, it's fine. I've already taken care of it." She said. "I'm only pointing it out because I don't want you to repeat the error. Also, make sure to use a ruler. Your writing tends to be crooked. This constant rain is already enough of a bother. I don't need something as hideous as this on top of it."

"R-Right... I'm sorry..." On the verge of tears from Ayame's ruthless insults, Tamaki was then quickly surrounded by the other girls in an attempt to comfort him. Miki noticed Sora in the cluster, rubbing Tamaki on the back.

"Tamaki-sama, don't be discouraged," One of the girls spoke. "You did a fabulous job with class duties yesterday!"

"Yeah," Sora's eyes turned star-struck as she swooned. "To hear you say 'stand up' and 'bow' at the start and end of class was my dream come true!" She exclaimed with flushed cheeks and a dreamy look.

Quickly snapping out of it, Tamaki grabbed Sora by the chin and reeled her in. "Many thanks," He spoke sweetly. "If it so pleases, I shall whisper those words into your ears..."

"Tamaki-sama!" Sora giggled. "You're too sweet."

Before the act could go on for long though, Ayame narrowed her eyes at the blonde. "Please don't do that. You will wind up distracting the person officially in charge. Besides, who wants more noise?" And with that, she stomped off in a perfectly straight line and thumped back into her seat.

Miki could only giggle at the sight as Tamaki made his way back, resuming their meeting.

"Hey, Kyoya, Miki." Sitting back down at the seat in front of Kyoya, Tamaki muttered. "Is she in a bad mood because of the rain? Or does she hate me? Which is it?"

"Probably both." Kyoya sighed, still holding an open book. "Both of you, go back to your seats. You're bothering me.

"Not yet!" Tamaki shushed. "I need to talk about Kuma-chan." He explained, holding up a flyer that had a photo of his beloved stuffed bear in tears with the words 'missing'. "You both must help me with this flyer! I need two hundred of them before the final bell today." Holding up his pen, his eyes glimmered with desperation.

"Oh, what a splendid design." Kyoya rubbed his chin with a crooked grin. "If you draw them all yourself, I bet it will attract more attention."

Hearing Kyoya's suggestion, Tamaki turned around, running a hand through his hair. "Of course, leave it to me." He flashed a smile. "Be it a hundred or two; I can handle everything."

Seeing her brother walk off to his desk and begin getting flooded with people offering to help with the flyer. Miki turned to Kyoya was a dumbfounded expression. "Can't he just use the photocopier?" She asked, head tilting.

"It's more interesting this way." Kyoya glanced down, eyes skimming across the pages of the book. "Besides, isn't that bear your duty to find? Detective Miki?" He teased, emphasizing the last part.

Lips forming a small pout, Miki rested her elbows on the table, then placed her chin on her palms. "I'm working on it." She grumbled, causing Kyoya's smirk to deepen.

On the final day of Haruhi's study session, Tamaki stayed hidden behind one of the couches, peeking over at the Ayame and Haruhi.

"What are you doing milord? Are you bored?" The twins questioned in unison.

"He says if he upsets Aya-chan, he'll disrupt Haru-chan's studying," Honey told them.

"Why don't you go home then?"

"He says he's got to watch."

"I really like Ayame-san though," Miki commented, watching thoughtfully.

"Huh? Why?" The twins each rose an eyebrow.

Miki beamed her signature beam. "Because she's a nice person." She replied airily.

"You think everyone is nice," Kyoya commented, not lifting his eyes from his book only hearing giggling as a response.

"Hikaru! Kaoru!" Holding a tea tray in his hands, he passed it over to the twins. "Take this tea to the ladies over there! And check out how Haruhi is doing casually!"

"Wouldn't it be easier to get Miki-senpai to do it?" Hikaru pointed out. "And besides..."

"...Why are you acting like the father of a daughter who brought their boyfriend home for the first time?" Kaoru finished.

"Tama-chan, where is your pride as a father?" Honey encouraged.

"Tamaki-kun, I don't think the tea is going to help." Miki's hazel eyes were glued to the two as Tamaki shot her a curious glance.

"Why?"

"Because look." She pointed forth, where Ayame was glaring harshly at them before she pulled out her own bottle of tea and began drinking it in front of them. The host club flinched as they watched her down the scalding drink as if to make a point. Suddenly, the twins froze as they looked directly at Ayame who turned to speak to Haruhi. Miki turned to look at them. She was about to ask them what was the matter when they approached her. Cocking her head to the side, she found herself following them. She watched as they reached forward, taking a strand of hair in their palms. Her eyes widened, realizing what had caught their attention.

The pristine, perfectly proper student's famously straight hair, was curling from the moisture of the air.

"Natural curls discovered!" They exclaimed in unison.

Freezing up, Ayame whipped her head around. Her mouth opened but nothing came out.

"Princess Ayame, I bet your hair is super curly. Has your hair been straightened?" Hikaru asked, twisting her dark lock between his fingers. "It curls back easily doesn't it?"

Nodding in agreement, Kaoru continued. "If it's too much trouble to keep it straight, you should try a wavy hairstyle that works better wi-"

"Stop." Gritting her teeth, Ayame interrupted them before they could say anything else. "Leave me alone! That's why I'm telling you I hate the rain!" She snapped, jumping out of the seat and stepping back defensively. "So what if my hair isn't straight? You're the one who took it for granted." Her eyes immediately darted over to Tamaki who looked a little dumbfounded. "Thanks to you, I feel uncomfortable while you aren't even breaking a sweat in second place. I've had enough!" Tears were brimming her eyes, she yelled. "Stop twisting my feelings around!" And with that, she dashed out of Music Room #3.

"Ayame!" Haruhi cried out.

"Ayame-san!" Miki ran after her, bolting out the room to follow her.

After a little chasing, she finally found the girl on the ground surrounded by the darkness of the unlit girl's locker room. She was hunched over; arms wrapped protectively around something. Stepping in a little and using the light that beamed in from behind her, Miki noticed she recognized the object.

Tamaki's Kuma-chan.

Blinking, Miki cocked her head to the side. Why would Ayame have Kuma-chan? And why was she holding onto him like that? She opened her mouth, about to ask, when what Kyoya said echoed through her mind.

 _Perhaps it is because they harbour romantic feelings for the owner of the object, and want an item of theirs as a keepsake._

She flinched. Her eyes began sweeping across the ground of the locker room as she noticed Tamaki's mechanical pencil.

Stepping forth, Miki crouched down next to Ayame.

"Do you have romantic feelings for Tamaki-kun, Ayame-san?" She observed as Ayame snapped around, a prominent blush covering her cheeks. "You can tell me." Tilting her head to the side, Miki reassured.

Hearing her say this, tears began to course down Ayame's pale cheeks. Slowly, she began to nod. "I... I do..." She cried. "He called my hair straight and lovely... but I guess he just says that to all the girls..." Her grip on Kuma-chan tightened as she buried her face into the bear. "He doesn't even remember..."

"I doubt that." Miki denied her assumption bluntly.

"Huh?"

Looking up, Miki stayed in her crouching position with her knees tucked to her chest. "Tamaki-kun is a really caring person. So I doubt he would ever forget he said something like-"

"You have such straight and lovely hair." As if on cue, Tamaki appeared at the doorway, reciting those very first words he said to her with a tender smile. Exchanging a knowing glance, Miki got up and moved out of the way as Tamaki knelt and took a few strands of Ayame's slightly curled hair to his lips. "I bet your heart is just as lovely and true as your hair. I'm sorry, but I really thought so." Ayame's eyes widened and the blush on her cheeks deepened into a beet red.

"T-Too bad I couldn't meet your expectations!" Ayame stammered. "Both my hair and heart are twisted, so excuse me!"

"Well, didn't you know?" Cupping her cheeks, Tamaki spoke with honeyed words. "The rain is a necessary prelude to beautiful weather. So even if your heart is in a downpour right now, it only means that it will become exceptionally beautiful in time."

Ayame fell silent as she stared up, completely lovestruck with Tamaki.

"Everyone, come here!" With a swift snap, Tamaki beckoned, and the rest of the hosts bolted into the room. Hikaru, Kaoru and Honey held salutes. "The host club entertains customers even when it rains," Tamaki declared before winking at a confused Miki. "I have a theme in mind for a June event."

The doors to the host club opened as guests crowded in, gasping in amazement at the beautiful Irises placed throughout the room. Tamaki had suggested an Iris festival, a flower that only blooms during the rainy season, and that was precisely what Miki delivered. Of course, Ayame too was invited, she was named after the flower after all. She appeared as the guest of honour while the twins helped her restyle her hair back into beautiful ringlet curls.

Miki stood on the side, humming happily. As she watched the guests enjoy the flower viewing.

"Congratulations on solving the mystery, Detective Miki." A familiar voice rang next to her, slightly startling her. But her surprised expression quickly melted into a radiant smile as she greeted the person.

"Thank you, Kyoya-kun." She giggled airily, before clearing her throat. "I mean, all in the day's work, there can only be one truth after all." She corrected herself, imitating the detective of _Crime? Crime Drama_ .

Kyoya chuckled slightly. His eyes wandering over to Ayame, who stood amongst some girls as they complimented her on her new hairstyle. "I'm pleasantly surprised." He commented, pushing up his glasses. "You were able to pick up how she held romantic feelings for Tamaki."

"Ah, that?" Miki beamed proudly. "That was thanks to what you have taught me; it was the only way I would've figured it out." She explained before twirling around to face him curiously. "Say, Kyoya-kun, do you have anyone you hold romantic feelings for?" She asked with an all-too-innocent smile.

Flinching slightly, Kyoya blinked, observing her to tell if she was serious or not. After concluding she was serious, he averted his eyes and thought for a moment. "I wouldn't call it that just yet," He began, "But I do hold an interest in a particular woman."

Eyes sparkling, Miki gasped. "Really?! Who?" She urged. "Tell me! Tell me!"

Kyoya studied her expression and body language; she wasn't lying. Closing his eyes, he let out a slightly irritated sigh. "I won't tell you who it is." He said.

"Eh? Boo~" Pouting like a little kid, Miki whined. "Can you at least tell me what's she like?" She cocked her head to the side.

Averting his eyes, Kyoya hummed. "I supposed I could." He announced, a teasing smirk flashed across his lips. "She is rather gullible and naive, yet open-minded and hardworking."

"Have you confessed to her yet?" Miki's eyes were practically shimmering with enthusiasm.

"I have hinted at some romantic advances, but she's rather dense to notice it. She only seems to see me as a nice person." Kyoya shrugged, crossing his arms. Hints of amusement danced across his brownish-green eyes as he stared down into her hazel ones.

"Hm, she sounds like a pain," Miki commented as she tapped her chin thoughtfully. "Why don't you try and be a bit more proactive?" She suggested. "Like in an episode of _Crime? Crime Drama_ hugs her from behind and tells her he loves her?" She demonstrates as her hands cupped the air before them.

Hearing her proposal, Kyoya's raised an eyebrow. She was the densest numbskull one could find. "If it were you, wouldn't it be bothersome if someone did that?" He asked calmly.

"Well, yeah. It'd be a bit creepy." Miki admitted with a slightly blank face, staring at him.

Kyoya's eye twitched at her statement.

"But, Kyoya-kun, you're a nice person. So I think it'll be fine." Miki pointed out as her lips curled to form an honest beam.

Seeing her expression, Kyoya closed his eyes before looking away. "Forget it." He said with a mildly irritated face.

"Eh? Are you giving up? That's not good!" She furrowed her brows and leaned forward enthusiastically. "Don't give up Kyoya-kun!"

Gently brushing away her strawberry blonde hair that lingered on her forehead, he tapped lightly, right between her furrowed brows. "I'm not giving up." He said with a serious expression, lowering his body so they could now see eye to eye. "I'm going to make her fall in love with me." He declared, a smirk plastering across his face.

Miki's eyes widened as she saw his expression. There was a chilling fire blazing behind his eyes; it flashed with determination. As if saying. If he wanted something, he would get it. She felt her heart skip a beat, before nodding with a bright smile. "Good Luck, Kyoya-kun!" She cheered him on.

"Kyoya!" Tamaki called out to his best friend, waving him over across the room.

With a small smirk, Kyoya paced over to where Tamaki was.

Miki stood there for a moment, gazing as Kyoya's back as he calmly walked further and further away. She thought back to that serious expression he had when he made that declaration previously. Her lips formed a wry smile just thinking about it. She felt a little envious of that girl, knowing that she will have a guy that can make such an expression for her. Inwardly, she wished him good luck once again.

 _Kyoya-kun's such a nice person._

 _If it were me..._

Her hands found their way to her heart as she imagined Kyoya taking her by surprise and wrapping his arms around her from behind, telling her he loved her in a gentle yet firm manner. Her cheeks began to heat up for unexplainable reasons.

 _I don't think I would mind._

A/N: Surprise Update! As I mentioned, I was super excited for this chapter. So when I was debating whether or not to update this now or later, I said 'Meh, why not? Who says I have to update days later?'. So here you go! The newest chapter. Think of it as a thank you gift to all of you who helped me hit over 100 favourites on Quotev! I appreciate it very much!

I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter. Leave your thoughts in the comments, I'll do my best to reply to all of them. Seriously, I squeal a little every time someone leaves a comment. For those of you who don't know, this is based on I believe chapter 17 of the manga. This was my favourite chapter to rewrite by far, I don't know why they didn't include it in the original anime! The song that I chose to go with it fits in so well with that last little segment too, it's actually one of my favourites of the sound track.

I also hope you all liked that little moment between Kyoya and Miki in the end, (I should probably think of a ship name, huh?). If you can't already tell, it's going to be a long and tedious but hilarious process for those two to finally get together. Please look forward to it!

Have a wonderful day!

XOXO,

Astra


	12. 11 Make way for the Refreshing Host C

_-Chapter 11-_

 **Make way for the Refreshing Host Club!**

Summer, a beautiful time of year. It's a beautiful day outside. Birds are singing; flowers are blooming, there is no school, only peace and quiet. Miki laid in her bed, curled up like a baby. Since summer vacation has begun, she has been ever so diligent of drawing new designs, as well as the explorations of more TV dramas. And thanks to that, she has been sleeping much later than usual. Unlike Tamaki, who's policy bedtime was 10 p.m. sharp.

On the morning of the third day into their vacation, the warm sunlight peeking through the window gently poked at her cheek, slowly her bringing out of the Dreamlands. Suddenly, her phone began to ring on her bedside table, causing her eyes to open slightly. She groaned a little, closing her eyes she rolled onto that side of the bed, reaching her hand out, she repeatedly patted the surface, trying to find it. Once she got a hold of the object, she reeled it in. Without even checking who it is, she opened her flip phone and placed it close to her ear.

"Hello? Who is i-"

"MY DAUGHTER! MY DAUGHTER IS GONE! I CAN'T GET THROUGH TO HER! SHE MUST HAVE BEEN KIDNAPPED! CONTACT THE POLICE! WE HAVE TO REQUEST AN EMERGENCY DEPLOYMENT OF THE SDF, JUST IN CASE!" Tamaki's voice belted out of the ear speaker and into Miki's mind, shocking the poor girl awake. She immediately closed her phone, slightly irritated with how she was awoken. And this is coming from the girl who is woken up every day with her doors busting open. Rubbing her eyes and swung her legs over the edge of her king-sized bed. Slipping into her slippers, she sighed as she got up and made her way to Tamaki's room. Who she could clearly hear yelling about how she hung up.

Gently knocking on his door, Miki let herself in, still wearing her navy blue nightgown. Antoinette noticed her and immediately lunged over, giving her licks and barks of good morning.

"Tamaki-kun, you do realize we are in the same house, right?" Miki asked tiredly, her hands routinely running through the retriever's soft fur.

However, her question quickly rolled over his head as the blond continued to panic while yelling at the host's portraits, Miki's now added to the mix beside Mori on the far left. Holding the phone with an impossibly long cord, Tamaki continued to cry comical tears. "I'm sure they were unable to pay their rent and were forced into servitude!" He shouted, grabbing into a half-asleep Miki and shaking her by the shoulders as the dog beneath her got up and ran out the room energetically. "Otherwise, why else would they flee into the night?!"

"Waah! Haru-chan!" Honey cried.

"Sir, you 're too loud," Hikaru complained groggily. "You could just call her cell phone."

Miki blinked her heavy eyelids; she wondered if Haruhi even told her brother she was going to Karuizawa.

"Cell phone?" Tamaki snapped around, glaring at the graffitied portrait of the twins. Flailing his arms in the air, he yelled at them. "You think Haruhi would have something like that?!"

Miki tilted her head, still petting Antoinette's head. Did Tamaki not have her cell phone number? She was about to open her mouth to ask, when Tamaki snapped his fingers, turning around, he pointed at Miki. "I know... There is a society among the commoners, call the fly-by-nighters!"

"Forgive me for interrupting your dramatic delusion," Kyoya's voice poured through the speakers behind the portrait. "But Haruhi is in Karuizawa." He informed.

Tamaki flinched, looking up at Kyoya's portrait dumbfoundedly. "Not only did Haruhi go bankrupt, flee by night, and get kidnapped, but she's in Karuizawa?" He slumped to the side, looking visibly exhausted.

"No, Tamaki-kun." Miki sighed, letting out a small yawn. "Haruhi is working there for a family friend during the summer." She said, stretching her arms up above her head.

"Eh?!" Whipping his head around, Tamaki gawked. "You knew of this?!"

"Of course, she told me," Miki replied, cocking her head to the side.

"Why didn't you tell me sooner?!"

Blinking her hazel eyes, Miki stared blankly. "You never asked, you were just panicking."

Sitting in the Ootori family helicopter, Miki sipped her commoner's iced coffee with a delighted expression. She cupped her cheek, letting out a sigh in satisfaction. Tamaki was leaned against the window of the chopper, eyes sweeping the ground beneath them like a hawk. The rest of the host club also sat in the helicopter each doing their own thing. Hikaru was playing a video game on his system with Honey clutching Usa-chan and glancing over his shoulder. Mori was simply sitting there, Kaoru was looking through a Karuizawa pamphlet while Kyoya was writing in his notebook. Miki found her eyes wandering towards him, she stared for a moment before averting them away.

 _I'm going to get her to fall in love with me._

 _I wonder how he's doing with that?_ She thought, taking another sip of her commoner's coffee.

"There she is! I see her!" With tears in his eyes, Tamaki grabbed the mic on the side of the helicopter and leaned over the edge, causing the vehicle to tip to the side, startling everyone else in it. Thanks to the sudden imbalance, the cup in Miki's hand slipped, and the contents splashed onto her white chiffon dress.

Once the helicopter landed in the large green fields of Karuizawa and Tamaki got his flamboyant monologues out of the way, Haruhi took Miki in to change out of her coffee-stained dress.

"I'm sorry Miki-senpai, this is all we have right now." Haruhi sat on her bed, waiting for Miki to finish changing in the bathroom. "I didn't think you guys would actually have enough free time on your hands to come looking for me..." She muttered, looking slightly dejected that her supposed 'relaxing vacation' went up in smokes.

"Hehe. Of course, we would've. Tamaki-kun thought you went bankrupt and got kidnapped." Miki giggled as she exited the bathroom with a grand gesture. "Ta-da!" She sang. "How does it look?" Stepping out, she wore a simple navy blue t-shirt with white capri pants, but laid over it was an apron mirroring Haruhi's. Only the yellow ruffles were swapped out with lilac ones.

"You look great, Miki-senpai." Standing up with a soft smile, Haruhi complimented. "Misuzu-san made two aprons for me to choose from, so I was worried about what I'd do with the other. I'm glad you get to wear it."

"We're matching now, aren't we?" Like an overly energetic child, Miki jumped forward and enveloped Haruhi into a giant bear hug and nuzzling her cheek. "It's my first time wearing matching clothes with a friend; this is so exciting!"

"Please let go of me, Miki-senpai." Haruhi groaned, trying to escape from her upperclassman's tight grasp with a wry smile. "We should go downstairs, everyone is waiting, aren't they?" She suggested.

"Oh, you're right." Releasing Haruhi, Miki giggled apologetically. Taking the brunette by the hand, she tugged her in the direction of the door. "Let's go!" She beamed as bright as the summer sun.

As the two girls made their way downstairs, they found Misuzu and the remaining hosts talking. If Miki were honest, seeing Misuzu reminded her of that lingering question she had about Haruhi being a tranny. As well as sparkled a ton of others, mostly about his preferred honorific, 'chi.' But she also remembered that if she asked, it would undoubtedly get Kyoya rather upset, so she kept her mouth shut.

The little pension was adorable, with the cottage-like theme and the refreshing view. The set-up was simple and sweet, very darling. A large grand piano was propped up against the open window, letting a soft breeze blow in.

"Oh, Haruhi-chan! Miki-chan!" Swaying back and forth in a feminine manner, Misuzu cooed. Miki couldn't help but keep her gaze stuck to his long and luscious hair. "You both look so cute in those aprons! I made them by hand, do you like them?"

"Yes," Miki's voice grew bubbly. "I love it! Thank you so much for letting me borrow it!" She bowed slightly.

"Miki!" Tamaki was the next to rush up as he threw himself at the strawberry blonde. "I'm so sorry; I didn't mean to ruin your dress!" He cried comically, before looking up at his sister who had a wry smile as she patted his back. "You aren't mad at me, are you?" He asked, giving her puppy dog eyes.

"Of course not," Miki chuckled, giving a few pats to her brother's soft blonde hair, almost like he was Antoinette. "But it's a shame; I liked that dress too. I suppose I could just get a new one when we get home." She shrugged, the sparkling smile still on her face.

 _Couldn't you just wash it...?_ Haruhi thought to herself with a deadpan.

After things began to settle down, the hosts all gathered outside the pension for tea. Miki sat with Kyoya on the table next to Haruhi's, observing her surroundings as Haruhi, the Twins and Tamaki went on to ramble about Haruhi's cell phone contacts and her lack of a passport. She stared up curiously at the angel-shaped object that spun in the wind, blinking as it swayed in the air, it paused before changing directions as the new wind picked up.

"Is something the matter?" Glancing up from his notebook, Kyoya asked.

"Hm?" Darting her eyes back to meet his, Miki blinked. "Oh, I'm just curious about what that spinning thing is." Quickly averting her eyes, Miki pointed up at the gold angel. "What is it called?"

"That's called a weathervane," Kyoya took a deep breath, looking back down in his notebook. "It's used to show the direction of the wind."

"It reminds me a lot of you, Kyoya-kun," Miki commented with an innocent smile, resting her chin on her hands as she looked up at the object.

Hearing that comparison, Kyoya's eye twitched in annoyance. Maybe in those mere three days of being apart, he forgot just how airheaded she was. "Really?" He asked, trying his best not to seem too irritated. "How so?"

Tapping her chin, Miki hummed thought for a moment. "It stands up there, rain or shine, steaming hot or freezing cold so it can fulfill its duty to tell people the direction of the wind." She explained enthusiastically. "Just like how you always stood by me, teaching me more about the world, be it new words, objects or people."

Hearing her comparison, Kyoya let out an irritated sigh. The anger in him dissipated slightly.

Just slightly.

He still didn't appreciate being compared to a weathervane of all things.

Before being able to say anything else, he heard Haruhi say something of interest. "Look, just leave, please, everyone." She sighed in an exaggerated manner. "We'll all see each other come the new term anyhow, whether we want to or not. We're all free to spend our vacations on our own, right?"

Maybe it was out of stress-relief from what Miki said, maybe it was just for fun, he decided to tease Haruhi a little. "School rule number 9: Part-time jobs are prohibited." He recited, sliding out the Ouran Academy handbook.

Haruhi flinched, hearing those rules. "Er... um... is that right?" She stammered.

"Did you hear?" Hikaru whispered a little too loudly to Kaoru. "That girl has a job without the school's permission!"

"My, she has some nerve huh?" Kaoru said back, eyes gleaming with mischief.

"It's nice to come out to Karuizawa once in a while to get out of the heat, huh?" Honey asked, clinging onto Mori's back. The silent giant held the guidebook Kaoru was looking over in the helicopter, nodding in agreement.

"Woah, look! They are going to be holding a festival here soon!" Miki gasped, pointing at an article in the book.

Kyoya stood over her, also looking through the book. "I've gotten tired of going overseas." He agreed, holding up his glasses.

"It is true; you are free to spend your own vacation on your own," Tamaki spoke, a hand on his chin. "In which case, you would have no grounds to stop us. Let's all stay here at this pension in the VIP guest rooms." He turned around a smug grin on his face.

"N-No!" Haruhi let out a dramatic scream, falling to her knees.

At this point, Misuzu came into the garden, holding a new pot of tea and has overheard the conversation. "I'm sorry," He cooed. "I'd like to let all of you stay here, but unfortunately, I only have one guest room available."

"Just one room, you say?" Tamaki repeated thoughtfully. "What else can be done? Very well, I, the president will represent everyone." He declared, pointing at himself with an excited grin.

"Tama-chan, no fair!" Honey whined, clutching Usa-chan.

"Are you just out for yourself?" Hikaru asked, creeping up from behind. "Have you no sense of solidarity?"

"You're the one who was complaining so much about it before," Kaoru added.

Thanks to that, Tamaki began murmuring to himself as the twins exchanged a playful look. They crept up behind him; arms hooked around each other. "Hey, sir, we just came up with a fun game. Want to play with us?" Hikaru began.

"We call it the 'Guestroom refreshing job contest in Karuizawa.' " Kaoru then announced.

"We'll work all day here at this pension, where they say they are shorthanded," Hikaru explained.

"And, whoever leaves the best impression on Misuzu-san, gets to stay as the guest." Kaoru finished.

"Sounds fun!" Placing the cups down, Misuzu exclaimed, eyes gleaming. "All right, all right, I'm in on this plan! Yes, if the one who I choose as most refreshing stays here, then it will undoubtedly lead to increased popularity for my pension!

"Our finest regards to you!" The twins chimed.

"I'm going to work you to the bone!" Misuzu declared, winking at the group. "Until I make my decision, I will not treat you as guests!"

And with that, the games began.

Miki crouched next to Tamaki, watching as he hammered away at the fences. Honey was sitting on a chair, next to them as he munched on a piece of cake, legs swinging happily.

"Are you not going to participate, Miki?" Tamaki asked, giving her a gentle smile. He kept his eyes glued to the fence before him, careful not to hit his hand.

Miki shook her head gently. "I don't really have any reason to stay here, and I'd prefer staying in a spacious mansion than a cramped pension." She spoke. "Speaking of which, since when did you know how to do manual labour?" Tilting her head, she rested the side of her cheek on her knees.

"This is the first time in my life that I'm holding a hammer." He confessed, chuckling a little. Still having trouble to hammer the nail directly.

"How is it?" Miki blinked.

"It's actually kind of fun." Putting down his hammer, Tamaki turned to her with his eyes crinkled. "I'm surprised you actively help out with this type of stuff." He commented.

Her hazel eyes widening, Miki gasped. "Eh? How did you know about it?" She exclaimed.

"Of course, I know." Snickering a little, Tamaki gazed at her with loving eyes. "You are always rushing around, helping with any extra manual labour that needs to be done on our sets." Reaching up, he gently petted Miki's strawberry blonde hair with a proud grin. "You are my precious little sister." He mentioned in a lower tone so that bystanders wouldn't hear. "I'll always make sure to watch out for you."

Miki stared at his tender expression for a few moments before breaking into a smile of her own, because that was the only thing she could offer him when they were out under public eye. As much as she wanted to hug him, thank him, and call him big brother, she knew she couldn't. Instead, she stood up slowly, dusting off her apron. "Good Luck, Tamaki-kun." She encouraged him with a bright beam, holding both hands in fists.

"Yeah!" Tamaki winked, giving her a thumbs up. "Just watch me, I'll win this."

As Miki walked away, Honey let out a chuckle.

"Tama-chan," He said, swallowing a piece of cake. "You really love Miki-chan, huh?"

"It's the least I can offer to her." Tamaki picked the hammer he placed in the soft grass, staring at it as he spoke. "There's no telling what could happen in the future; she may even be sent back to confinement. I want to at least be able to give her some great memories to hold onto for the rest of her life." He then turned to Honey, giving the boy a wry smile. "Though she always feels so close, yet so distant. She won't even call me Big Brother at home."

Honey hummed, keeping the fork in his mouth as he turned to look at Miki's hair reflecting against the summer sun. His lips curled upwards.

"I think Miki-chan loves you very much too."

"You two there!" Out of nowhere Misuzu appeared looking crossed. "No slacking! Minus three points!"

Miki returned to the gardens, where she found Kyoya typing away on his laptop. He peered up to check who it was before darting his eyes back to his work.

"Nice Apron." He commented a smug smirk slapped onto his face.

"Hehe, thanks." Giggling, Miki took a seat in front of him and propped her head up with the base of her palms. "What are you doing, Kyoya-kun?"

"The Book Report." He responded, not lifting his head. "You should begin working on it too."

"Eh? But we have til the school festival to do it." She reasoned, pressing her lips together. "Besides, the symbolism analysis shouldn't take that long to do."

"It depends on what book it is." Kyoya shrugged, his fingers rapidly typing on the keyboard.

Averting her eyes, Miki noticed Mori stepping out of the pension, carrying a table. "Rapunzel is a pretty short book, so it shouldn't take that long." She hummed.

Suddenly, Kyoya's typing stopped. Not moving, his eyes darted up as he raised an eyebrow at her. "Your book of choice was Rapunzel? As in Rapunzel by the Grim Brothers?"

Miki nodded, a little confused regarding why he suddenly stopped typing.

"How are you going to perform a symbolism analysis on that book?" Kyoya sighed, leaning back he picked up the teacup to take a sip. "That book is a child's fairy tale. What kind of symbolism are you going to find?" He pointed out.

Shaking her head, Miki clicked her tongue. "That's not true," She wiggled her finger playfully. "There is lots of symbolism in any book. You just need to look hard enough."

An amused smirk quickly spread across his lips. Placing the cup down, he crossed his legs under the table. "So enlighten me then," He narrowed his eyes at her. "What kind of symbolism have you found?"

"For example," Tapping her cheek with her index finger, Miki thought for a moment. "Near the end of the story, when the prince falls off the tower after his encounter with the sorceress, why were his eyes blinded?"

"That's pretty obvious," Pushing up his glasses, Kyoya looked at her with a smug expression. "He was punished for giving in to the temptation of Rapunzel's beauty."

Miki quickly shook her head, eyes in a downcast staring into the orange tea Kyoya was drinking. "If it were her looks that attracted the prince, then yes, that analysis would be correct. However," Her hazel orbs flickered up to meet his. "What drew the prince to her wasn't her beauty, it was her singing voice." She pointed out. "If anything, wouldn't it make more sense for the prince to be deafened?"

Kyoya fell silent for a moment as he recalled the fairy tale he was read so long ago. She was right; the prince was entranced by Rapunzel's voice.

"There's more," Miki continued. "Why would the prince regained his sight the moment he and Rapunzel reunited?" She asked with a thoughtful expression almost as if she had been pondering these questions all of her life.

Smirk deepening, Kyoya leaned forth with an elbow on the table, closing the distance between them, so close their foreheads could be touching. He watched her as her eyes met his, staring at him blankly. "So what's your take on this then?"

Miki blinked as her eyes averted away, "I don't know." She stated bluntly.

Kyoya's eyes widened, he backed away slightly, gazing at her.

"I don't know," Miki repeated, this time with a little sorrow laced in her voice. "I've read this book more times I can count." She admitted. "But I've never figured out either of those things."

Leaning back, Kyoya changed his focus onto the laptop before him, scanning his book report. "I see." He muttered before noticing Haruhi approach them on the porch.

"Kyoya-senpai, Miki-senpai, neither of you are participating in the game, are you?" She asked, looking a little exhausted.

Miki shook her head. "I would prefer just to observe this time. I don't really have much of a reason to stay in this pension after all" She chuckled.

Letting out a sigh, Kyoya closed the laptop. "Even if I did win, it wouldn't do me any good to stay by myself at this pension. I'll just watch here as much as I like then leave for the cottage."

"Cottage?" Haruhi raised an eyebrow. "You mean your family's?"

"Yes, that's right," Kyoya spoke, taking a sip of his tea.

"All of us have one in the area," Miki added, pointing over the mountains. Haruhi followed her finger, sweatdropping.

"Master Kyoya." A voice suddenly called out as multiple men in dressed in suits and sunglasses appeared, carrying six different travel bags. "We have gathered everyone's luggage." They informed him. "Where shall we take them to?"

"I guess we'll all stay at Honey-senpai's vacation home since it's the closest to here." He turned to Miki. "Is that alright?"

"No objections!" Miki cheered, raising her hand like a child.

Nodding, Kyoya ordered the men. "Take them over there."

"Yes, sir."

And with that, they were off.

"So then," Placing his cup down with a crooked smirk. "About this refreshing contest, who do either of you think will win? Shall we all make a bet?"

"No thanks, I have no idea," Haruhi replied flatly.

"Oh! I'll play!" As usual, jumping onto things without regards to the consequences, Miki volunteered.

Smirk deepening, Kyoya glanced over at the energetic blonde. It was more than obvious this was her first time making a bet. Her eyes sparkled with excitement as her body leaned forward. "Very well, the loser will have to endure a punishment game from the victor. Are you okay with that?"

"You're on!" Miki nodded determinedly, her cheeks gleaming.

 _Miki-senpai, you are definitely going to regret this later._ Haruhi thought to herself with a sweatdrop.

"Well then, let's take a look at our contestants." Huffing out a laugh, Kyoya then turned to the field, hiding the wide grin on his face. "First off, Honey-senpai is visually more "cute" than "refreshing," so he's out, right?"

"Tamaki-kun can be refreshing." Miki pointed out.

"But that is under the pretense that he keeps his mouth shut, and at this point, he is too heated about this competition. Ordinarily, you'd figure it's Hikaru and Kaoru...However," He paused. "We have a dark horse." He spoke, glancing over at the sound of firewood chopping open.

Miki and Haruhi followed his gaze, finding Mori standing in the shining sun, shirtless. Holding an axe in hand and a water bottle in the other, he was drinking it as the guests inside swooned over his good looks.

"So then, it's Mori-senpai?" Haruhi asked.

"Hold on," Miki blinked. "But Kyoya-kun said Honey-senpai is definitely is out..."

"Exactly, if Honey-senpai drops out, then Mori-senpai will back out, too." Kyoya moved forward, resting his chin on his interlaced hands. "He's only in this to tag along with him, to begin with, after all."

"Which means..." Hikaru said, announcing their presence not too far away.

"...that clinches it for us, all right," Kaoru finished.

"Oh yeah, I noticed earlier that the available room is only a single." Haruhi pointed out. "So even if you won, both of you couldn't stay."

"Oh, that's okay. We'll bring a bed over from our cottage." Hikaru shrugged indifferently.

"Even if we don't, we can squeeze ourselves in and sleep together," Kaoru added.

Haruhi tilted her head, her expression finally relaxing a little since the hosts got there. "You two are always together aren't you?"

"I suppose." Kaoru looked into the distance, a nostalgic look on his face.

"We were together when we were born," Hikaru reminded, "And we've never had any other friends."

"Up until a few years ago, we thought the whole world was made up of nothing but idiots," Kaoru spoke in a reminiscent manner.

"So?" Drawing Miki's attention away from the twins and Haruhi, Kyoya raised an eyebrow at her. "Who do you place your bet on?"

"Really? I can place my bet first?" Eyes lighting up, Miki turned to him.

Kyoya shrugged. "I don't see why not." He spoke indifferently but the confidence in his voice never diminished.

"Tamaki-kun, of course." Miki beamed, not wasting even a second to think about her decision.

"Oh?" Raising an eyebrow, Kyoya's grin dropped. "Why is that?"

"Because," Miki looked back on the princely character who was reporting to Misuzu with a very disoriented fence. "I believe in him." She stated bluntly.

Hearing her reasoning, Kyoya felt his eyebrow twitch. Even though he knew her well, there was some part of him that wanted to hear a logical answer.

"However," Miki chuckled, standing up from her seat she kept her eyes glued to Tamaki who was sulking in the corner by his failed fence. "There is something I can do, to try and help."

"Interesting." Kyoya pushed up his glasses, smirking. "Very well," He shrugged, glancing over at the twins. "I place my bet on those two then."

"Good choice, Kyoya-senpai," Hikaru smirked with a taunting tone.

"We don't intend on losing, Miki-senpai." Kaoru followed up.

"Bring it on." Miki winked, her hand forming a false gun and aiming it at the twins, playfully pretending to shoot.

"Tamaki-kun." Miki sang, walking up to her from behind and hopping down to a crouch to match his pill-bug-like position.

"Miki..." Tamaki murmured. "I'm going to lose at this rate..."

"Seems like it." Miki agreed bluntly, glancing over at the twins who were chasing each other around holding a watermelon.

Hearing his own sister agree with his failure, Tamaki grabbed onto her and began to cry comically. "I want to win and deepen my friendship with Haruhi. I have to get into Haruhi's official 'friend' category!" He shouted.

Hearing him say this, Miki averted her eyes. She wanted to tell him that she was in Haruhi's friend category, but Kyoya's stern 'There is a time and place for everything.' caused her to reconsider.

"I have an idea," Miki suggested gently patting her brother's fluffy blonde hair with a tender smile. "There is something that may get you the advantage in this game."

"Go check out the lobby." Lifting a finger, she winked. "Just choose the right song, alright?"

Tamaki's ocean blue eyes widened.

Miki sat at one of the tables near the piano; her eyes remained closed as she tapped a finger against her cheek to the rhythm. She knew Tamaki's piano talents were extraordinary, but every single time he played, she was always caught off guard by just how amazing he was.

She opened a slit in her eyes, noticing how the guests were also mesmerized by the beautiful upbeat tune — the song about to get into its climax when suddenly, the sound of shattered glass echoed through the pension, followed by a call for Kaoru. Tamaki's playing came to an abrupt end, and Miki jolted up from her seat. With a worried glance, Miki wasted no time bolting out to see what happened.

When she arrived, Haruhi was leaned up against the side of the wall on the ground, the basket she was holding dropped beside her. Hikaru and Kaoru were A, resting their foreheads against each other.

Despite this being a wonderful moment shared between the twins, Miki, as usual, had no sense of awareness. "Hikaru! Kaoru! Haruhi!" She shouted as she quickly ran up to them, kneeling down next to the twins, noticing Kaoru had a shallow cut on his cheek. "Are you all alright? What happened-"

"Bravo! Bravo!" However, she couldn't get her whole sentence, Misuzu started crying comical tears and twirling around on the rooftop next to the weathervane. "What fantastic refreshing brotherly love! Misuzu-chi is touched! 100 points perfect score! The winners are the Hitachiin Brothers!"

Miki jolted once she heard the sound of piano keys slam in an off noted tune. No doubt, Tamaki was upset about all this. She laughed uneasily, hearing a broken voice follow, yelling 'No way.'

Standing up along with them, Miki smiled. "Good game, both of you." She complimented.

"Miki-senpai, shouldn't you be more worried?" Haruhi pointed out. "You just lost a bet to Kyoya-senpai."

Blinking a few times, Miki tilted her head. "Why would I be worried?"

Slumping over in defeat about how thick-skulled Miki was, Haruhi sighed before turning to the twins. "Congratulations." Haruhi offered her praises as well with her hands behind her back.

"Don't mention it." They said in unison, wearing an unreadable expression.

"Don't tell me..." Haruhi's eyebrow twitched. "That was... planned?!"

"Well now," The twins said. "Who can say?"

Sitting in the Ootori helicopter, Miki hummed lightly, watching at the sunset outside the window. They were en route flying over to the Haninozuka vacation home. Tamaki was as stiff and pale as a rock from the shock of losing, to the point Mori had to pretty much carry him into the chopper. Nothing or anything can get through to him at this point. He was pretty much going to be out for the rest of the day. Honey was napping, probably exhausted from a long day of travelling and working, he leaned up against Mori who was also staring out the window.

"You lost our bet, Miki," Kyoya stated, looking over his notebook, catching her attention.

"I did, didn't I?" In an all too cheerful way, Miki admitted.

Raising an eyebrow, Kyoya peered up to see her with her usual radiant smile. It was almost comparable to the sunlight shining through the windows and into the aircraft. "You seem awfully optimistic for someone who just lost." He commented.

"Well, Kyoya-kun you are a nice person. So I know you wouldn't make me do anything too outside of my comfort zone." She pointed out, the cheery tone in her voice not fading. "So? What's my punishment game?"

"You are too simple-minded."With a wry sigh, Kyoya looked back to his notebook. "Let me think about it." He replied nonchalantly.


	13. 12 Younger Sibling's Woes!

_-Chapter 12-_

Younger Sibling's Woes! 

The second day in Karuizawa, Miki made sure to sleep early the night before. Because as expected, Tamaki was busted through the off-white doors with a sunken face, filled with worry. By the time he walked in, he had found his sister already braiding her hair at the vanity, dressed in a navy blue chiffon dress. She glanced over at the digital clock next to the bed in her guest room.

6:52 a.m.

She sweatdropped. She was expecting him at 6:55.

"Miki! We need to get going to the pension!" He shouted, holding a rolled up book in his hands. "The twins kept their phone off all night long! Those jerks!" He said, eyes gleaming with anger.

"Alright, I'm almost done." Pulling out a sheer lip balm from her bag, she quickly swiped it on. "Where is everyone else?" She asked, blinking lightly.

"Oh right!" Dragging Miki by the arm the moment she placed the lip balm back into her pouch, Tamaki pulled her out and down the hall towards Kyoya's room. "Let's go wake everyone up!" He yelled flamboyantly. "I already have our entire summer program planned out!"

Humming, Miki turned to look out at the beautiful morning sun. Through the windows, she could see Mori petting Antoinette outside in the gardens. From the looks of it, he just returned from a morning run. Turns out, to calm Tamaki down a little from yesterday's trauma, Kyoya had Antoinette fly in all the way from Tokyo. She beamed, waving at the silent giant, getting a nod of acknowledgement back from him as he wiped away some sweat on his forehead.

Tamaki then crashed into Kyoya's room, finally letting go of Miki's wrist. Miki glanced over Tamaki's shoulder as he stomped towards the bed. He was curled up, faced away from Tamaki, still sleeping. Remembering the conversation they had about sleep way back when she was putting on makeup for him, Miki followed Tamaki. "Tamaki-kun, I think it's better if we just let Kyoya-kun-" Placing a hand on his shoulder to pull him back, she was about to tell the riled up man it may be a better idea to just let him rest. When Tamaki completely ignored her reasons and slammed his hands down on Kyoya's bed.

"Get up, Kyoya!" The blond yelled. "We're going to Misuzu-san's pension! Our daughter is in a pinch! Don't squander your time sleeping! I must liberate Haruhi from those two devils-"

Tamaki suddenly paused mid-sentence and tensed up. Miki was about to ask why when she saw the answer glaring back at her, she, in turn, froze up as well.

With devil like eyes, Kyoya peeked up from his blankets, sending a shiver down Miki's spine. She and Tamaki jumped back out of fear for their own lives, the ladder hiding behind the former.

"If you want to go that badly, go by yourself." He spat at the blond in particular. Before slowly sinking beneath the cover of his blanket, murmuring. "Idiot..."

"H-He's scary..." Tamaki trembled, peering out from behind Miki.

"Y-Yeah..." Miki whimpered, holding her hands to her chest.

When the two finally got to the pension alone, Tamaki was immediately taken in by the different types of food in Karuizawa as he went off with Misuzu to try and learn and understand them better. During this time, Miki sat down at a table propped against the window, finally able to get a good breakfast in. She glanced up, hearing two familiar voices as they made their way down the stairs of the pension.

"I told you, I said I was sorry, didn't I Kaoru?" Hikaru groaned, still sounding a little tired. "I don't remember kicking you out of bed. What am I supposed to do?"

"I slept on the cold floor, and now my back hurts." Kaoru reasoned.

"Hikaru, Kaoru, Good Morning!" Miki waved at them, finally feeling awake after having some commoner's coffee.

Noticing her the twins waved back, making their way over to her table.

"Good Morning, Miki-senpai. You are here awfully early." Hikaru yawned, taking a seat in front of her. Kaoru gave her a warm smile as he sat down between the two.

Miki giggled as she stirred her steaming commoner's coffee in her cup. "Tamaki-kun woke me up early, as usual."

Humming, Hikaru turned around, his eyes lighting up slightly as he spotted Haruhi. "Breakfast, please!" He waved her over. "I'll have toast with Brest butter and garnet seal syrup."

"Also, bacon and eggs, and I'll take some Beasley cereal," Kaoru added. "The kind with the dried fruit in it. After that-"

"Hold on!" Haruhi quickly stopped them. "We don't have that on the menu here." She told them. "

Miki nodded, looking down at the food. "This is what they have," Gesturing the food on her plate, she explained.

"This stuff?" The twins looked down at Miki's half-eaten plate of food. "What is it?" They asked in unison.

"I don't know." Miki shrugged with an indifferent smile, placing another piece of meat into her mouth. Causing the twins to sweatdrop at just how carefree she was, letting out a whine.

Hearing this, Tamaki charged in with gleaming eyes, slapping the rolled up book he had earlier in the morning across the back of their heads. "Don't be so fussy, you fiendish brothers!" He furrowed his brows, lecturing the two. "Do you think you're some sort of affluent aristocracy?!"

"Are we not?" Miki asked bluntly, tilting her head.

"Well, actually we are." Hikaru raised an eyebrow.

"And I might I point out, so are you." Kaoru nodded in agreement.

"'When in Rome, do as the Romans do.' That's my general rule." Tamaki shrugged. "When in Karuizawa, enjoy Karuizawa. That's my ironclad rule." He began pointing at Miki's food, speaking in a proud manner. "Cold pasteurized Jersey steaks, with fresh juice from Shinano, highland vegetables, and the finest smoked salmon cooked slowly over cherrywood chips, which are the pride of the local community. Freshly baked Campagne bread, with homemade jam, so you can taste the natural flavour of the ingredients."

"Woah!" Clapping her hands together, Miki beamed. "Good job, Tamaki-kun. How did you name all that? You're so cool!"

"Since when was he..." Hikaru began.

"...such a huge fan of Nagano?" Kaoru finished.

"He was here so early in the morning, Misuzu-san showed him everything." Haruhi sighed, refilling Miki's coffee in which she received a smile in gratitude.

"While you two were off slumbering away, I even made up a guide for our training camp. Such is the thoughtfulness of your president." He explained, handing out the handwritten, photocopied books to the four at the table.

"What's this?" Hikaru read through the guidebook in annoyance. "It's written here that the rule number 5 is to get up at 6 a.m."

"Are Kyoya-senpai and Honey-senpai observing these?" Kaoru asked.

At this mention, both Tamaki and Miki tensed up as they remember the events of the morning. While Miki only followed Tamaki into Kyoya's room, she was so traumatized by his expression that she refused to even step into Honey's room to try and wake him up, leaving the poor blond to deal with whatever Honey pulled by himself. They both shivered, Miki, slamming her cup down onto the table unconsciously while Tamaki cried out of fear in the corner.

"Oh, sorry, sorry, sir, Miki-senpai." Hikaru tried to ease them.

"We made you remember something terribly scary, huh?" Kaoru added, patting Miki's back.

"Haruhi-chan!" Misuzu's voice echoed across the pension. "Would you put these in the refrigerator for me?"

"Okay." Haruhi stepped away from the group as he approached the delivery boy, when...

"Haruhi?" The boy asked. "Fujioka Haruhi?"

Haruhi's big brown eyes widened as she recognized the boy. "Arai-kun!"

The remaining hosts finally arrived at the pension, gathering at the bar for a mid-morning drink. Haruhi sat at one of the tables nearby, talking to the boy named Arai who was their middle school friend as they reminisced about their past together.

"Miki, is something the matter?" Kyoya asked in a sharp voice, sighing at how the strawberry blonde was staring at him. As much as he would love for her to be staring at him, the way she was, was a little, uncomfortable.

"Kyoya-kun," Miki spoke, her eyes narrowing as he lips formed a pout. "Do you use Black Magic?" She questioned bluntly.

Hearing her question, Kyoya's eye twitched as did his mouth. "I beg your pardon?" He cleared his throat, trying to sound calm.

"Are you secretly a sorcerer?" Peering down at her, Kyoya confirmed that she was serious.

Adjusting his glasses, he grumbled. "As far as I know, I do not practice black magic. Besides I have already explained to you, black magic is simply a work of fiction."

Miki pressed her lips tightened into a thin line as she leaned in closer to him, humming under her breath.

Honey, who has been listening to their conversation tilted his head as he swallowed a piece of cake. "Why do you think Kyo-chan uses black magic, Miki-chan?" He interrupted, scooping up another piece.

"Because," Snapping her head around, Miki held her hands in front of her face. "Today, when Tamaki-kun and I went to go wake him up, Kyoya-kun eyes gleamed like this!" She demonstrated by opening her fists to imitate a shine. "They were like the eyes of a devil!" She explained in an exaggerated manner.

Kyoya averted his eyes, trying to remember those events only to draw a blank. Though knowing himself, it is very likely those events transpired.

Honey's eyes widened. "Kyo-chan is really grouchy when he wakes up." He informed her.

"Don't go casting stones." Mori, who has been silently listening in, commented.

"Huh? What?" The boy lolita blinked, unaware of his own foul behaviour when he is rudely awakening.

Turning back to Kyoya, Miki pouted slightly. "Kyoya-kun, if you are secretly part of the black magic club, pl-" She paused when she felt Kyoya's cold hand tapped her forehead gently with his index and middle finger, brushing past the whisps of her strawberry blonde hair.

He watched in amusement as her hazel eyes widened, the light causing them to shimmer slightly. "Don't jump to conclusions like that," He sighed in frustration. "If you don't want to see that again, just don't wake me up as Tamaki does." He smirked, removing his hand from her forehead.

Miki blinked for a few moments. "So it's not black magic?" She cocked her head to the side in a slight daze, despite how cold his hands were, a slight warmth lingered on her forehead.

"No."

Humming, Miki looked down at her empty cup before breaking into a smile. "Good," She nodded, shoulders finally relaxing.

"Why are you smiling like that?" Giving her a weird look, Kyoya asked.

"Because I'm glad you are still a nice person." She answered, kicking her legs under the table with a bright smile. "I don't know what I would do if you suddenly became a bad person, Kyoya-kun."

"What's with this guy? Is he taking the refreshing innocence line?" Hikaru scoffed, immediately catching everyone's attention. "We ended the refreshment contest last chapter, you know."

"You're being unusually critical, aren't you?" Kyoya raised an eyebrow.

"What's wrong, Hika-chan?" Honey tilted his head.

"I'm just saying," Hikaru sang. "That guy is clearly interested in Haruhi. It's plain as day, and kind of sickening."

"Interested?" Miki muttered to herself. They were already friends, how could he be interested in her?

"Now, Hikaru!" Haruhi stood up, a hint of anger on her face. "You're the one who's been acting unpleasant here!" She retorted.

"No, it's okay. He's right; I did have a thing for you, Fujioka." Arai turned to calm her down. "Then again, I've already been turned down by you." Chuckling, he rubbed the back of his head.

"Eh?" The host club gasped.

"Turned down? As in Haruhi judo threw him?" Miki turned to Kyoya, looking even more confused.

"Meaning his romantic advancements were rejected," Kyoya explained, crossing his arms.

"EH?!" Haruhi and Miki shouted in unison

"Why are you surprised, Haruhi?" Miki asked.

"Well, I mean..."

"Arai-kun, was it? When are we talking about, here?" Tamaki immediately jumped up to ask.

"It was about a year ago, now..." Arai began to explain.

Apparently, when Arai had asked Haruhi to go out with him all that time ago. She took the words, 'go out,' literally.

Finally realizing what Arai had meant a full year later, Haruhi's eyebrow twitched in embarrassment and remorse.

Suddenly, Haruhi was sitting at an interrogation table with a singular light source shining in her face. As Kyoya, Mori, Honey and Miki surrounded her. "Haruhi..." Kyoya spoke sternly as he wrote in his notebook. "You crushed this poor young man's innocence over such a trite, throwaway gag?"

"No, you see, I didn't realize that's what he meant at all..." Haruhi tried to explain herself, a little tense from the sudden change in atmosphere.

"You can't do that to him you know?" Miki, who has recently learnt the alternate meaning of 'going out' from Kyoya after witnessing a girl confess to Mori, she lectured Haruhi. "Be more aware of other's feelings, if you don't like them, reject them properly." She lifted a finger, brows furrowing.

"Don't go casting stones," Mori repeated, this time directing it at Miki.

"Huh?" Turning around to look at him, Miki blinked, unaware of how dense to romance she is herself.

"Eh..." Honey hugged Usa-chan as he sat next to Arai. The hosts were now gathered around the boy at a large table, listening intently as he and Haruhi reminisced about their past. "You went to Kyoto on your middle school trip? It's unusual that it would be in-country, huh?"

"No, that's normal, for commoners," Arai replied modestly. He was already somewhat comfortable with the hosts despite the significant gap in social class differences; they were already chatting as if they were normal friends. Perhaps his easygoing nature was a big part of it.

"Mm-hmm, I like Kyoto, too." Tamaki agreed, his hand under his chin.

"I often had to accompany this guy when he toured the temples," Kyoya commented, pointing at Tamaki.

"Temples, huh?" Miki hummed excitedly. Her arms were propped up on the table as she gazed up dreamily. "I've always wanted to go see one in person; I wonder how are they like?"

"There is one here in Karuizawa." Tamaki winked, raising a finger. "Should we all go?"

Perking up, Miki beamed. "Yes! I would love to!" She giggled.

"Fujioka, remember when we went to the summer festival two years ago?" Arai smiled.

"Wait a second. Hey! Hikaru! Kaoru!" Standing up Tamaki turned to the twins who stuck to each other near the bar, not coming even an inch closer to the table. "You guys come over too! This is a rare chance to hear some episodes from Haruhi's middle school days!" He beckoned them.

"I don't especially want to hear about them." Hikaru jeered. "Or should I say, how stupid are you? I can't understand why you would get so excited over hearing about stories from the past. And doesn't he get that Haruhi doesn't want anything to do with him?" Hearing this, Haruhi stood up firmly from her seat and stocked over towards an unaware Hikaru. Miki noticed how angry her face looked and attempted to stand up to follow her, only to feel a grab from her wrist. She peered down, noticing Kyoya holding firmly onto her wrist, watching the situation with a keen eye.

"Haruhi doesn't have any room for you in her life!" Hikaru continued, only to notice Haruhi's presence behind him. He spun around on his seat.

A crisp slap echoed the air as Haruhi swung her palm down on Hikaru's cheek. Miki closed her eyes in fear as the sound and silence continued to resonate in the room, only to open it cautiously when she heard Haruhi speak.

"That's not something for you to decide, Hikaru!" Haruhi declared. "If you do one rude thing to my friend, you'll have to answer to me!"

"What is this?" Hikaru muttered, his body visibly shaking. Despite being slapped, his cheek showed no redness or swelling. "What do other people matter?" He stood up, speaking a little louder. "We're your friends, aren't we?!" Gritting his teeth, he stared down at Haruhi in a mixture of hurt, anger and sorrow. Then, after quickly averting his eyes, he ran upstairs. Kaoru was chasing behind, calling after him.

Another silence ensued as the figure of both twins disappeared upstairs. Miki felt the grip on her wrist loosen as she slowly brought her hands to her chest.

"Their world is still so small, huh?" Tamaki muttered, ruffling his hair.

After that incident, Arai decided it was time he got back to work. The hosts all stood outside the pension, about to see him off. Arai, in particular, didn't seem to mind the event as much as the hosts did. It was strange to see Hikaru lash out like that, acting so differently than Kaoru.

"Arai-kun, I'm sorry." Haruhi apologized.

"It's okay." He wore a calm smile as he leaned on his bike about to hop on. "I don't know what I did, but it somehow seemed to set him off."

Suddenly, the weloming bell rang, signalling everyone the door had opened.

"Hikaru?" Miki blinked, seeing him step out, a little reclusive.

He paced over, hand behind the back of his neck. After a small moment of silence, he spoke. "I was out of line. Sorry." Upon hearing his softer voice, Miki immediately realized that wasn't Hikaru. She was about to say something, but the better of her judgement told her to keep her mouth shut. Instead, she blinked and cocked her head, receiving a pleading look in return.

"Nah, it's okay." Smiling brightly, Arai waved it off before turning to Haruhi. "Bye now, Fujioka. See you later, everyone." And with that, he hopped onto the bike and rode off.

"Bye-bye!" Honey waved, clutching onto Usa-chan. Miki would've given him a similar farewell, but she was too curious about why Kaoru was pretending to be Hikaru.

"You are Kaoru... right?" Once Arai's figure disappeared down the road, Miki turned to the boy next to her and asked with a blank expression. She noticed him flinch and realized her suspicions were correct. "Why are you pretending to be Hikaru?" Cocking her head to the side, she asked.

"Eh?" The rest of the club turned around.

"Hey, where's the scratch on your cheek?" Haruhi chimed in, reaching forth to pull on his cheek.

"I touched it up with some stick concealer." Kaoru laughed wryly, showing the bottle.

"Hikaru doesn't seem like he'll cheer up anytime soon," Kaoru explained glancing back into the pension. He then turned to Haruhi with a bright grin. "And so, Haruhi, I have a small favour to ask of you."

"Huh?" Haruhi blinked.

"All day tomorrow, would you go out on a date with me?"

"Kaoru... What is this for?" Tamaki muttered, feeling a bit awkward in his disguise.

"We are going to tail them of course, can't you tell?" Hiding out in a cafe, Kaoru responded as he peeked out the window.

The hosts were all wearing unusually well-planned disguises. Tamaki and Mori were dressed as labour workers, Kyoya, Miki and Honey were dressed up as a tourist family while Kaoru himself was dressed up as a local boy.

Eyebrow twitching, Tamaki grabbed onto Kaoru's collar and began shaking him. "Why should I have to let Haruhi and Hikaru go on a date? After yesterday's events, how did it turn out like this?!"

"This could be Haru-chan's first date, huh?" Honey suggested.

"It is, Haruhi told me she's never been on a date before," Miki responded the boy with a smile.

"Ah! I'll get you for this, Hikaru! And what's with that outfit?!" Tamaki shouted, pointing out the window. "She's super cute! Hyper-cute!"

"Oh, that..." Kaoru laughed as he began to explain how the twin maids pretty much dragged Haruhi out of bed to change.

"No fair! No fair! No fair!" Tamaki whined.

"You know, sir." Kaoru began to speak in a very thoughtful manner. "I think it would be very good for Hikaru to have more people who are dear to him."

"What do you mean by that, Kaoru?" Miki tilted her head, readjusting the sun hat on her head.

"For the longest time, the only people who were dear to us were ourselves," Kaoru explained, gazing at the two walked off and onto the streets of Karuizawa. "We felt like it didn't matter what anyone else thought of us, and that's how we got our self-centred disposition."

Tamaki raised an eyebrow, looking a bit incredulous. "You realized that?" He commented.

"Hikaru is especially childish," Kaoru sighed. "He charges into things on just emotion. Still, although Hikaru doesn't seem to be aware of it, he's become quite fond of Haruhi. He just doesn't know how to act, except to force his own feelings onto others, so he becomes monopolizing, like a child." Then, his expression changed into a wry smile. "Even when he wants to be acknowledged by someone, he doesn't know what he should do. If want to have true friends and not just toys, you have to respect the other person, don't you? I think that Hikaru needs to learn exactly how to get along with other people in that way." He said, lifting a finger.

"Kaoru, you're amazing." Tamaki stood up straighter; his eyes widened with just how much he's grown as a person.

"So what you're saying is that this date is a trial, to get Hikaru to foster feelings of consideration for someone else." Kyoya hummed.

"So make sure you don't interfere with them, okay?" Kaoru emphasized.

"Then, we don't need to be tailing them, do we?" Tamaki countered.

"Sure we do," Kaoru responded, moving in closer to them while hiding behind a tree. "There's no reason for us not to watch something this interesting, is there?" He commented.

"I agree!" Miki cheered, fists pumping. "It's kinda like a spy mission straight out of _Crime? Crime Drama_ . It's so exciting! I've always wanted to be a secret agent!"

"Come on! Let's go!" Kaoru pressed on, Miki, Honey and Mori following close behind.

Tamaki, in turn, was drawn up to the sky, staring thoughtfully at it.

"Tamaki? What's wrong?" Kyoya noticed the odd behaviour in his friend and pointed it out.

Taking off his disguise glasses, Tamaki hummed. "I was just hoping the sun would stay with us." He commented absently.

As they continued to tail the two, the host club eventually came to a stop where Hikaru was making very awkward conversation with Haruhi. It was rather strange to see him like that since usually, he was brimming with so much energy in the club.

Leaning over the corner of a wall, Miki muttered with a chuckle. "The subject is awfully tense, is he not?"

Tamaki seemed to have also noticed this, as he was about to burst forth with anger. "Aah! What a tedious date this is!" He shouted in a hush, inching forward as Kaoru struggled to hold him back. "As stiff as you're acting, you call yourself a host club member?! Switch with me, Hikaru! I'll escort Haruhi instead!"

"Then, there wouldn't be any meaning!" Kaoru reminded.

"Fine! Then Kyoya!" Tamaki snapped around. "You go make like a punk and pick a fight with Haruhi! That will let Hikaru rescue her!"

"Wait until you're asleep to dream this stuff up." Kyoya rejected his orders flatly.

At this point, Honey seemed to have switched disguises and was beginning to approach the two with an ice cream cart, a fake mustache and a straw hat.

"Ice cream! Ice Cream! Anyone want ice cream!?" He spoke in a carefree manner.

"Agent Mori-senpai! Agent Honey-senpai is-" Miki hushed, pointing at Honey, noticing that Mori was already gone in a flash as he rushed by to scoop Honey up and behind a corner, trailing dust.

"You are playing too much into this role, Miki-senpai..." Kaoru sweatdropped momentarily letting go of Tamaki.

Turning around, Miki winked playfully. "It's always been a dream of mine, to play a secret agent." She told him before she turned to one of the ice cream parlours. "Ah! Agent Tamaki-kun is..." She pointed out as everyone's eye line quickly darted over.

Tamaki had shoved Hikaru, who was about to take a bite out of Haruhi's ice cream, to the side all the while giving her a new one. The hosts quickly rushed over, hiding underneath the counter as Kaoru took ahold of Tamaki by the collar, shaking him wildly.

"It was finally going well! What are you interfering for?!" He hissed.

"You idiot! You think I'm going to let them couple-eat?!" Tamaki reasoned, crying comically. "No indirect kissing!"

Miki blinked for a moment as she crouched next to Tamaki, thinking about the concept of 'indirect kissing.' She opened her mouth, about to ask Kyoya when she got an immediate response.

"By sharing food or a drink." He responded, taking a cup of tea from the parlour and sipping it calmly. "It's an exchange of saliva."

Letting out a soft 'Oh,' Honey then tapped her on the shoulder.

"Miki-chan, Miki-chan, do you want some ice cream?" He offered, having changed back into his tourist costume.

"Yes, I'd love to." Taking an ice cream in hand, Miki beamed.

"Excuse me... But will you guys leave?" The poor clerk asked with a sweatdrop at the six strangers who barged in on his shop.

After their little ice cream break, the hosts followed the two around for a little while only to call it quits. They seemed to be having a good time, and Tamaki looked like he couldn't take any more of watching. Miki giggled, watching as Tamaki was being dragged off by Mori while Honey led the group. She noticed Kaoru walking next to her, his eyes in a downcast towards the ground, his face thoughtful.

"You and your brother have a wonderful bond, Kaoru." She commented, expression tender as he turned to look at her. "I'm a little jealous."

"Really? I thought you didn't get jealous over these sorts of things." He teased before pausing and letting a small silence ensue between them. "Hey, Miki-senpai?" He called out, eyes glued to Tamaki, who was still crying.

"Yes?" She replied in an airy manner.

"Did our conversation that day, lead to your decision to finally tell milord about yourself?"

Miki's eyes widened for a moment as she thought. Her eyes flickered to the side, seeing Kaoru with his eyes focused straight ahead. She took a deep breath.

"I suppose you could say that," Tilting her head, she kept her hands behind her back as she walked. "I've always wanted to meet him, ever since I was young." She explained in a rather vaguely. "Because of my status as his half-sibling, I was concerned with whether-or-not Tamaki-kun was going to accept me. It made me hesitant to introduce myself formally. However," Her eyes crinkled. "When I saw how close you and your brother truly were, I couldn't help but yearn for the same." With that, she turned to him with a radiant shimmer to her cheeks.

"I see," Kaoru hummed. "How are you finding that?"

Resting her interlaced fingers to her lips, Miki chuckled. "It's... difficult. I want to get closer to him, but I don't really know how to." Her shoulders were shrugging merrily, she giggled. Her voice clear, like a bell. "I worry for him, you know?"

Hearing her say this, Kaoru's lips curled into a nostalgic smile as he shoved his hands into his pockets. "Yeah..." He let out a sigh. "It's our job as a younger sibling to worry after all."

As much as Miki wanted to sit near the window and watch the brilliant lightning strike down fiercely from the sky, she had something else on her mind. Tamaki was pacing back and forth with an unsettled expression while the rest of the host club waited in the rumbling.

"Tamaki-kun, you look tense." She pointed out, tapping him gently on the shoulder. "What happened? If it's Haruhi and Hikaru, you are worried-"

"Everything is alright," Turning around to face his sister, Tamaki's worried face quickly melted into a tender smile. "Why don't you head back to the Haninozuka mansion first?" He reassured her, ruffling her long strawberry blonde hair.

"I want to stay here with you though." Miki reasoned.

That was when the phone rang.

"Yes, Pension Misuzu." Misuzu picked up the phone with a cheerful tone. "Arai-kun, what is it? Eh? Haruhi-chan and Hikaru-kun?" He said, expression turning slightly serious. He began to nod. "Got it. Hikaru-kun should have his cell phone with him, so I'll try calling." Hanging up the phone, he then turned to the hosts who began to gather around Tamaki and Miki. "It sounds like Hikaru-kun left Haruhi-chan in front of Arai-kun's store, and headed back here on his own. He said that Haruhi-chan took off after him, but then this rain started to come down, right? That's when Arai-kun became worried and called over here." Hearing this, Miki noticed Tamaki began to fiddle with his pocket.

"Tamaki-kun...?" She muttered as he pulled out his phone and dialled Hikaru.

It only took two rings before it got through. Hikaru's voice poured through the speaker. It was evident he was still out in the storm considering how muffled his end of the phone was.

"Yeah, sir? Perfect timing. Could you send a car around for me? I couldn't catch a ca-"

Before he could finish, however, Tamaki exploded. "You stupid idiot! You turn around right now and find Haruhi!" In a commanding tone, he ordered while shouting. "What kind of person leaves a girl out in the rain like this by herself. Listen to me, Haruhi is afraid of thunder!" These words caused Miki's eyes to go wide; she felt her heartbeat stop. "When she hears thunder, she's terrified, and can't move! Before you start indulging your overgrown jealousy, think harder about what the other person is going through!" And with that, he slammed the phone shut with anger and sunk down into a chair, burying his face with the back of his hands.

"Haruhi... is afraid of thunder?" Miki murmured under her breath as her feet moved on their own as she bolted straight for the exit of the pension with a stoned face.

"Miki-chan!"

"Miki-senpai!"

Before she could exit the pension, however, she felt a firm pull on her wrist as it pulled her back in. She was spun around by the tug and forced to face Kyoya; the person grabbed her.

"Where do you think you are going?" He warned with a growl.

"Looking for Haruhi, where else?" She replied with a blank face, not understanding why he looked so angry.

"Do you really believe that is a wise choice right now?" He asked in a low voice.

Miki blinked growing thoughtful for a moment. She then looked up to meet his eye. "I'm not afraid of lightning or thunder; I'll be alright." She stated in a flat tone.

"That is not the point." Eyes narrowing at her, Kyoya gritted his teeth at her childlike logic.

"Haruhi and Hikaru are out there." She tried again as her brows knitted together. She couldn't understand why Kyoya was stopping her, the longer they remained here, the later they will find Haruhi and Hikaru.

"We all realize that, but none of us are going out after them. If you go running out now, it's just going to be an even bigger nuisance to us." Clinging onto the last bit of patience he had, Kyoya spoke, his grip on her wrist tightening. It was beginning to hurt.

"But we have to go help them." Miki retaliated.

Hearing her words, Kyoya's grip on her hand loosened. She stepped back away from him, a little confused. "Kyoya-kun?"

"Do what you want." He grumbled, turning on his heel. "But understand that if you head out and get lost in the rain, the responsibility will be on you." He stated merely before walking away to the other side of the room.

To ease the situation, and prevent Miki from running out, Honey cut in.

"We all feel the same, Miki-chan." As the thunder roared on outside, Honey spoke. "We all want to run out right now and look for them. But we need to stay put, so when they come back, they have a safe place to return to, alright?" He tilted his head, a sweet smile shining from his cheeks.

Miki blinked, her brows furrowing as she glanced over at her brother. His body was shaking; he looked like he also wanted to rush out into town to search for Haruhi as well. But instead, he stayed still, mouth pressed against his hands, waiting.

Though still not convinced, Miki's eyes flickered down, taking a few moments of silence to consider the circumstances. Honey was right. "I'm sorry." She muttered with a slight bow before glancing back at Tamaki. "I'll stay." She announced quietly, earning a curt nod of approval from the lolita.

"Good girl." Honey chuckled, patting her head as she bowed once again.

Taking a seat next to Tamaki, Miki studied his tense body language. She lowered her gaze as her eyes grew heavy from the moisture the storm was causing. Folding her arms on the table, she buried her face in her arms. Breathing in deeply, she attempted to tune out the harsh lightning that crashed onto the ground as well as the howling and pattering sound the wind was making.

At that second, she despised lightning.

As the rain finally came to an end, morning broke. Miki woke up groggily with a blanket laid over her shoulders. She blinked as she glanced around. The hosts have all fallen asleep in the dining hall, waiting for Haruhi and Hikaru to return. Honey and Mori slept next to each other on the couch with a blanket each. Kaoru was sleeping not too far away from them, curled up in a blanket. Tamaki was awake. He has since left her table and instead opted to pace around the entrance of the pension, waiting impatiently.

Standing up, she held her covers in her arms, eyes darting. Only to find Kyoya sitting in one of the couches, eyes closed and arms crossed before him with no blanket. She paced over with a neutral expression and lightly spread the thin blanket over his tense looking body, then she made her way over to the door.

"Did you sleep last night, Tamaki-kun?" She tilted her head, mustering a gentle smile.

Noticing Miki was awake, Tamaki turned around. "No," He let out an uneasy chuckle. "Not really."

"It's bad for your body to do that." With her hands behind her back, Miki glanced outside at the clear Karuizawa morning. "Let's go look for them, once everyone else is awake." She offered. "I'm sure we'll find them."

And true to her word, they did.

A/N: Holy crap, everyone! We've reached 5K views on Quotev! I couldn't thank you all enough for these numbers! We should do something to celebrate, shouldn't we? I was thinking maybe a Q&A? If you would like a Q&A, leave your questions in the comments. But hey if you would prefer something else, be sure to tell me. I'm open to all suggestions. :)

That being said, have a wonderful day everyone!

XOXO, Astra


	14. 13 The Host Club's Summer Festival!

_-Chapter 13-_

 **The Host Club's Summer Festival**

Determined to learn more life skills, Miki chose to help out at Misuzu's pension with Haruhi in an effort to try and understand how to perform regular home tasks. Thanks to Haruhi's help and instructions Miki learned how to wash dishes, do laundry and change the bedsheets. Through for safety reasons, Haruhi and Misuzu learned the hard way, not to put Miki in the kitchen.

"Haruhi-chan! Miki-chan!" Misuzu called out to the strawberry blonde. "I could use some help in the kitchen, can you both come here?"

"Yes, of course." With a bright smile, Miki skipped over with Haruhi close behind. She did enjoy working at the pension. It was a brand new experience. She learned how to mop floors, do laundry and change people's bedsheets. Granted Haruhi did have to take the time to teach her and guide her through the steps, but there was always a first time for everything.

Once the two girls were in the kitchen, Misuzu quickly assigned them their jobs. "Haruhi-chan, can you chop up the vegetables? And Miki-chan cut the meat please."

"Understood."

"Okay!" Nodding, Miki hopped over the cutting board while humming, while Haruhi paced over to the vegetables.

"Hm, let's see." Misuzu looked over the orders. "I'll start baking the cookies for tea time- OH MY GOODNESS MIKI-CHAN! WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!" He let out a loud shriek that shook the pension, startling the guests as everyone wondered what could the owner be freaking out about.

Miki turned around and blinked. "You told me to cut the meat right?" She asked bluntly.

"M-Miki-senpai..." Haruhi sweatdropped, a little scared. "Have you ever cooked before?"

"No, this is my first time cooking." She beamed innocently. "We always had chefs after all."

Turns out, Miki was holding the butcher knife high above her head with both hands, about to chop down on the poor piece of frozen meat like it was a piece of firewood.

"I saw Mori-senpai do this with the firewood." She lowered the knife from above her head. "Is this not how you cut meat?" She tilted her head.

There were so many things wrong with how she tried to the point it wasn't even funny.

Haruhi felt her eyebrow twitch. "Misuzu-san, let's not put her on kitchen duties." She suggested.

"Okay..."

 _Damn these rich people..._ Haruhi thought to herself.

For now, she was put on waitress duty. Not that it was terrible. No. She rather fitted for the job with her unwavering smile and optimistic attitude; the customers are pleased with her snappy service and quick responses.

"Miki-chan!" Misuzu called out from over the counter. "Bring these to Table 4, please."

"Yes!" Singing, Miki bolted over to counter as she picked up two plates.

Watching from afar, was the host club as they sat at one of the tables drinking some afternoon tea as well as enjoying some cookies.

"Miki-senpai looks like she fits in well," Hikaru commented, watching as the girl placed the plates down in front of a small group of people with a cheerful smile, quickly absorbed into conversation with them.

"It's probably her simple mindset that lets her pretty much be able to get along with anyone." Kaoru hummed, sipping on his drink. "But moreover..." He chuckled uneasily, glancing behind him. Feeling a grimace aura spreading, counteracting the sunshine that emitted from Miki.

Honey, who was sitting at a table with Mori, Tamaki and Kyoya took a bite of his cake. He blinked, watching Kyoya behind him jot in his notebook with a scowl on his face. Not that it wasn't normal he was often known to make that face when he was in a rather foul mood.

But, it seems like whenever Kyoya was in a bad mood lately, it would always somehow be connected to Miki.

"Kyo-chan, is something wrong?" The boy lolita tilted his head.

"I don't know what you are talking about, Honey-senpai." Pen moving, Kyoya lifted his face to smile at him darkly. Immediately, the host club froze up at that expression. "As you can see, I am perfectly fine." He added.

Haruhi sweatdropped from afar, watching as they shivered under his malicious aura. She turned to look at Miki who seemed quite relaxed, despite the chilling cold coming off of the shadow king tables over.

"Miki-senpai..." When she returned to the table to deliver an order, Haruhi wasn't sure if she should ask. She hesitated, watching said woman glance over the counter with a questioning gaze. Lowering her body, she whispered across the bar. "Did something happen between you and Kyoya-senpai?" She asked.

Eyes flickering upwards, Miki thought for a moment. After going through the events in her head, she blinked. "Nothing happened." She replied with a head tilt, picking up one of the plates as Misuzu gave her another order.

Watching her run off to a table, Haruhi couldn't help but sigh inwardly. Even if she did pursue the question, she was pretty sure she wouldn't know what she even did wrong.

"Here you go, Cold pasteurized Jersey steaks, with fresh juice." With a beam, Miki placed the plates down onto the table in front of a couple. "Can I get you two anything else?"

"Miki-chan, you sure are working hard." The female of the two complimented, she was a regular.

"Thank you very much; I try my best." Tilting her head, her cheeks brightened.

"Since you are here on vacation, are you going to be visiting the summer festival tomorrow night?" The man asked, taking a whiff of the tea.

Hearing those words, Miki gasped, holding the serving tray to her chest. "Really? It's tomorrow?" Her hazel eyes sparkled as if the lights of the festival were reflected in them.

In the darkness of Karuizawa's night, the temple, in particular, was especially lively. Traditional Japanese music was playing through mini speakers set up. Many people gathered, families, friends and even couples. Some were dressed in yukatas, while others wore simpler clothes. Miki's eyes widened, reflecting the stringed lanterns that were tied up above, illuminating colourful lights through the tinted parchment paper. She was bouncing on her two feet, shifting her weight from the ball of her foot to the heel. She wore a honey-coloured yukata with off-white lilies and the occasional soft pink leaves as patterns. Her hair was braided into a small crown as usual and even tied together with a lily that matched the design on her yukata.

Haruhi turned around, trying to observe the yukata Misuzu picked out for her. It was an offwhite with soft pink cherry blossom designs scattered about. He even insisted on clipping a cherry blossom pin into her hair, as well as sneak a little makeup onto both girls.

"I can't believe you guys actually dragged me here too..." Haruhi mumbled through the slight flush on her face indicated she was rather giddy about attending the summer festival.

Chuckling, Miki held her bag with both arms over her mouth. "Awe, don't be like that Haruhi. We are at a festival, be a little more excited! If you frown like that, the yukata will overshadow you."

"You may be a little too excited." Haruhi sighed wryly.

"Ah! Haru-chan! Miki-chan!" A familiar voice caught both girl's attention as they turned to find the hosts, also dress in their yukatas. Honey was the one who called out to the two. "I found you!" He giggled, waving his arm in the air while holding Usa-chan in the other. Mori stood behind him, fanning himself with a fan emotionlessly.

"Wow, this place is booming," Hikaru commented, glancing around the area.

"Oh! I smell commoner's food!" Kaoru perked up, grinning with excitement. "I want some greasy yakisoba!"

"Do they have cake here?" Honey asked Kyoya curiously.

"Probably not." He responded with a forced smile.

Tamaki stood wide-eyed as he lunged forth and immediately began doting on the two girls. "You both look so cute!" He cooed.

"Wah! Get off me!" Haruhi pried herself out as Miki laughed. In Tamaki's arms, the strawberry blonde glanced over at Kyoya, noticing that he had averted his eyes. She blinked blankly as the group entered the temple.

Days had gone past, and Miki had noticed something was off between her and Kyoya, she thinks. He was scowling and frowning more whenever she was around and never said a word to her. She remembered the last time they spoke, about Haruhi and the rain. And he looked a little upset since then. Did she do something then that made him upset? If that was the case then, what was it? As far as she was concerned, she had done nothing wrong. She wondered if she was getting what they called, 'the silent treatment.' She couldn't tell if she was.

"Haru-chan!" Honey exclaimed. "Let's get some cotton candy!" He yelled with excitement, tugging Haruhi by the hand, only for the twins to pull her back.

"No, Honey-senpai." They spoke in unison. "Yakisoba first!"

Mori was looking over a pile of baby chick plushies, contemplating on buying one.

Tamaki's eyes sparkled as he found something at one of the vendors. "Look Haruhi!" He cried out, acting like an overgrown puppy. "They have candy apples. I'll buy one for you!"

"Oh, thank you very much..." Haruhi muttered, taking the candy apple.

"Look, there's a shooting game over there!" Tamaki then pointed at one of the mini-game booths. "Should we go try it?"

"Uh, I'll pass." Haruhi glance over at the booth sweatdropping, eyes sweeping over the many plushies. "There aren't any prizes I want."

"Don't say that it'll be a good experience!" Tamaki pushed on.

"No thanks, I'm good." Haruhi averted her eyes, feeling a slight pull on her wrist.

"Haruhi! They're playing Taiko drums over there!" The twins beckoned. "Let's go watch!"

"Ah, okay!" Barely getting this out, Haruhi was dragged off. She tried to turn around and call out to Miki, but she was in too much of her thoughts to notice. By the time she came to, even Tamaki and Kyoya had disappeared by her side; she blinked at the sea of strangers before her.

"Where did everyone go?" Tapping her chin, she wondered out loud.

Figuring she could walk around the festival until she bumped into one of her friends, she shrugged as she began to wander. Goldfish scooping, water balloons, masks, cotton candy, yakisoba, there were so many things to check out. A loud cheer travelled from the sharp-shooting booth, baffling Miki. Curiously she paced over to see what was up, noticing a young man holding a rifle as he shot down toys as if it were second nature to him. tWO OTHERS, presumably his friend was cheering loudly at each one of his victories. As he shot down another stuffed animal, Miki began to clap with awe.

Noticing a stranger clapping, the man turned around with a brow raise. He looked just a little older than her, with stubbled short hair and a slight beard. Both he and his friends were not dressed in yukatas. Instead, they looked somewhat like delinquent's clothing.

"You are very skills, sir." Miki giggled as she continued to clap in encouragement.

"Thank you," The man smiled. "I have a few more bullets left, do you want to try?"

"Eh? Can I?" Eyes sparkling, Miki found herself rising to her toes eagerly.

Offering her the rifle, the man grinned. "Sure, go for it." Shoving the light plastic into her hands, he grabbed her by her shoulders and spun her towards the booth.

Holding the rifle like she's seen the characters of _Crime? Crime Drama_ does. She closed one eye and lined up the scope towards a bear stuffed animal, gently pulling the trigger. The rifle let out a soft snap, startling her as she jumped back in shock.

"Woah!" She gasped, wide-eyed as she lost control of the gun. The bullet hit the cloth of the booth its self, rather than the toys.

"Ah, that's too bad!" His friends cooed.

The man chuckled with a hand on his hip. "Here, let me help you."

Without even waiting for her answer, Miki felt a hand layer over hers, and a face come close. She blinked at how unpleasant this position was. His breath was practically breathing onto her cheek as he spoke. However, he was helping her, so she simply dealt with it. She turned her focus to the toys once again, trying to take her mind off of the man's hands over hers. "Aim, and Shoot!"

To her surprise, the bullet hit the bear stuffed animal straight in the forehead and knocking it over.

"Wow!" Feeling his arm loosen, Miki gasped as her mouth gaped open. "You hit it in one shot! That was amazing!" Spinning around, she twinkled at the man.

"Well, you did most of the work." The man laughed as his friend approached her with the stuffed bear.

"Do you want this stuffed animal?" He offered it to her. "You were aiming for it; you must want it right?"

"Are you sure I can have it?" Fingers interlacing before her, Miki questioned with delighted eyes as the stuffed bear was placed in your arms. "It was your bullet uses."

"Of course," Giving her a thumbs up, the first man nodded. "Could you do us a little favour? We are a little lost." Rubbing the back of his neck, he chuckled uneasily. "My buddies and I are trying to get out of this temple, but we can't seem to find the exit."

Nodding, Miki turned around pointing behind her. "Oh, it's down this way then turn to the left. It's at the end of the street." She instructed with a soft beam.

"Ah..." The man froze, and Miki noticed how the two exchanged a whisper and a chuckle. "Actually, could you take us there? We are kinda bad with directions."

"Sure." With her signature radiating smile, she nodded.

Leading them towards the exit, Miki smiled down at the stuffed bear animal she kept wrapped in one arm. She was thinking of giving it to Tamaki, as a 'thank you' gift for always being so kind to her. She giggled, wondering how he would react when he received it.

"Here, we are." Once they got to the entrance of the shrine, Miki bowed before looping around. "I'll be off then-" She was about to leave when she felt a hand grab onto her free wrist. She was pulled back like a rag doll and spun around.

"What are you doing?" She blinked as warning bells began to sound in her head, she tried to pull back as the man began to drag her down the stair and away from the brightly lit festival. His gentle and helpful expression turned into a chilling smirk. "Please let go of me." She spoke clearly.

"We taught you something, so why don't you offer something in return? We know a nice little place down the street from here, why don't you come and keep us company?" The man's friends looped behind her and grabbed her by the shoulders and began to shove her towards the stairs. "I'm sure you are a very pretty woman, even without that yukata."

Furrowing her brows, Miki bit her bottom lip. "I'm pretty sure this is considered sexual assault." She spoke in a stern voice, her feet firmly planted into the ground as if she were apart of it. She wouldn't budge, she knew leaving with them would result in something bad happening to her.

"Oh, come on, we'll be nice to you." The man behind said in a reassuring tone. "We even gave you that stuffed bear."

"Excuse me, sir." Another calm voice began as Miki felt the hand around her wrist get thrown off and replace by another. Miki glanced up as her eyes widened, to her surprise she found Kyoya standing there with a calm smile. "If a lady declines your offer the first time around, continuously pestering her will not change her decision." Then with a firm yank, he pulled Miki out of their grasps. "Now, shall we go then?" He peered down at her briefly with a charming smile before pulling her away and back into the festival crowd.

Miki blinked as she tried to process what had just happened. As they continued to weave through the crowd, she noticed how they have all began to gather by the hills all looking up at the sky and expecting something. She felt his grip on her tighten as they headed further into the large crowd.

"Kyoya-kun, you are going to leave a bruise if you hold it this tight." She stated as they finally got to a more secluded spot in the festival.

Turning around to face her, Kyoya slowly let go of her wrist. He narrowed his brownish green eyes at her as she tilted her head with questioning eyes. "Didn't I tell you to be more aware of people?" He asked in a soft yet accusing manner.

"He was nice in the beginning."She peered down sheepishly as Kyoya studied her, the frustration still present in his greenish-black eyes. "He taught me how to shoot a rifle and gave me this stuffed bear, but then he tried to take me away from the festival." Her lips formed a little frown. "Kyoya-kun, are you mad at me?" Glancing back up, Miki tried to search his face for clues. She figured she mine as well ask since it's been bugging her for a while.

Letting out a sigh in irritation, Kyoya rubbed the bridge of his nose above his glasses with closed eyes. Mentally, he began to ask himself why was he even attracted to this woman. Opening his eyes to look at him, he could tell she honestly didn't know what she had done wrong.

"Miki," With another sigh in resignation, he knew there was no point in staying mad at someone as clueless as her. It was just a waste of time and energy. "I'm merely frustrated with how simple-minded you are, and you handle certain situations." Noticing how she continued to stare at him in silence, he continued. "I understand you want to help others," He began. "However, you should learn to consider things from a perspective that would benefit yourself more."

Miki cocked her head.

"For example, running outside in the rain to search for Haruhi." He pointed out sternly. "You could have gotten hypothermia if you weren't careful."

"But I didn't." Miki reasoned.

"Because I didn't let you." Kyoya could feel his eye twitch with irritation as he folded his arms. He noticed that she averted her eyes down to her feet. She was thinking. Then, she glanced up and looked him in the eyes.

"Do I benefit you?" She asked bluntly.

Kyoya blinked awkwardly as the tense expression on his face loosened. "Pardon?" He raised an eyebrow.

"Do I benefit you?" She repeated, tilted her head and staring at him with round childlike eyes. The question seemed too twisted to come out of the mouth of someone as innocent and naive like her.

"Yes, you do." He answered simply.

Immediately, her face broke into a bright smile. Usually, people don't like being told that they are a benefit to others. So this act surprised him quite a bit. "That's good." She chirped happily. "You've helped me so much, I'm glad I could be of use to you as well."

Hearing her reason, Kyoya let out a small chuckle before bursting out into a fit of laughter into the night air.

"Kyoya-kun? What's so funny?"

Calming down a little, Kyoya looked down, observing her wide-eyed expression. He breathed in a little before resting a hand on her strawberry blonde hair, ruffling it slightly. "You are a fascinating woman; you know that?"

"You're going to mess up my hair." Miki giggled, her shoulders rising as she felt his hand thread through her long hair. "And I thought you said I was simple-minded."

"You still are," Kyoya smirked, his grip tightening on her head as he was reminded of her 'logic.' "And rather clueless."

Reaching her hand up, she placed a hand over his, bringing it down from her hair as her expression turned to a downcast once again. "You know, Kyoya-kun, that man taught me how to shoot a rifle, but he asked for me to go with him in return for teaching me something." She explained, eyes averting to the side, grip tightening on his hand. "So from now on, if I have a question or I want to learn something, I'll only come to you, is that alright, Kyoya-kun?"

 _Ah, I see._ Observing her vulnerable expression, Kyoya's gaze grew soft. _I thought she was just some overly naive woman with a sheltered view of the world. But deep down, she's still just a girl filled with curiosity and an urge to help others, huh?_ Shaking loose of her grasp, he placed his hand on the back of her head and reeled her in. "Leave it to me," He told her, threading his fingers through her fluffy hair. "It must've been scary."

Peeling away from him, Miki questioned with a head tilt and round eyes. "So you aren't mad at me?"

Sighing, Kyoya retracted his hand, folding it into the sleeve of his yukata. "I'm not mad at you." He sighed in resignation.

Hearing this, Miki's cheeks brightened and shimmered in the sunlight as an ear-deafening sound echoed through the air. Colourful light reflected onto her pale skin as the two quickly turned around to face the night sky spread above them. A beautiful flower of light bloomed in the air, reflecting into Miki's hazel eyes.

"Are those fireworks?!" She gasped, the colourful light shining upon her face.

"Yes, those are fireworks." Kyoya glanced up, standing next to her.

Hands holding her bag near her chest, Miki kept her eyes glued to the extravagant show, her mouth open as she continued to make 'ooh' and 'aah. "They are so pretty!" She exclaimed, clutching the stuffed bear tightly to her chest. "I've only seen them on TV; they look so much prettier in person." She spoke in a slight daze.

Peering down at her, Kyoya hummed. "Speaking of," A crooked smile danced across on his lips. "I still need to decide your punishment for losing that bet, don't I?"

"Punishment? Oh, that's right!" Still looking up at the fireworks, Miki gave a sweet close-eyed smile. "Have you made up your mind yet?"

"I quite have."

Something soft and cool brush against her warm cheek. Her eyes widened as the sensation quickly left. She released a breath she never realized she was holding and turned up to look at Kyoya, who was once again staring at the fireworks. Her thin fingers were subconsciously brushing against her cheek, over the spot where his warmth lingered.

"That will suffice as your punishment." He revealed.

All Miki could do was slowly nod and peer back up at the fireworks with unfocused eyes as she attempted to sort out her thoughts and what she should do with them. Her heart felt like it jolted a little in her chest, she blinked in utter confusion.

"Milord, why did you go and take Kyoya-senpai with you?" The twins shook Tamaki at his collar as Hikaru yelled. "We were trying to get him and Miki-senpai alone!"

"Because," Tamaki cried comical tears, "I wanted to go play at the goldfish scooping booth. Besides, why would I let mommy be alone together with auntie?!" He protested.

"If we didn't force them alone together, they wouldn't make up until who knows when! Do you want to keep dealing with Kyoya-senpai's foul mood?" Kaoru reminded, causing the blond to shiver.

Haruhi sweatdropped as the twins dropped Tamaki and hid behind a bush, stalking the two figures staring at the fireworks with mischievous grins. "You two are enjoying this, aren't you?" She commented.

"Of course." They gave her a thumbs up in unison.

Honey watched with them, clutching onto Usa-chan with a tender smile. "It looks like they made up though," He turned to Mori, tilting his head. "Right?"

Mori nodded with a hum.


	15. 14 Let's go Shopping!

_-Chapter 14-_

 **Let's go Shopping!**

"Wow!" Holding her hands to her chest, Miki's eyes shimmered as she glanced around the large shopping center. So many mass production items all gathered together at a place called the department store. It was an honour for her to be invited by Haruhi to hang out, much less to one of these sacred events known as the 'Hometown Special.'

"Miki-senpai..." Haruhi sweatdropped, watching as she hopped around between vendors and observing the items up close, treating them as if they were treasures in a museum. "You've been saying that for the last hour."

"Sorry, Sorry, Haruhi." Scratching the back of her head, Miki chuckled. "I'm just super extremely excited! It's my first time at a place like this."

Letting out a wry sigh, Haruhi straightened herself. "Well, it's almost lunchtime. Should we start heading upstairs?"

"Eh? What do they have here?" Miki leaned forward, a little too close for Haruhi's liking. "Fancy tuna? French cuisine? What kind of things do commoners eat at places like this?" Looping her arm through Haruhi's, Miki energetically dashed forward, dragging poor Haruhi along. "Whatever it is, let's go!" She cheered.

"Wah! Miki-senpai, please don't pull me like that!" With an endearing expression, Haruhi protested.

As the two girls walked around the corner of the fifth floor with their arms looped, they stopped in their tracks, spotting a familiar figure. Though he did look a lot more rugged and extremely exhausted, it was definitely him, looking more like a lost puppy than the prestigious boy everyone knew him to be.

"Kyoya-kun?" Miki called out, blinking. The first thing she wanted to do was pet down his bed hair that stuck out like a sore thumb, but 'there is a time and place for everything' as Kyoya says. Her mind then wandered to the spot where he placed a chaste kiss on her cheek during the summer festival. She blinked, feeling her heart skip a beat as she swallowed hard to calm it. She didn't know what it meant. And it bothered her.

"It really is him," Haruhi stared at him as well, her words bringing Miki out of her train of thought. "What are you doing here?"

There was a moment of silence as Kyoya stared at the two girls thoughtfully. Resting a hand on his chin, he asked. "How much do you two have on you?"

"Huh?"

As it turned out, Tamaki probably found the flyer Haruhi gave Miki that was sitting on her desk and decided to go on an adventure of his own. Especially after being shot in the heart by Miki saying she had 'plans that day.'

This day.

So poor Kyoya was dragged over to the department store all the way in Izumi, Osaka without his cell phone, any money and on an empty stomach.

"Kyoya-senpai," Haruhi began a little reluctantly as the three stood in line at a fast food shop. "Are you sure you're okay with eating here? There is a restaurant upstairs." She pointed out, eyebrow twitching.

Glancing up at the menu, Kyoya responded indifferently. "You don't have that much on you, so we have little choice. Besides," He looked down at Miki who stood in front of them, rising up and down from the ball of her foot with enthusiasm. "I don't think she would want to go to a restaurant, not after seeing this place." He narrowed his eyes darkly. "Oh, and be sure to get the receipt. I'm gonna make Tamaki pay you back tenfold later."

Haruhi backed away in a slight shriek. "S-Shouldn't you just ask Miki-senpai then? Since they share the same family-" She immediately shut her mouth, noticing Kyoya glanced at her.

Kyoya walked up to the line next to Miki as she rocked back and forth between her feet, sparkling eyes glued to the board above their heads. "Have you decided what you wanted to eat?" He asked.

"Hm? I think I'll let Haruhi decide for me." Beaming brightly, Miki tilted her head.

"Haruhi," Turning around to beckon the girl who was already regretting her decision to come here in the first place, Kyoya called out. "How do you place your order here?"

"Ah, I'll do the ordering, what would you two like?" Haruhi moved forward to ask.

"Anything's fine, just make sure there's lots of it." Kyoya shrugged.

"Eh? Haruhi that's unfair." Miki whined, puffing out her cheek. "I want to try ordering."

Haruhi sighed in defeat. "Alright, then order..." Leaning in she began to whisper into Miki's ear what she had in mind.

Miki nodded her head before clearing her throat. "We would like three lamb-burgers, three goda drinks and two flies please!" She announced loud and clear.

"Huh?" The cashier raised an eyebrow, a little confused by all these strange food the girl listed off. "I'm sorry, but please look at the menu before ordering." She reminded, looking a little annoyed with how Miki came off as a prankster.

Haruhi facepalmed, giving up, she stepped forward. "She means hamburger, soda drinks and fries. Sorry."

"Did I say it wrong?" Tilting her head at Haruhi, Miki looked a little dumbfounded.

However, the moment the cashier saw Kyoya, her face lit up. "Welcome, can I recommend our new dessert, as well?" She asked, directing it at Kyoya.

"Nah, I don't need anything sweet."

"Dessert?" Eyes lighting up, Miki leaned forward. "Wha-"

Completely infatuated with Kyoya, the waitress ignored Miki and pulled out a new poster. "Well then, we also have a new shake here..."

Cutting her off with a harsh glare, Kyoya spoke. "I said I don't need it."

At sight, Haruhi and the cashier let out a small shriek. "Excuse me, can I get a receipt, please?" Haruhi asked stiffly.

"Eh? I kinda wanted that dessert..." Miki pouted, averting her eyes.

After getting their food and sitting down next to Miki, Haruhi sighed. "Kyoya-senpai," She scolded. "You might be in a bad mood, but you could have told her some other way, right? She's only doing her job."

"I agree." Miki nodded as she took the curiously wrapped food known as a hamburger, not a lamb-burger. "She looked terrified."

Shrugging indifferently, Kyoya also took a burger and unwrapped it. "Giving excessive service isn't necessarily the right way to wait on customers." He said, taking a bit out of his burger.

As the two began to eat, Haruhi couldn't help but stare excessively at Kyoya. Then at Miki, who also took a small bite out of her burger before exclaiming while cupping her cheek, "It's so good!"

"What?" Noticing her stare, Kyoya raised an eyebrow.

"Nothing. I was just thinking that you both are eating with unexpected gusto, I pictured you eating in a more refined manner, and I was also thinking that this stuff wouldn't be to either of your likings." Looking down at her burger, she explained.

"This stuff isn't particularly to my liking," Kyoya confessed. "Are you saying I'm so callous of a person as to complain, even when someone else is buying?"

"No..." Haruhi turned away sheepishly.

"The selling point of this stuff is that you eat it with your fingers, and eat it fast, right?" Kyoya inquired, "It's obvious that following that course when eating it will make it taste best. Besides, it doesn't matter whether I eat it in a refined manner or not since there's no need to worry about how anyone will view me here."

"And, there is not really a way to eat this stuff in a refined manner you know." Miki chuckled, taking out a fry. "I've never even tried any of this until today, and it feels rather strange to just, let go of my manners and eat things with my hands."

"Hey," Kyoya said, catching Haruhi's attention again. "For the record, I mean it doesn't gain me anything to act all high-class in a place like this, there's nothing in it for me to observe properties with you, either."

"Oh, you don't say. I suppose not, huh?" Haruhi looked away, visibly insulted.

"Hey look," Next to Miki a group of girls began to whisper. "That boy in the glasses is pretty hot."

"Wow, you're right." The other girls agreed.

Miki turned to look at Kyoya, a little confused. She wondered how they could tell his body temperature just by glancing at him. Was he sweating?

"Excuse me, is this taken?" The first girl asked Kyoya, nudging the chair next to him gently, "And if you're not using this chair, could we borrow it?"

"Go ahead," Kyoya replied, not even giving them a second glance.

"Yay, thank you so much!" For a moment there, Miki thought those girls sounded a lot like the customers of the host club.

"No, not at all."

Waiting for the girls to be out of earshot, Miki stared at Kyoya blinking. As much as she wanted to pet down his bed head, she opted to ask him first. "Kyoya-kun, are you hot?"

Taking a sip from his drink, Kyoya averted his eyes. "If you are talking about those girls, they meant a different kind of 'hot.'"

"A different kind of... hot?" Miki tilted her head, even more puzzled. How many kinds of hot could there be? Scalding hot? Burning Hot? Ice Burn Hot? Mildly Hot?

"It's an adjective to describe someone when you find them very attractive." He explained, cutting off her train of thought.

"But isn't that what the word 'handsome,' is for?" Still confused, Miki questioned.

"It's a modern slang term," He shrugged. "And Haruhi," Kyoya then turned his attention to the first year student. "If you're wondering why Tamaki and I get along so well," He spoke, causing Haruhi to jolt a little. "The answer is simple," He continued, his lips curling into a smirk. "Because it's in my interest. I won't act for any other reason. I'm an egoist, after all."

Miki tilted her head. "Egoist?" She followed up.

"Meaning I feel superior to others physically and intellectually." He explained with a smug look, causing Miki to hum.

"Tamaki-senpai would cry if he heard you say that," Haruhi commented wryly.

"No, he wouldn't," Kyoya readjusted his glasses, "He's known that from the beginning. It's why we teamed up. Hikaru and Kaoru, and even Honey-senpai and Mori-senpai, we all hang together because it's in each other's interests to do so. Our relationship with each other's families, and the situations that each of us are placed in- Well, let's just say that there's still a lot that you don't know. Well, that fool Tamaki sometimes acts when there's nothing in it for him. It is true; there isn't a single millimetre of similarity between Tamaki and myself." He then looked down as a nostalgic yet tender look surfaced in his eyes. In a way, it completely contradicted what he was saying.

Miki blinked awkwardly at his words as she cocked her head to the side.

Weaving through the crowd in the Expo, Haruhi had to make sure Miki's arm was looped around hers as to ensure the curious girl didn't get lost. "Senpai," She stared at Kyoya's back. "I thought you were going to take a taxi home."

Shrugging indifferently, Kyoya glanced around. "I'm already here, so I'm going to look around a little first," Kyoya paused, stopping at a jewelry stand. "Hmm, black pearls from Ishigaki Island, huh? Will there be any buyers in a place like this?"

"These are very high-quality too," Miki commented, crouching down in front of the earrings.

"Wow, that's amazing!" Haruhi gasped at the two who quickly identified the object. "You both can tell?"

"Such is the education I've received," Kyoya replied as Miki smiled a little sorrowfully.

As they continued to walk, Miki kept her gaze stuck to Kyoya's bed hair. Her patience was wearing thin and she really had the urge to reach forth and pet it down, that was when Haruhi started speaking.

"I really don't know anything about your family and such, Kyoya-senpai." She said, eyes stuck to the ground.

"There's nothing especially for you to know about my family," Kyoya spoke in a nonchalant manner.

"Well, that kind of seems unfair, doesn't it?" Haruhi asked.

"Unfair?"

"After all, Kyoya-senpai, when it comes to my family, you've even got a firm grasp on who my dad's friends from work are. It seems kind of unfair." Haruhi reasoned. "You have two older brothers, right?"

"Eh? You do?" Miki's eyes widened. This was the first time she heard about this. "What kind of people are they?"

Kyoya paused for a moment, his eyes looking far off. Then a smirk appeared on his face as he answered. "They are exceptional men," He said, "Enough so that they meet Father's expectations without any trouble. And so, even more, is expected of the third son."

Miki averted her eyes. Things on his side sounded much more different than her relationship with Tamaki.

"So things really are hard for you, huh?" Haruhi commented.

"You think?" Kyoya shrugged and turned around with an amused grin. "I can't think of any game more fun than that."

And with that, Haruhi let out a sigh as Miki chuckled.

"Oh, my, pieces by Komatsu Shoin? Imagine seeing them here." A voice rang nearby causing Miki's head to perk up. She followed the sound of the voice to notice a woman standing with a vendor in front of some traditional Japanese bowls.

"Madam, you have a sharp eye." The vendor grinned.

"Komatsu Shoin?" Miki muttered.

"Do you know who that is? Miki-senpai?"

Nodding, Miki smiled. "I saw his work on the Heian books Kyoya-kun gave me when I designed that theme, and I instantly fell in love with their work." She noted as she began to walk over, inspecting the bowls she never expected to see all her life.

Kyoya narrowed his eyes and turned oddly silent.

"Yes, Komatsu Shoin's pieces have such a nice colour, don't they? To tell you the truth, these are pieces that I'm not supposed to have here. These are valuable items, which were not supposed to have been had outside the Komatsu family for generations." The vendor inconspicuously told the lady.

"Indeed," Walking up from behind, Miki observed the colouring of these bowls. "My, these are gorgeous-huh?" She paused, noticing something off about the bowls. Picking them up gently, she furrowed her brows as her finger began to trace the insides of the smooth hardened clay. "These are fake." She stated bluntly.

"Eh?" The lady glanced up at Miki who continued to move the bowl around in the light as if to try and see the product better.

"What did you say?" The vendor growled. "Stop messing around; you're just a little girl."

Too absorbed in her world to hear him, Miki continued her analysis. "The gradient here on the bottom should be starting with a royal blue and fade out into a sky blue. However, this one is just a few shades off." She pointed out. "It's starting at a Prussian blue an-"

In a desperate attempt to get her to shut up, the vendor cut in. "What do you think you know, little girl?"

"I work with colours all the time; this is no mystery to me." Meeting his eyes, Miki stated factually.

"Keep staying here, and I'll report you!" The vendor began to call out for help when Kyoya stepped it.

"She is correct." He spoke calmly, taking the bowl out of Miki's grasps and glanced down it. "To add on those, this lacquer is too clear." He explained. Miki blinked as she inspected the bowl once again. He was correct.

"I'm going to report you both for obstructing my business!" The vendor gritted his teeth and threatened, causing Miki tense up at his hostility, but she held her ground. "What school do you delinquents go to?"

Kyoya didn't answer. Instead, he turned the bowl on it's back and examined the base of the bowl. "Ah, I knew it," His eyes narrowed. "One of the strokes in this seal on the bottom is off. If this is authentic, there should be a certificate, shall we do a handwriting analysis on it?" He raised an eyebrow, staring at the vendor oddly calmly.

"I-I left it back at my shop today..." He tried to wiggle his way out.

"Ah, in that case, my family has had dealings with the Komatsu family going way back, so I could contact them right now, and have them verify these," Kyoya offered with a smirk. "Would that be all right?"

With that, the man that was selling imitations of Komatsu Shoin's bowls was dragged off by the security guards in a fit of rage. Kyoya was being thanked by the staff of the store, all the while Miki kept uncharacteristically quiet.

"Helping others is something that is beneficial to you after all, isn't it, Kyoya-senpai?" Haruhi hummed.

"Ah, didn't you know? That woman is the wife of the chairman of a major electronics maker." Kyoya informed her. "This is my first time meeting her, but I can tell by looking at the ring on her left hand. It's a company that our family has a lot of dealings with." He said, eyeing the large ruby ring around her finger.

"Imagine, running into one of the Ootori family's boys here." The lady approached the trio, covering her mouth in pleasant surprise. "Are you out incognito, too? The next chance I get I'll be sure to take advantage of your family's resort facilities."

"I'm honoured." Kyoya bowed lightly.

"Speaking of which, where is that girl with you?" The lady began to look around for Miki's strawberry blonde hair. "I must thank her too."

"She's right here." Kyoya sighed, pointing at Miki who stood a little behind him. Using him as a shield of some sorts.

"Oh, there you are." The lady smiled tenderly as she greeted Miki who stepped out behind Kyoya with an unbalanced smile. "What's your name dear? You must let me thank you."

Shaking her head, Miki quickly denied. "No, it's nothing, really. I merely did what anyone else would do as a fellow fan of Komatsu Shoin. Please do not bother yourself with it." With an uneasy laugh, Miki waved it off.

Haruhi raised an eyebrow.

She wasn't acting like her usual self.

"My, such a modest girl." Laughing elegantly into her fingers, the lady gave one last bow. "Well then, enjoy the rest of your day." And with that, she was off.

"Hey, Miki, Haruhi, did you two know about this?" Kyoya called out to the two girls as they walk over.

"Know what?" Haruhi asked.

"Are melons really this popular among candy makers?" He raised an eyebrow, looking over stocks of melon candies.

Miki blinked as she eyed all the different kinds of melon candy. "They certainly look like they are. She muttered, trying to count all the varieties.

"Huh?" Haruhi gaped.

"I don't get this," Kyoya picking up a box, with Miki glancing over his arm. "Intentionally giving a corn snack melon flavouring, even when it's not actually a melon, just seems disconsonant, doesn't it?"

Hearing this, Haruhi stared incredulously at him before breaking into a fit of giggles.

Both Kyoya and Miki turned to look at her in confusion. "Hm?"

"What's wrong Haruhi?"

"That's an intriguing notion, in its own way," Haruhi laughed.

"Did I say something funny?" Kyoya looked rather quizzical.

"No, it's just that earlier, you said something about there not being one millimetre of similarity between you two. Miki-senpai aside, Kyoya-senpai, you said something Tamaki-senpai would say."

"I see. This definitely seems like something that Tamaki or the twins would be thrilled over," Kyoya agreed. "All right, I'll buy them. Haruhi, your wallet." He held his hand out towards Haruhi who sighed and began searching through her purse.

"Hehe, I'll get this one." Miki giggled, swiftly passing her credit card over to the cashier.

"Eh? Is that alright, Miki-senpai?" Haruhi blinked, her hand still in her bag.

Nodding Miki took the bag of melon candies with a smile. "Of course it is." She looked down, counting the boxes with her usual radiant smile back on her cheeks.

Sitting down at a bench after shopping for a little while, Haruhi and Kyoya were deep in conversation, facing front, with Miki sitting in between them.

"Kyoya-senpai," Haruhi began. "I'm sure Tamaki-senpai feels that there's something to be gained by helping others."

"That's probably true, for him, not for me." Kyoya shrugged indifferently.

"Then, what is there for you to gain, Kyoya-senpai?" She asked. "Wealth, or fame? Some sort of actual tangible gain? The way I see it, Tamaki-senpai feels benefited from doing things that I don't see have any point. Kyoya-senpai, I think you're a lot like Tamaki-senpai." She finished, looking up at the ceiling with a thoughtful look.

Kyoya opened his eyes, staring blankly ahead for a moment, lost in thought. "Miki." He finally said, earning a hum from the girl. "Stop doing that." He commanded, eye twitching.

"Eh? But it's fun to play with." Miki pouted.

Haruhi couldn't help but turn and sweatdrop at the sight.

The entire time during their conversation, Miki finally gave in to her urges to smooth down Kyoya's stray bed hair. Only that it was so messy and stubborn, it wouldn't go down no matter how hard Miki tried. So instead, it looked more like she was petting him like a dog rather than helping him fix his hair.

"It's distracting." He grumbled.

Suddenly, the PA began to ring as a woman's voice poured into the mall. "This is an announcement for a little, lost boy; This is an announcement for a little, lost boy. Ootori Kyoya-kun, who is here from Tokyo. Ootori Kyoya-kun is lost. Ootori Kyoya-kun is lost." The woman repeated as if to add salt to the wound, "His guardian, Suoh-sama, is waiting for him at the 2nd floor counter. Kyoya-kun is 180cm in height, and is wearing glasses." Kyoya stood up at an agonizing pace.

Miki covered her mouth in an attempt to stifle her laughter while Haruhi was avoiding the eyes that shot over to Kyoya wondering if he was the 'little, lost boy.'

"I am going to kill that idiot," Kyoya growled, his eyes gleaming with anger.

When Kyoya, Miki and Haruhi got to the information desk, the hosts were already there waiting. Tamaki snapped around, eyes filled with worry.

"Ohh, Kyoya!" He laughed awkwardly. "You're safe! Um, what are Miki and Haruhi doing with you?" He asked, noticing the two beside him. "Ah! Miki!" His eyes widened as he realized something, immediately he rushed up to Miki and began to lecture her with comical tears. "Was this what you meant by you had plans? Did you go out with Haruhi by yourself? Why didn't you tell me?"

As Tamaki continued to harass his poor sister about not tell him about where she was going or who she was going with, Honey and the twins approached Haruhi.

"Haru-chan! Haru-chan! Let's go play together!" Honey hopped up; it seemed like he had a great time.

"Let's play! Let's play!" The twins repeated.

"No, I'm going home," Haruhi rejected them blankly, "For some reason, I'm worn out today."

"I'm sorry, Tamaki-kun." Laughing apologetically, Miki managed to escape his grasps. "I really wanted to go with Haruhi alone today."

"But you could've at least told me..." Tamaki cried. "I was super worried about you!"

"How are I and this idiot alike?" Kyoya commented as he watched Tamaki continue to whine while the twins cut in to tease him about having a 'sister complex,' causing a banter between the three.

Looking up at him, Haruhi began. "Earlier, when you said that you decided to help out that lady because you saw her ring, you were lying, huh?" She said simply. "You couldn't have seen her ring on her finger because of the large flag in the way. You simply helped her out of the kindness in your heart, and because you saw Miki-senpai having trouble against that man. I just don't understand it." Spinning around on her heel, Haruhi sighed. "Senpai, intentionally acting like an egoist, when you're actually not an egoist just seems disconsonant." Repeating his words, Haruhi then walked out of the information room as Kyoya stood there, staring at her back.

"Ah," Letting out a sigh, Miki stood next to Kyoya with a teasing grin. "Your act was completely seen through by Haruhi." She commented.

Kyoya raised an eyebrow at her. "What are you talking about?" He smirked in amusement.

"Of course I knew." Covering the lower half of her mouth, Miki chuckled. "After all, I've told you already Kyoya-kun, you are a nice person at heart." She beamed at him before looking back at Haruhi who started to disappear in the crowd. "Haruhi... Is such an amazing girl, huh?" She muttered.

"What she proposed, it's an interesting notion, that's all." Letting out a breathy laugh, Kyoya admitted as he watched Haruhi's fading figure.

Miki's hazel eyes flickered up to his face, then back to Haruhi.

 _I wouldn't call it that just yet, but I do hold an interest in a particular woman._

Staring in the direction the brunette left, a sudden wretching feeling began to squeeze in her chest, catching her off guard.

A/N: Hey everyone, I hope you enjoyed this recent chapter! I'd like to make a few announcements.

This chapter dabs a little into how Miki feels about her... circumstances. For those of you who enjoy her bubbly nature, so do I. But in the end, Miki is still a girl who's still been through a lot of sorrow and loneliness. Her backstory as far as we know is already pretty dark and upsetting. (I mean, who confines their kid because they are a product of divorce? If you are receiving such treatment, please call the police.)The manga does stray away from its goofiness and taps into some serious moments at times and so will this story. She can't run away from facing what's coming up, so that's just a heads-up for future chapters as there will be some emotional and intense moments coming up. However, the story will always have a lighthearted undertone, don't worry about that!

Onto a more festive note, Christmas time means Christmas Special Chapter! However, as I've mentioned a few chapters back, I want the book to match up with the real timeline, I will be releasing the special edition chapter early. It doesn't have any spoiler references to the previous chapters, but I really wanted to post it during Christmas time to fit in with the holiday spirit, ya know? So when you read the chapters, you might notice that the Christmas chapter will keep being pushed back in order, that's because it's proper place is later on in the series when winter comes. Right now, we are sitting at about late August, early September in the actual story. So please keep that in mind!

Finally, I'm still gathering questions for that Q&A I proposed, so ask away everyone!

With that, have a wonderful day!

XOXO,

Astra

P.S. How does Kyoki sound for a ship name?


	16. 15 Step it up Tamaki, Big Brother to

_-Chapter 15-_

 **Step it up Tamaki, Big Brother to the Rescue!**

"Good Morning Miki!" Throwing open the doors to his sister's room, Tamaki sang in a loud voice only to be met with absolute silence. Usually, she would already be up, braiding her hair at her desk then turn around with a bright smile and a 'Good Morning Tamaki-kun.' He blinked for a minute, glancing around the room only to find the blonde still laying in bed.

With a wry smile and flamboyant attitude, Tamaki waltzed straight up to her."Now, Now, Miki, it isn't good to be sleeping in on the second day of school-" He paused when he noticed something was off about her. Usually, when he caught her sleeping, she always wore a peaceful expression, sometimes even smiling. However, right now, her cheeks were beet red and glistening in a worrisome way. Multiple sweatdrops gathered at her forehead, dripping down her face as she breathed unevenly, almost like it was painful.

"Hey, Miki what's wrong?" He called out to her gently, watching anxiously as her eyes lids opened almost as if they weighed tons.

She sat up and glanced over at him hazily before smiling. "Good Morning... Tamaki-kun." She muttered weakly. "Is it time for school already? Sorry, I'll go get ready-"

"Oh, no you don't." Seeing as she was about to get out of bed, Tamaki quickly pushed her back into the warmth of the covers. He quickly placed his cold hand on her cheeks, then forehead, feeling her skin scalding underneath. "Miki, you are burning up, you should stay at home today." He suggested with furrowed brows.

"Am I...?" Feeling Tamaki pull the cotton blanket over her, Miki felt herself growing drowsy once again. It was as if the warmth of the comforter was luring her back into the dream realm. Her eyelids closed and the last thing she remembered hearing was Tamaki talking to the Shima about calling the doctor.

"Eh? Is Miki-chan sick?" Honey asked as he sat on the couch next to Mori, legs swinging.

The hosts were gathered in Music Room #3, sharing a quick cup of tea as they discussed their plans for the fall term. However, the conversation veered off course when Tamaki brought up the reason for Miki's absence.

"So that's why Tamaki-senpai looks so on edge." Haruhi's eye twitched as she glanced over to Tamaki who was pacing back and forth in front of the window, practically glued to his phone, mumbling incoherently as he fiddled with it.

"Maybe it's all the travelling. We have been running around throughout the whole summer after all." The twins suggested, sharing a quick shrug.

"Gahhh! Why aren't they picking up?!" He yelled with comical tears, fingers twitching as he plugged in the numbers once again. "Hello, Shima?! Can I speak to her? How is she doing?" He shouted out, placing his phone near his ear.

"Senpai, you need to let her rest." Haruhi sweatdropped.

"Mhm, Mhm. High fever?!" Snapping up, Tamaki flinched. "Okay, I'll be home right away!" Quickly hanging up, he turned to host club with his packed school bag already under his arm. "Men, pack up!" He ordered, running a hand through his hair dramatically. "We are going to help nurse Miki back to health!"

"Miss Miki," Shima knocked on the door with maids, chefs and butlers carrying towels, plates of food and cups of water following her in. "Have you taken your medicine yet?" She asked sternly.

Seeing them, Miki curled onto her side and his her face in the bed sheets. "It's bitter; I don't want to take it." She grumbled childishly, snuggling her face into the sleeve of the sweater they insisted on her wearing. The maids, chefs and Shima have been so enthusiastic about taking care of her ever since Tamaki left for school. From what they've told her, Tamaki has never gotten sick in the past two years during his stay here, so when Miki got sick, they became eager to care for her instead.

"Kyaa, Miss Miki, you are so cute." The maids cooed as they rushed up with new towels, dragging her out of the sheets. "Here, let us help you wipe down your sweat."

"N-No it's okay-"

"It's quite warm in here, is it not?" The butler suggested as he enthusiastically threw open the windows, allowing gushes of cold air through. "Let's let some fresh air in." He smiled.

"It's rather cold..." Miki uttered before a strange smell filled her nose. She looked up in horror to see Shima holding a cup of unknown liquid.

With a blank face, she brought the suspicious drink close to Miki. "Since you refuse to take your medicine, might I suggest this cup of Maezono family's secret cure instead?" She asked, placing it firmly into Miki's hands.

"It looks even worse..." Looking down into the brownish purple drink, Miki bit her bottom lips as she shied away from the drink.

"Of course," With her eyes gleaming, Shima remained composed. "The bitter the medicine, the better the effects. Now drink it all down." She ordered, shoving the clay mug closer to the strawberry blonde's face.

Miki stared down at the drink as her nose twitched like a cat's, catching a whiff of the terrible smell. Before she knew it, her vision blurred and tears were streaming down her face.

"Oh no!" Suzuno gasped as she hurriedly reached over to wipe away the tears with a tissue. "Are you alright Miss Miki? Are you feeling worse?"

"Was the food not to your liking?" The chef panicked, looking over the food to ensure they were all made of her favourite ingredients. "Was it too sweet? Too bitter? I could make more if you'd like."

"Are you sweating too much? Should we bring another change of clothes?"

Shaking her head, Miki quickly wiped away the tears with the sleeve of her sweater when she heard footsteps echo down the halls, as well as the sound of her room doors busting open.

"Miki!" She glanced up to see the host club standing at the doorway, Tamaki leading the pack looking like he had just run a marathon. He slammed the double doors open with both hands, wearing a panicked expression as he ran towards her. "You're crying, are you feeling alright? What were the doctor's notes?"

"Tamaki-kun..." In a slight haze, Miki felt the heat from her body steam away as Tamaki grabbed her face and pressed his cold palms against her forehead.

"We came to take care of you Miki-chan!" Honey skipped in, holding Usa-chan in his arms.

"Yo." The twins saluted.

"Everyone..." Miki blinked as she greeted the hosts with a weak nod. "Good afternoon." She beamed faintly.

"Ah, Master Tamaki." Suzuno smiled as she bowed to the host club. "It's great to see you all again." She chirped as the maids and butlers behind them bowed as well.

"It's great to see you all."

"Thank you all, but we will take it from here." Returning their welcome with an unreadable smile, Kyoya said.

"Awe, that's too bad."

As the staff of the mansion began to shuffle out of Miki's bedroom, Haruhi paced over as she placed her book bag down next to the bed. "Miki-senpai, how are you feeling?" She asked, taking a seat on her bed, next to Tamaki as he continued to cup her cheeks worriedly.

"Irm okray." Managing to speak as her brother squeezed her cheeks together in his panic, Miki replied.

"Really?!" Tamaki rushed up next to her, rechecking her temperature. "Are you not feeling tired? Hungry? Thirsty? Anything?" He pressed on, as Miki shook her head.

Haruhi sweatdropped at how overprotective Tamaki was over his sister. "First of all, you need to let her rest, senpai." She scolded, pulling his hands away from her face.

"But Haruhi!" Rushing around, the blond flailed his arms in the air as comical tears streamed down his face. "What do I do? She's going to die! It's a high fever!"

Miki's tired eyes rounded. "I'm going to die?" She repeated

"No, she isn't." Deadpanning, Haruhi watched Tamaki with a sigh. "You're just going to stress her our even more by saying that. You're her brother, right? If you want to help her, you need to change out that towel on her lap."

"The towel?" Pausing in the midst of his panic session and glancing down, Tamaki noticed the folded up towel that had fallen off her head. Enthusiastically, he snatched it up and began to make his way to the bathroom down the hallway. "Alright Miki, Big Brother is on it!" Swiping his hair dramatically, he giddied out the door.

"Remember to use cold water." Haruhi reminded.

"Thank you all for coming." Eyes crinkling weakly, she rasped. "How was school?"

"Oh, it was hilarious!" Hikaru snorted as he and his twin began to wander around the room. "You should've seen milord's face."

"He was all, 'Hurry up! We need to make sure she isn't going to die of a disease!' on our drive here." Kaoru snickered as he imitated Tamaki's distressed expression.

Nodding in agreement, Honey chimed in. "Tama-chan was super worried about you."

"He was?" Miki tilted her head.

"Even during class, he wouldn't settle down." Lifting his glasses, Kyoya affirmed as he narrowed his eyes and his lips curled.

Lips parting Miki's eyes flickered down to her hands as they clenched slightly. _Tamaki-kun was worried about me..._ She felt the corner of her lips tug into a small smile as she thought of that. For some reason, she felt a little glad knowing that her brother cared so much for her.

Seeing her usual joyful demeanour return, Haruhi huffed out a small smile. "Why don't you lay down until senpai gets back?" She suggested. "Staying warm is important when you are sick."

Nodding, Miki slid back into the warmth of her sheets as the rest of the host club began to explore her room to pass the time before Tamaki could get back.

"Wow, you have a huge collection of those DVDs." The twins rubbed their chin as they inspected the large shelf stocked full with _Crime? Crime Drama_ DVDs that pretty much filled the entire right shelf next to the TV.

"All 52 volumes." With a slight sense of pride in her voice, Miki boasted in a hoarse voice.

"You keep them so tidy too, huh?" Honey giggled as he picked out a few, Mori nodding next to him as he looked over her design inspiration board above her desk.

 _Even so... Does one need all 52 volumes of the series?_ Haruhi raised an eyebrow as she took a few out by the spine, reading the title of them carefully. 'The case of the Missing Puppy.' 'The Disappearance of the Cake.' All the titles sounded very wacky and childish. _No wonder Miki-senpai's view on reality is so questionable. These are all slice of life mysteries._ Haruhi sweatdropped before noticing how still Kyoya was staring at the items on the left shelf with a hand to his chin, seemingly contemplative. "What are you looking at Kyoya-senpai?" She paced over, glancing over his shoulder. Haruhi froze at sight. The left shelf was occupied by a few books, though what Kyoya had his eye on was on one of the top shelves.

There were four photo frames, all arranged neatly on the shelf. Each of them had different designs, and judging by their condition, they were well taken care of, even cherished. None of them, except one, had a single photo inserted into them. They all had the generic corkboard backing. The only exception was a picture of Ouran Academy under the blue skies. And a girl, standing with her back towards the camera, her long dark brown hair flowing in the wind behind her.

Haruhi blinked as her brown eyes swept over the photoless frames. It was a little unsettling. "Miki-senpai," She called out gently. "Why do you have so many empty photo frames?"

"Not all of them are empty." Hearing slight rustling, she turned around to see the upperclassman turn to lie on her side. "Arden brought those photo frames for me; I thought they were pretty so I keep them with me for references." She explained through her raspy voice. "Besides," Her hazel eyes dulled slightly as they turned half-lidded. "I never had anyone important enough to put in those photo frames."

Haruhi fell silent as she stared, a loss for words at the out of character pessimism coming from the strawberry blonde. However, before the silence could get awkward, Tamaki returned as he barged through the door, holding a fresh cold towel.

"Miki!" He chimed, placing the piece of cloth gingerly over her forehead. "Here you go."

"Thank you, Tamaki-kun." Laying on her back once again, Miki mumbled.

"Get some rest." Beaming proudly with a hands on his hips, Tamaki patted her head. "Have you taken your medicine yet?"

Hearing his question, the girl's body stiffed up as she pulled the sheets over the bottom half of her face, hiding slightly.

Approaching the two, Kyoya peered down, noticing the uneaten medicine pills on her bedside table. "Miki, why didn't you take your medicine?" He inquired sternly.

"I don't want to, it tastes bad." Miki reasoned, averting her eyes as she peeked out of the blankets.

Feeling his eye twitch at her child-like logic, Kyoya grumbled. With a frustrated sigh, he paced over and picked up the pills, opening them. "It doesn't matter if they are bitter, you need to take it to get better." He then picked up the glass of water that rested next to the pills. "Drink this after, it'll wash away the taste."

Miki pouted, staring up at the pills with puppy dog eyes.

"That's not going to work." Kyoya denied sharply as his brows furrowed. Shoving the pills closer to her, he demanded. "Take it, now."

"Somehow I can see, why Kyoya-senpai is the mommy now..." Hikaru whispered to his twin with a sweatdrop.

"Definitely." Kaoru agreed. "It's like a parent trying to get their child to take their medicine."

Giving into Kyoya's persistence, Miki swallowed her pills with some water before shrinking back into her bed. It didn't take long before the side-effects of the medicine kicked in, and she drifted off into the dream world.

"She doesn't have that many books." Honey commented in a hush as he and the twins scanned over her small collection on the left shelf. Pulling out a few, the three began to flip through them.

"These are all about colour theory and art framing." Hikaru hummed as he skimmed through the pages. "She must study these quite a bit."

"Oh, she does." Leaning back on the chair next to his sister's bed, Tamaki confirmed nonchalantly. "When she isn't sketching new designs, she is usually reading one of those in my room. I tried to study with her and help with our design sketches, but I ended up getting the techniques all wrong." Scratching the back of his head, he chuckled wryly, remembering his many failed attempts to helping her finding good colour contrasts for their production sketches.

Honey chucked endearingly as he held a few other volumes, turning his eyes up, he studied the many references pinned onto the corkboard over her desk. "Miki-chan really does her best for us, huh?" He commented.

"She does." Tamaki beamed.

As the hosts were talking, Kyoya noticed another book that Honey and the twins hadn't pick off of the shelf. It was a thin leather-covered book with golden designs all around the edges. The golden title was chipping off and lost the shimmer it presumably had when it was first bought, no doubt it had dulled over the years. Reaching for his, he raised an eyebrow as he read the title.

 _Rapunzel by Brothers Grimm_

Flipping the book open, Kyoya quickly figured she must've cherished the book. The pages were slightly dirtied and a little loose, yet they were still bounded into the spine. However, it caught him off guard when he saw words scribbled across the title page.

 _To Miki, I love you._

Before he could overthink about the words, however, a small whimper sounded behind him, catching him off guard as the hosts quickly turned around to check on their designer.

"Miki?" Tamaki quickly perked up. He called out gently, leaning forward.

Miki's face contorted with pain for a minute before her eyes flew open in a haze.

"Miki-senpai?" Haruhi rushed over to see what happened, watching as she slowly sat up, letting the cool towel fall onto her lap with a small thump.

Her hazel eyes darted back and forth, sweeping through the room and glancing over everyone.

"Miki-chan? Is something wrong?" Honey titled his head, holding onto Usa-chan in his arms.

"Mother..." She mumbled under her breath, trying to climb out of her bed.

"Miki, you need to rest." Taking the towel, Tamaki tried to push her back down.

Instead of responding, Miki ignoring Tamaki's protests as she continuously tried to get out of her bed. "Mother..." She continued to mutter, her eyes misty. "Where are you? Mother?"

"Miki?" Tamaki furrowed his brows, attempting to figure out what was wrong.

"Mother..." Miki whispered once more as tears coursed down her flushed cheeks and she began to cry. "Mother, where are you?" She sniffled, resisting against Tamaki desperately. Tears burst forth from her eyes like water damn as her cries got louder, stunning everyone in the room. "Where are you? I want to see you." As if she were a child in distress, she continued to call out for her mother as she buried her face in her hands. "Mother..." She cried.

Finally understanding the situation, Tamaki reached forth with a tender smile. "Miki," He gently patted her head as her voice faded, her eyes darted to him and stared blankly. He soothed her with a loving expression. "Get some rest; your mother will be here in no time." Threading a few fingers through her tangled hair, he reassured her.

"Really...?" Seeing as she was not resisting anymore, Tamaki slowly let go of her and guided her body back into the warmth of the comforters. "Are you sure?"

"I'm sure." He nodded, smoothing his hands over her messy bed hair. "So, get some rest, alright?"

"O...kay..." Her eyes slowly fluttering closed as Tamaki's hand eased her.

The room fell silent at her odd behaviour as the stillness of her still breathing filled the room. No one dared to speak until a light knock was caught on the door. Everyone quickly turned around to find Shima standing there with a neutral expression.

"If you please, tea is waiting for you in the salon." She informed. "Please come this way."

"Okay!" Honey's mood instantly changed as he bounced out of the room.

"We should leave too," Kyoya lifted his glasses. "Tamaki?" He turned around, noticing his friend hasn't moved an inch as he sat on the chair, watching over Miki.

"You guys can go, I want to stay here with her for a little longer." He spoke, his expression just as tender as it was when she was in her strange state. He watched over her sleeping face with a wry smile.

Kyoya thought for a moment before a small smirk appeared on his lips. "Understood." He muttered as he walked out of the room.

"Kyoya-senpai," Hikaru called out to him as they began to walk down the long flight of the stairs. "What was that about?" He commented with his arms behind his head.

"I've never seen Miki-senpai act this emotional." Kaoru continued.

"It's probably due to her fever," Kyoya explained with his arms crossed. "It's not uncommon for fevers to cause the patient to act out."

"Still, Miki-chan looked so upset." Honey commented, sitting on Mori's shoulders while they descended the stairs.

Humming, Kyoya rubbed his chin. "From what it seems like, whenever Miki was sick, her mother would soothe her by petting her head." He theorized. "Perhaps being ill like this just triggered that memory and longing for a gentle touch."

Haruhi looked back down the hallway behind her. "Is it possible for Ms. Suoh to come to visit her kids?" She wondered out loud. "Where is she anyway?"

The hosts paused as they turned to look at Haruhi, expressions blank for a moment. She stared back at them, cocking her head at the looks she was receiving.

"Haruhi," Kyoya lifted his glasses as he narrowed his eyes. "Perhaps you haven't learnt of this yet but, Tamaki and Miki are half-siblings." He informed, giving her a weird look.

"Eh?"

"Tama-chan and Miki-chan have different mothers," Honey added on.

"Eh?!"

"And Miki-senpai's mother lives somewhere in Spain."

"They haven't seen each other for about thirteen years." The twins spoke.

"EHH?!" Haruhi yelped.

 _When I still lived in Spain, I faintly remember this once when I had a fever..._

 _A warm hand was petting my head, shielding me from all the evils of the world._

 _And when I'd open my eyes, I'd see a woman staring back at me._

 _I don't remember her face..._

 _But I'm pretty sure, that was..._

 _Mother._

"Mother..." Whimpering again in her sleep, Miki felt tears begin to swirl and gather at the corner of her eyes. She began to move uncomfortably, face contorting in the heat of her body. But suddenly, in the darkness, she felt a gentle hand soothing her. It was warm, comforting and caring. She opened a crack in her eye, in desperation to see who it was.

Instead, a boy with blonde hair and ocean blue eyes were staring back at her with a compassionate beam.

 _That's not mother..._

 _That's..._

Letting her eyes flutter closed, Miki breathed out a sigh of peace.

 _Big Brother..._

A/N: WOULD YOU LOOK AT THAT NEW COVER? I'm not the best artist or editor around. My talents are in writing and it stays there, but I tried my best for this new cover because the old one was always meant to be something of a placeholder as I sort out what I wanted to do with the real cover. I'm sorry if you preferred the old cover, but hey, I might reuse the art in another cover down the future! Tell me how you feel about it in the comments, I'd love to hear about it.

This chapter gave us a hint into Miki's backstory, which is coming up soon in a future chapter as a fully fleshed out flashback. (Something like the episode 'The Door to the Twins opened!' or 'And so Kyoya met him!') I hope you all look forward to that, it was a really fun chapter to write. We finally get introduced to an important figure in Miki's life in that chapter as well, can you guess who? ;)

So anyways, I hope you all enjoyed this chapter and I hope you all have a good day!

XOXO,

Astra


	17. 16 Honey and Chika, Difference in Sib

_-Chapter 16-_

Honey and Chika, Difference in Siblings! 

"Miki-san, please go out with me!" Standing in the open air corridors of Ouran Academy, Miki blinked at the hand extended out to her. The boy's name was Ichimaru Kotaro, a classmate of hers in class 2-A. He had asked her to meet him at this spot before she went off to her host club duties.

"Go out, as in you would like me to date you?" Miki decided to ask, just in case.

"Y-Yes!" Kotaro stood up; his face was unusually red. "I've fallen for you. I love how sweet and optimistic you are, and how focused and determined you can be. I-It would be my honour to date you. I would never make you cry, and make sure to treat you will all the respect you deserve! So please, go out with me!" He bowed his head again.

Immediately, Miki bowed her head. "I'm terribly sorry! I'm flattered you feel that way about me, but I'm afraid I cannot accept your offer." She apologized, her eyes crinkling. She thought of Sora, who through many girl talks has confessed that she had a crush on this very boy.

Kotaro let out a sigh in both relief and defeat as he stood up with an uneasy laugh. " I guess so, huh." He scratched the back of his head. "Do you have someone else in mind? You and Suoh seem pretty close; I supposed your same first name is something you two can find common ground on."

Miki blinked for a few moments, processing what he had said before shaking her head and waving her hands frantically. "No, Tamaki-kun and I are only friends, and it will stay that." Siblings falling in love, she was pretty sure there was a word for that. Casting that aside to ask Kyoya later, she began to explain with a thoughtful yet slightly confused expression face. "It's simply because I don't feel the same about you and..." Her voice trailed off as her expression turned dry. "I don't understand the feeling of love."

"I see..." Shoulders slumping, Kotaro looked a little dejected.

"I'm sorry." Miki bowed once more, her face blank. She never realized rejecting people can feel that bad. "I hope this doesn't ruin our friendship in any way."

"Oh absolutely." Kotaro immediately shook his head. "I understand your decision, and also hope we can stay friends. I hope you will be able to understand what love is one day, it's a wonderful feeling." He laughed. "If you need any help, feel free to come to me. That's what friends are for right?"

"Yes, thank you very much. And I apologize once again; I hope you find another who is meant for you." With a bright smile, Miki bowed once more. "Then, I'll be off."

"Right, you have to go to the host club right?" He waved her off. "Have fun."

Miki waved her hand before absently making her way to the club room; a little lost in thought. Now that she thought about it, Sora and many others have begun going to her for love advice since she managed to figure out Ayame's crush on Tamaki. Apparently, her suggestions were quite effective, though to her they were quite an obvious courses of action like 'then just tell him' or 'just ask him.' They were all basic logic, so she didn't understand why they were so hesitant and needed her to advise them into it. Her opinion has somehow landed her the nickname, 'Aphrodite' among the girls of her class.

"Love, huh..." She muttered with her eyes in a downcast. She wondered what being 'in love' or being 'head-over-heels' felt like. Whenever she thought about it, she couldn't help but feel a little envious of those girls.

 _I'll just ask Kyoya-kun later._ She decided.

Her train of thought was quickly cut off by a loud rumbling and shaking of the ground. The sound of Renge's favourite power motor, followed by her voice. "Woah! Honey-senpai confidently dodges Chika's lead-off attack!"

Down the hallway, Miki quickly made her way to Music Room #3 where Haruhi was standing outside looking a little perplexed. She quickly slipped through the crack of the door, about to ask Haruhi what was up when she noticed Honey and a young boy glaring down each other down.

"Honey-senpai nimble, gracefully flies through the air, like a modern-day Ushiwakamaru!" Renge reported enthusiastically, "Chika attacks again, not even giving him a chance to regain his footing! Honey-senpai dodges him while tripping him up! Neither of them gives an inch, as they both unleash ferocious techniques on each other!"

Miki blinked, watching the two exchange kicks and dodges as they fought their way around the room. The boy who wore glasses, named Chika looking a little worn out while Honey seemed utterly unfazed,

"Hey, why are they fighting-" She was about to intercept the fighting when she felt a hand on her shoulder. Turning around, she saw Mori grabbing onto her watching the battle intently.

"Don't." He simply said.

"Oh, they're at it again!" Tamaki hummed with amusement as he, Kyoya, Hikaru and Kaoru appeared in the room.

"I wish they would have at least chosen a better location," Kyoya commented, his arms crossed.

"How can you be so calm!?" Haruhi yelled.

Suddenly everyone gasped as Chika pulled out an extending stick from behind his back. Miki's eyes widened in surprise and awe, her worry wholly thrown out the window.

"Now, Chika produces a weapon!" Renge shouted, fists clenching.

Raising the staff over his head, Chika swung down at Honey who nimbly dodged out of the way. Quickly following up, Chika thrust his staff continuously in an attempt to hit the lolita.

"H-Hang on, that's against the rules, isn't it?" Haruhi protested, completely over how they just started a fight in the middle of the clubroom.

"Who cares about rules!" Miki exclaimed with her hands to her cheeks, completely forgetting about the fact that there was a weapon-involved fight going on. "That staff is so cool!"

Then, Chika suddenly swung said metal staff sideways, knocking Honey in the side as he flies off.

"Honey-senpai got knocked flying!" Hikaru shouted, joining the play-by-play narration.

"Will this be Chika's first win?!" Kaoru joined in.

Tired from battle, Chika panted. "Gotcha." He breathed.

After a moment, Renge stood up from her spot. "No," She spoke. "This fight goes to Honey-senpai."

"Renge-kun is right." Mori agreed, standing next to the blonde.

Everyone looked down, noticing that Chika's pant legs were firmly pinned to the ground by shurikens.

"Kagenui," Mori told him.

Chika grit his teeth in defeat. "When did you..." He muttered only to look up and see Honey dusting himself off, looking unharmed.

"Honey-senpai deftly handled his shuriken when Chika was not looking!" Renge announced, as the curtains of the room drew closed and a large screen extending down.

A replay in black and white shone on the screen, demonstrating that Honey actually blocked the attack and while he was sent flying, threw out shurikens towards Chika's feet.

"Shuriken?" Haruhi sweatdropped in disbelief, all the while Miki was almost shrieking at the top of her lungs from how awesome the shuriken and staff looked.

"Chika can no longer move an inch! Wow, what a great fight we were just treated to!" Renge swooned as she and her platform descended down.

"Kyaaa!" Miki squealed as she started hopping around Chika's pinned legs observing the shurikens up close. "These are shurikens; they are real right? I've never seen them in person! They look so much smaller than I thought they were!"

"Can you please not do that..." Gritting his teeth, Chika grumbled.

"Uh... I'm not following this at all." Haruhi sighed, watching Chika kneel down in the sunlight dramatically as if he's just lost the duel of his life while Miki hovered over him like he was something precious in an exhibit. "Just who is that?"

"Can't you tell by looking at his face?" Tamaki asked, "He's Honey-senpai's younger brother."

"Eh?" Hearing this, Miki finally turned her attention to Chika's face and noticed the resemblance.

"Oh!" Her and Haruhi exclaimed at the same time when a loud rumble filled the room.

In the distance, another student from the middle school department came bolting over with a horrifying expression on his face. Veins were popping out of his forehead, and he held what seemed like a bamboo sword from the kendo club. "Yasuchika!" He shouted at the top of his lungs. And before anyone could react, he swung the sword sideways, smacking Chika like a homerun ball. "No skipping out on club!" He scolded.

"Satoshi." Mori addressed calmly.

"Taka-kun! How are you doing? Are you coming to Kendo Club today? I'm on my way there." At the sight of the giant, the middle-schooled boy named Satoshi beamed. Instantly he turned into an attentive puppy as Mori ruffled his hair, all the while Honey panicked over his knocked out brother.

"And that is Mori-senpai's brother." Tamaki pointed out the obvious.

"Oh, so he had business with Mitsukuni-kun then? Here I was tearing around, thinking he was skipping club." Scratching the back of his head, Satoshi beamed in a refreshing manner. The complete opposite of both his elder brother and the blond who sat next to him with a distantly disdained expression on his face, as well as a bandage on his cheek and a bag of ice to his head. "Sorry Yasuchika, my mistake." He laughed. "Sorry for such an uproar," He then directed his attention to the hosts who had offered him tea and cake. "These are delicious by the way. Would you like some cake too, Yasuchika?"

"I don't like sweets," Chika scoffed, causing Satoshi's face to turn dark.

Whacking Chika with his kendo sword he pulled out of nowhere again; he stared down his defeated friend. "Don't be rude to our upperclassmen." He grumbled.

"Chika-chan!" Honey shouted in worry.

"Satoshi, it's okay... Go easy on him." Tamaki eased with a sweatdrop.

Sitting down dojo style, Satoshi spoke firmly. "No, we can't afford to spoil him. We Morinozuka have served the Haninozuka for generations! I must be strict on this matter. I cannot allow Yasuchika to grow soft! I'm doing this for his benefit!" He declared earnestly.

Miki tapped her chin slightly as another similarly loyal servant of generations popped into her head. She then tried to imagine Arden treating her as strictly as how Satoshi was to Chika before shuddering and shaking her head furiously.

 _I'd be terrified!_ She jolted, giving Chika her immediate sympathy.

"Excuse me, but what about this big softie over here - the Haninozuka heir apparent?" The twins questioned as they each placed a hand on Honey's head as the lolita giggled.

With a serious eye gleam, Satoshi spoke with a straight face. "I don't worry about Mitsukuni-kun." He stated in a matter-of-fact tone. "I know whatever Taka-kun does for his preparations would be flawless." Striking a definite pose, the boy began to blabber on. "Taka-kun is the pride of the Morinozuka clan. He's stronger and gentler than any soul and yet never boastful. He's utterly selfish and silent!" He exclaimed as a hand found its way to his chin. "I have this notion... Taka-kun might just be the last living Samurai in Japan!"

"Eh?" Completely convinced by his words, Miki turned to Mori with shimmers in her eyes. "Are you Mori-senpai?! You're a samurai? Do you use shurikens too? Can I see it please?!" She pled before the twins dragged her away with deadpanned faces.

"Of course that is not true," Hikaru stated nonchalantly. "We'd better wake junior up a bit." He commented as he picked up the hot sauce and began dumping it into Satoshi's tea.

"Hot sauce? Nice." Kaoru applauded as they waited for Satoshi to drink the now sabotaged drink.

"This tea is fantastic!" Giving a thumbs up, Satoshi gleamed with no issue what-so-ever. "The spiciness really hits the spot!"

Seeing their plan backfire, Hikaru grumbled under his breath. "Either this kid has got no taste buds, or..."

"He's a fool." Kaoru continued.

"Let me just say," Chika grumbled, looking visibly annoyed. "There is no way that I will recognize a halfwit like Mitsukuni as the next head of the family." He shifted his position as he sat up straighter. "The Haninozuka family is a noble one," Sitting on the opposite side of the table than Haruhi, Chika explained. "Which has excelled at martial arts since ancient times, and has created its own original style by incorporating the combat skills from all the others. And so, while the men in the Haninozuka family learn karate and judo outside, at home, we work to master the Haninozuka form, and to keep us from getting careless at any time, we have been taught that whenever members of the family see each other, we are to engage each other." He paused, gritting his teeth. "My brother is indeed strong. However, having failed to govern himself and becoming depraved, he is not fit to call himself a practitioner of the Haninozuka form. Even if he is my older brother, I cannot allow someone who arbitrarily quit the Karate Club a year ago, and became hooked on stuffed animals and cake, to succeed the Haninozuka family." Glaring up to meet Honey's saddened eyes, Chika shouted, before being knocked down by the butt of Satoshi's practice sword again.

"Is that any way to talk to your brother?" Satoshi questioned as he pulled on the glasses boy's cheeks.

"Hey! Cut it out! Stupid Satoshi!" Chika grumbled as he struggled against the iron grasps of the raven-haired boy.

"You're the one in the wrong here." Satoshi retorted.

Escaping his 'torture', Chika cupped his cheeks with tears in his eyes as he sniffled. "Why are you so angry?" He whimpered before noticing the keen and shocked glances by the hosts as he quickly rubbed his eyes. Darting up from his seat he head tot he door, shouting accusingly at Honey. "Anyway, you heard me, Mitsukuni! Stay away from me at school!" He announced before turning and sprinting as Satoshi trailed behind with a look of rage.

"What was that Yasuchika?! You rude grit! Get back here!"

"That's a little harsh..." Miki thought out loud as she stared at the doors that slowly closed form the middle schoolers dashing out. "There really are many different types of siblings, huh?" She muttered, catching Kyoya's attention.

He narrowed his eyes at her for a moment before looking at Honey who pushed away from the table and stood by the window. "Not all family dynamics are like yours." He commented, pushing up his glasses.

Miki looked up to study his face, only to find his eyes obstructed by the glare of his glasses. She hummed, remembering Kyoya also had two brothers of his own. Perhaps he didn't get along with his brothers, she thought. She then turned her gaze to Tamaki, who offered Honey a piece of cake to cheer him up. "I only have this because of Tamaki-kun." Her eyes crinkled as she spoke. "He's always the one leading between the two of us."

Kyoya glanced over at Tamaki, who was smiling proudly as a re-energized Honey. "That's most likely the case," He huffed out a laugh. "Having that idiot as a brother."

His words reminded Miki of the lingering question she had from earlier that day; she immediately turned to Kyoya. "Kyoya-kun, I have a question."

"Hm?"

"There is a word for when siblings fall in love right?" She blinked. "What is it?"

.

.

.

"Why ask?" Kyoya finally said, staring back at her, testing to see which of them will break first, though it was pretty obvious who would.

"It came up in conversation," Miki replied honestly.

Patience already wearing thin, Kyoya narrowed his eyes at her, keeping his eyebrows from twitching. "What kind of conversation were you having for this kind of topic to come?"

"Just a conversation." Laughing uneasily, Miki averted her eyes. For some strange reason, she didn't want Kyoya to know about it.

"If you don't tell me, you are not getting the word either," Kyoya spoke sharply, leaving no room for negotiation.

Letting out a sigh, Miki's face turned blank as she began to explain. "Kotaro-san asked me to go out with him," She paused, noticing Kyoya's eyes widen for a moment before she continued, looking down at her feet. "I turned him down, and he asked if I liked Tamaki-kun."

"I see." Kyoya hummed, placing a hand on his chin. "Ichimaru Kotaro, not bad. His family runs a rather large resort in Hokkaido." He commented. "May I ask why you turned him down?"

Hearing his question, Miki's eyes turned thoughtful. "It wouldn't be fair for me to accept his feelings if I don't reciprocate them, right?" She explained, meeting his brownish green eyes, she tilted her head with a slightly sorrowful smile.

"You rejected him because you don't share feelings for him," Kyoya repeated, a slight amusement danced across his eyes. "You best be prepared, from my investigative report, someone will declare their love to you at least once a month."

Miki's eyes widened. "Really?" She blinked. "Why?"

"Personality, Appearance, there are many reasons." He shrugged. "So, what are you planning to do?"

"Reject all of them." She stated bluntly.

Kyoya's brows knitted together. "Why is that? You surely would favour one of them."

Shaking her head, Miki looked back down at her feet. "I don't understand love." She told him. "I've never experienced it before, so going out with someone like me would only become a burden on them."

Kyoya glanced at her profile. It was true, how could someone who was trapped in a room for 13 years of her life ever experience love? Well, it wasn't like he had any experience on the topic either.

But he at least knew what were certain feelings when he felt them.

"Kyoya-kun," Miki was once again staring at him. "You said you may have feelings for someone, right? How does it feel?" She questioned, blinking slightly

Giving her a weird look, he asked. "Why do you want to know?"

"I want to know how it feels to be in love for real." Tilting her head, her eyes turned hazy as she looked forward in a daze.

"It's different for everyone. Therefore it would do you better to ask Yotsuboshi-san." He said, averting his eyes.

"Okay."

After a while, Kyoya noticed she was staring at him. "Why are you still staring at me?" He raised an eyebrow.

"You still haven't told me what that word is yet." She stated, still persistent on learning that word.

Kyoya's eye twitched, pushing up his glasses, he sighed in resignation. "The word is incest." He spoke in a low tone before shooting her a warning glare. "Don't go around using it."

"Okay!" With a bright smile, Miki nodded when something the twins said caught her attention apparently, Haruhi had upset Tamaki by asking why Honey would join 'something like the host club.'

"In order to find out the answer to your previous question..."

"...we have to go back into the past a little bit," They said, leaning an arm each on Haruhi.

"Back before the Host Club was ever founded."

"Let us tell you the legend of Honey-senpai, crack captain of the Karate Club."

According to them, Honey used to be part of the Karate Club. To pursue 'true strength' and be a 'man,' had to discard his love for both cute things and stuffed animals. Though, thanks to Tamaki's words of wisdom, he challenged his father to the meaning of 'true strength.' In the competition, he not only won but also gain the title of 'Japan's weapon of mass destruction.' After winning, Honey quit the Karate club and moved over to the Host Club.

"Now, maybe Honey-senpai's unconventional size makes it impossible for him to fit in with the Haninozuka form," Kaoru suggested.

"In contrast, his brother, Chika, seems to have been strictly raised according to Haninozuka family custom," Hikaru pointed out.

"But as a result, Chika-chan really doesn't like me," Sitting on Mori's shoulders, Honey looked down sadly.

Miki looked down for a moment as she wondered about the meaning of true strength. For a second there, she attempted to imagine what Honey could look like as the stereotypical 'manly man,' but she could only find herself picturing Honey's face glued onto a bodybuilder.

And that thought alone was horrifying.

Wanting to help, she looked up at Tamaki who was also gazing at her. Together, they shared a determined nod and broad smiles.

"All right, everyone! As of now, we're commencing Operation Haninozuka Brothers Reconciliation!" Tamaki declared, holding a fist.

"Yeah!" The twins and Miki cheered out loud.

And so, the hosts were now pressed up against the window to the Karate club. They watched as Chika, the leader of the club, commanded them with frustration and irritation, like any moment, he was about to explode. He was snappy and was enraged whenever Honey was even indicated.

Until Satoshi rushed in and beat the poor kid up that is...

"This is just a simple inferiority complex, huh?" Hikaru hummed as he peered through the window.

"Infer-what complex?" Miki cocked her head as she looked at Kyoya who stood behind her.

"The feeling of doubt and uncertainty in oneself, feeling that they will never measure up to standards," He replied, pushing up his glasses.

"He's always being compared to his brother, which raises a greater pattern of hatred than there's a call for." Kaoru continued, patting Miki's back as he pointed at Chika who was yelling at one of the poor club members who accidentally mentioned Honey by name, "His cuter, more popular older brother also has a far greater ability than he does, and it has warped his personality."

"It's so commonplace; it's boring." They sang together as they ran off. "Let's go find something else that amuses us."

"Hey, hey, hey, what's with the uncooperative attitude?" Tamaki called out after them.

"Well, we thought that there'd be a more interesting, hidden reason." They responded nonchalantly with a shrug.

"What do you think Honey-senpai and Chika's feelings are?!" Tamaki scolded.

"Yeah, if we don't help them out, how are they going to make up?" Miki nodded enthusiastically.

"Tama-chan, Miki-chan, it's okay..." Honey stepped forward, clutching Usa-chan to his chest.

"Honey-senpai..."

"You know what? I'm okay with Chika-chan hating me. Just as long as Chika-chan grows up happy and healthy, I'll be fine," Honey assured the two, looked up eyes filled with hope.

"Uh, he's already a lot taller than you." Hikaru pointed out.

"He's growing up plenty healthy," Kaoru added sweatdropping.

"Could you keep it down?" A sudden voice rang behind the hosts as they all snapped around, finding Chika standing there. Everyone froze at the sight of him. Chika's eyes narrowed as he swept the hosts. "Tch... They even brought that Shuriken-neesan." He grumbled.

Miki, or Shuriken-neesan as Chika called her, blinked as she pointed at herself with confusion.

Continuing to scan through, Chika then spotted his brother who stared back with furrowed brows and a pout. "Mitsukuni, I just got done telling you to stay away from me at school!" He spat before dashing forth and aiming a kick at Honey, who dodged his attack gracefully.

Gaining footing, Chika glared at Honey. "Why, you..." He growled. "You alien!"

"Alien?" The twins asked, facing each other.

"However strong your brother may be, there's no need to call him an alien." Haruhi pointed out.

"What's so wrong about cake and his stuffed animal, Usa-chan?" Tamaki questioned sternly, resting his hand on his chin.

"If it were just the cake and Usa-chan, I wouldn't say anything," Chika muttered, loosening his guard slightly. "I don't regard my brother as an alien because he's so strong..."

"Then, why..." Miki tried to approach him, but Chika exploded.

"Don't the rest of you think anything of it?!" Chika pointed an accusing finger at Honey, face drained of colour. "Every night, he eats three whole cakes after supper, like it was nothing! You understand? I'm serious, three whole cakes! I saw him with my own eyes! He ate all that in a flash!" Then, he stopped shaking for a moment rethinking events. "And then, just last week, I woke up in the middle of the night and noticed that there was light shining out of the dining room. And I found him, sitting with that Usa-chan about to eat with demon candles all around the dining room on a day he called special cake night!" He paused, shivering.

"Be honest, are you not terrified?!" Chika yelled, fingers twitching from fear."Did you think that any earthling like that could exist?! Using Usa-chan's electronic waves, he eats cake all night long! Don't you think he's an alien?!"

"That's how Honey-senpai behaves at home?" Haruhi sweatdropped.

"On second thought, I wouldn't have the courage to live with him either." The twins agreed with the boy.

Miki blinked as she tried to imagine the events. "Perhaps Chika-kun is right, and he really is an alien." She suggested with a finger lift.

Huffing a few breathes, Chika's glasses clouded up as he hurriedly took them off to clean them. "Anyhow, I wear glasses to avoid losing my cool around him." He explained, cleaning the lenses.

"So you won't look much like him?" Tamaki asked.

Shaking his head, Chika placed the glasses back on. "They're prescription lenses so that when I look at Mitsukuni, he's blurred out." He explained without hesitation.

"That's dangerous!" Tamaki and Haruhi shouted.

"You tell me the same story over and over, but it's no big deal." Stepping out of the dojo, Satoshi raised a finger. "You're being too neurotic. If I set my mind to it, I bet I could handle three whole cakes myself. They aren't that sweet anyway."

"Shut up! You've got no taste buds!" Chika snapped.

"In addition, the person closest to him is quite insensitive." Kyoya analyzed.

"He must have felt anxious and alone." Tamaki sobbed.

"And even so...and even so, in the past, we used to get along," Loosening up, Chika continued as he stared at the ground, though his fists still shook. "Brother just had a little more of a sweet tooth than others and was fond of cute things. But for a time, Brother gave up all of those things. And then, someone put some ideas into his head that he could have done without. Something about true strength being the acknowledgment of what one really likes."

Realizing where that phrase came from Haruhi and the twins all simultaneously turned to Tamaki, who went pale. Miki, on the other hand, finally understood why Chika acted so hostile towards Honey.

"After that, he suddenly fell apart and became the alien he is now." Chika fell to his knees, his face buried in his hands.

"I see, so Chika's troubles can all be traced back to you, sir." Hikaru pointed at Tamaki with a blank-eyed expression.

"What are you talking about?!" Tamaki denied, "I'm sure there must be a good way to solve this!"

As they began to banter back and forth, Miki crouched down next to the sulking Chika. "Chika-kun," She giggled teasingly. "You actually really look up to Honey-senpai, don't you?"

"W-What?!" Face flushing slightly, Chika mumbled. "No! I already said I don-"

"Hehe, I've got you completely figured out." Miki giggled quoting the detective of her favourite TV detective, before placing a finger to her lips playfully. "Don't worry; you're secret is safe with me." She winked.

Chika's eyes widened, he watched as Miki turned to look at Honey with a thoughtful expression.

"Chika-kun, you are quite adorable you know?" Tilting her head to the side, Miki commented as a small blush spread across the underclassman's face. "I'm a younger sibling too, so I understand how you feel in some way." She muttered, her eyes subconsciously floating over to Tamaki. "But like what Tamaki-kun suggested, I think you need to find out for yourself what 'true strength' means. It means something different for everyone after all." She paused for a moment. "Bushido, the warrior's way, indicates that running away is the most dishonourable one can commit." She recited from the Heian pamphlet, glancing back at Honey who was listening to Mori talk. "I think, to Honey-senpai, the manly act was just a forced mask he was putting up while his true-self hid away beneath. It takes a lot of strength and courage to be vulnerable and present true self, after all." She turned to him with her lips curled, her voice sounding like a bell. "So in a situation like that, which is more dishonourable? Braving the world as true, undisguised self, or cowardly hiding behind a false mask?" She tilted her head, asking him. "Maybe, to understand that, you have to feel his genuine resolve." She suggested with a radiant smile.

"Shuriken-neesan..." Chika blinked, glancing back at Honey and then back at her as she offered him a bright beam. Suddenly, a small shadow quickly loomed over them.

"Chika-chan, I'm sorry for all of this." Honey apologized with a small frown on his face. "I never knew you hated sweets that much."

"No, that's not what the issue is here," Haruhi commented.

"Still, I'm grateful to Tama-chan and the Host Club, and I don't want to change who I am now." Honey said growing serious as he tucked a hand into his pocket. Even Usa-chan seemed to have changed expressions. "So, let's settle this like men, in the Haninozuka style, Yasuchika."

On a hill somewhere in Ouran Academy, the wind blew dramatically as the two brothers set up in a fighting position. On the sidelines, eight figures watched intently at the tension brewing between the two. Mori acted as an officiator as he stood in the middle. Everyone looked tense, except for Haruhi who was left wondering how they got there in the first place, and since when did this dramatic wind pick up.

"Remember, Chika-chan; this is a one-point match." Honey reminded.

"And if I win?" Chika questioned.

"Then I will at least give up eating cake at night." Honey replied seriously as if it were his life he just put on the line.

"All right," Chika nodded with determination.

"Are you ready?" Mori asked for formalities as Satoshi watched intently behind him. "Then, begin!" He announced.

And with that, the two brothers dashed at each other. As they threw familiar looking punches, the hosts began to notice something odd. Even more so when Honey pulled out an extending staff behind his back. Miki really had to hold it in, as to not squeal over how cool the mechanics of it was.

"Is it my imagination, or is this unfolding a lot like when they fought in the classroom?" Tamaki asked.

"Albeit in an opposite version," Kyoya added.

"Mitsukuni, at least, is doing so on purpose," Mori explained calmly. "Yasuchika will probably throw his shuriken next."

Just like what Mori called, Chika tossed out shurikens next as Honey deflected them with his rod.

"You're right!" Hikaru and Kaoru gasped as Miki cheer for both brothers.

"Hurray! Hurray! Honey-senpai! Hurray! Hurray! Chika-kun!"

"Tell me, where are they hiding these shurikens? And who exactly are you cheering for Miki-senpai?" Haruhi sweatdropped.

"Both, I want them both to win," Miki stated as she continued to jump around like a child, shouting and encouraging both of them.

"No, It doesn't work like that." Haruhi looked away with a deadpan.

"I have watched these two spar for many years," Mori explained, his expression emotionless. "And Yasuchika always incorporates moves that Mitsukuni used in the previous match. Mitsukuni has realized this, and yet creates opportunities for Yasuchika to use those moves anyway." His eyes following the battle intently, he informed them. "He may call him an alien, but where martial arts is concerned, Yasuchika respects Mitsukuni, and it's clear that he wants to be even a little bit more like him. They are indeed connected where they ought to be. I think that, as brothers, that much is good enough."

Everyone stared at Mori, flabbergasted. He really did look the most enthusiastic when he was talking about Honey, when he ever talked at all that is.

"Besides, you need not to worry about this match," Mori stated as if it were a fact. "Mitsukuni intends to throw the fight, and let Yasuchika beat him. I know everything there is to know about him."

Everyone quickly looked towards the fight, only to hear the lolita shout. "Defend yourself!" Before delivering a fatal kick at Chika, sending him flying towards the ground, almost instantly ending the match and proving Mori's predictions wrong.

"Ah..." Mori muttered as his face turned even blanker than usual as if that were possible. He dropped to his knees in defeat along with Chika.

"Yay! I won! Cake! Cake! Cake!" Honey celebrated jumping up and down before twirling Usa-chan around. "Oh, I have an idea! Since I won, from now on, I'll have a special cake night three times a week!"

"Mori-senpai, don't mind." Tamaki, Hikaru and Kaoru gathered around the fallen giant, trying to reassure him.

"His love of cake is even greater than for his brother?" Haruhi sweatdropped, watching Honey rejoice in his victory. "What a dreadful person..."

Miki, on the other hand, stood next to Chika in a crouch. She chuckled wryly, watching as Chika twitch in the pain and after-shock. "I guess I did say you need to feel his resolve, huh?" She propped an arm upon her knee, commenting.

"Chika-chan," Standing over Miki and a defeated Chika, Honey crouched down. "You almost got me with your first flying kick and then with that combination move in the middle." Closing his eyes and beaming, Honey nodded curtly. "Chika-chan, you've gotten stronger." He praised, causing the boy's face to light up considerably as little sparkling chicks appeared in his aura. However, he quickly snapped out of his trance and turned away. "Shut up, you're so conceited!" He grumbled. "I just let my guard down a little, that's all-"

"Don't be such a sore loser." Slamming the butt of his practice sword toward the back of his head. "Be a man! Admit your defeat with grace!"

"Ow! Ow! Stupid Satoshi!" Tears formed in Chika's eyes as he sniffled. "T-That's enough... I don't like you anymore!"

"I wasn't really angry..." Hurriedly comforting his friend, Satoshi panicked. "Please don't cry..."

Snapping out of his vulnerable state, as he peered at the host club who stared at him awkwardly. "Just..." Rubbing away the tears, he stammered. "Just remember Mitsukuni! Next time I'll win, no matter what!" He shouted. "And I'll drag you back down to earth you alien!"

"What a thing to say to your brother!"

"Chika-kun seems to be more similar in nature to Honey-senpai than he is different..." Tamaki sweatdropped as he watched the overly dedicated raven-head chase the blond down the mysterious hill in Ouran Academy.

"Even so," Beaming brightly as she cupped her hands before her, Miki chided. "Chika-kun is quite adorable."

 _I never realized there were so many different types of sibling relations._ Peering up at the sky, Miki thought of Hikaru, Kaoru, Nekozawa and Kirimi. _They are so fascinating to see and learn from, however in the end..._ She glanced to the side, locking glances with Tamaki's ocean-like eyes.

"Alright, let's head back to the club." Grinning, Tamaki gestured as he marched forth on the hill. Miki nodded with her eyes crinkling as she followed him, exchanging chatters with the twins as they made their way back to the school building

 _I'm glad my sibling bond is created with Tamaki-kun of all people._


	18. 17 Miki Lets Down her Hair!

_-Chapter 17-_

Miki Lets Down her Hair! 

"Miki-chan, this theme was your idea right?" Sora giggled as she walked by the entrance of the host club after her appointment with Tamaki. Next to her were a few others who were also in class 2-A. Judging by the wide smiles and bright flushes on their face, they seemed to have had a wonderful time. "It was such a great theme, we had lots of fun!"

"Thank you very much." She chirped.

The Music Room looked like a set straight out of fairy tale collection, because that was the theme. The host club were all dressed up as storybook characters, each with their specifically themed stations. Tamaki's station was decorated as if it were a pond in the midst of nature from Swan Lake, he was dressed up in a prince costume. Kyoya sat in the midst of a rose garden, inspired by Beauty and the Beast, as he taught the guests about the variety of roses. Honey and Mori were in a candy-themed setup, an inspiration drawn from Hansel and Gretel's candy cottage, sharing pieces of cake with swooning guests. Hikaru and Kaoru were surrounded by faux apple trees, decorated with real apples as guests gushed about their 'poisonous love'. Haruhi and her clients sat on glass made seats, a beautiful clock design hanging between them, striking close to midnight as they had tea.

"It's so romantic to have the hosts treat you like a real princess." One of the girls, Tamaki's regular guest named Tsubaki swooned. "How did you come up with the concept?" She asked, leaning forward.

"I particularly enjoy reading fairy tale books." Miki giggled, glancing over as Tamaki entranced another 'little swan' into his paradise. "They are filled with so much adventure and fantasy."

"Which one is your favourite?" Sora urged on excitedly. "Is it Swan Lake? You look like you put the most effort into that one."

"I think she preferred creating her take on Snow White!" Someone disagreed immediately.

"No, no, I think Haruhi-kun's Cinderella had the most attention to detail."

Miki's hazel eyes swept across the hosts, each of them playing into their character roles. Each of those stories, Swan Lake, Cinderella, Beauty and the Beast, Snow White, Hansel and Gretel, they were all new reads to her.

No...

Her favourite story was...

 _Rapunzel._

 _I moved from Spain to Japan when I was three years old, and I had absolutely no recollection of my time there. All I could make out hazily in my memories was a warm hand gently caressing my head when I once fell sick. That was all._

 _I came to Japan with one person and one item._

 _A book._

 _Rapunzel by Brothers Grimm._

 _I had no idea why someone would give me this book, neither do I remember who gave it to me. It just... appeared one day._

"Milady," A voice called out to the little five-year-old girl as she glanced up from the book in hand. A young man in his late teens, dressed in proper butler attire would stare back with a wry smile. He had neatly arranged chai-brown hair and a pair of emerald green eyes. She was sitting on her bed with her blankets over her head like a veil. "What are you doing, reading under the blankets again? You know it's bad for your eyes." He softly lectured her.

"Arden!" The little strawberry blonde bounced out of her bed with excitement, allowing the book to flop back down on the bed. Mindful of its pages, she lept off the mattress and jumped into the butler's arms who caught her in a routine yet hesitant manner.

Arden chuckled slightly as he placed her gently down. "Milady, would you like to do the honours today too?" Laughing, he knelt down to her eye level.

"Yes, please!" Giggling, Miki ran over to the other side of the room. Climbing onto the window sill under Arden's watch, she flew the upper part of the window wide open as a gush of fresh breeze blew into the room. "Ahh!" She let out a sigh as the breeze combed through her hair and ruffled her nightgown. "Good Morning." She stretched her arms up and beamed in delight at the brilliant sun.

"Did you sleep well last night?" Arden smiled down kindly at her, keeping his arms close just in case she lost balance and was about to fall from the ledge. "There was a terrible thunder and lightning."

"I'm a big girl now, I can handle it," Miki spoke in a triumphant grin. "You are just a scardy cat for not liking loud noises." Giggling mischievously, when she looked up and spotted something captivating.

In the crystal clear sky, a colourful arc separated the sky in seven colours. Red, Orange, Yellow, Green, Blue, Indigo, Violet. Miki's hazel eyes widened as an awestruck gasp escaped her lips. "Woah!" She cheered. "Arden, what is that?" Pointing up at nature's work of art, Miki asked.

"That, Milady, is called a rainbow." The butler responded.

Her eyes sparkling and reflecting the view before her, she continued to stare in wonder. "What is it?" Reaching out in an attempt to reach it from her little room, the little girl pressed on.

"A rainbow is a meteorological phenomenon that is caused by reflection, refraction and disp-" Arden paused for a moment as he stared at his lady who tilted her head with a blank expression, realizing that there was no way a little five-year-old girl could know words that complex, imprisoned or not, he fell silent and began to think for a moment. "It's something special that happens when the rain and the sun meet." He opted for a simpler explanation.

Pressing her lips together, Miki pursued. "Why do the sun and rain want to meet?"

"To give the rainbow's blessing, of course." Arden teased with a grin.

"The Rainbow's Blessing?" Miki repeated.

The young man with chai brown hair nodded. "It's a story my family used to tell me when I was younger," He explained. "If a rainbow appears in the sky, and a person is daring and adventurous enough to search for the end. True happiness will be waiting for that person."

"Really?!" She glanced back out at the rainbow with yearning eyes, letting out an exasperated sigh as she glanced over the view. "I want to go see it one day..."

Arden's brows knitted together as he thought of her words, pity rising in his chest.

With her back faced him, Miki then asked. "What day is it today, Arden?"

"It's Friday, milady." Arden bowed in a respectful manner.

"What do people usually do on Fridays?" Twirling back around, her eyes relit with interest as if she tossed away all the sorrow and loneliness she had just felt. Like an excited puppy wagging its tail, she continued her questions.

Picking up the little girl and carrying her in his arms, Arden made his way over to the table, where breakfast was already laid out and waiting. "Let's see," He hummed playfully. "Fridays are usually the last day of work or school, they organize events for the weekends."

"What do they organize?" Miki tilted her head as she was placed down onto the chair. "Do they go out to those places you said? The Rest-ants?" She pursued, not giving Arden time to rest.

Letting out a small laugh, Arden laid down her napkin on her lap as she clumsily picked up the fork and knife. "No, Milady. Restaurants." He corrected her, trying not to continue laughing at his lady.

"Rest-or-rants?" Miki asked, with her mouth filled with food.

"Close enough." Arden stifled a chuckle as he filled her cup up with chocolate milk. "Remeber not to talk with your mouth full."

Swallowing down the eggs, Miki reached forth, grabbing her drink. "I know." She giggled, taking a sip. "You said it's the last day of school for most people right? Is anyone coming today?" She asked, eyes filled with hope.

Nodding, the young man took out his notes hidden in his breast pocket as he began to list off the visitors of the day. "You Spanish Tutor, Mr. Lopez is coming in once you are ready. Then will be the Business Managment Instructor, Ms. Jin. After lunch, the Cultural Dance Instructor, Mr. Minamoto. Finally Traditional Literature Tutor, Ms. Satou." Closing his notebook, he grinned at the girl with a teasing smile. "Should we call on your etiquette teacher to fix your habit of eating while talking as well?"

"No thanks." Flinching, Miki pouted as she took another sip of her chocolate milk. After a few moments of silence, she looked out the window at the opposite end of the room. "Is father not coming today either?" She asked.

"I'm afraid not," Arden bowed. "Master Suoh is still out on a business trip in France."

Looking a little dejected, Miki placed her cup back down onto the table with a sigh. Then her eyes fluttered open as she hopped out of her seat and struck a power pose. "Alright! It's Friday today and with the rainbow in sight, I'm going to do my best!" She cheered, earning a round of applause of encouragement from Arden as he led her to the bathroom to get ready for the day of lessons.

 _In the Suoh Mansion, there is a large room only accessible by a small elevator. Only a few people have the key card to get up there, the chef, a single maid, Arden, the head of the Suoh family, Shizue and her son Yuzuru. Hardly anyone knew of the room's existence, even the staff of the mansion. The older staff were sworn to secrecy on the existence of that room. And the newer staff were simply never told of it. Because locked in that room, under strict instructions of the Fernández family, is a girl who cannot be known to the public. Because she was a failure to the prestigious Spanish lineage. Because she was born out of a divorced marriage._

 _And that was me._

 _I understood the situation I was in, but I never felt disheartened. I was alive and privileged. My room consisted of a large bed, a desk, a dining table and chairs, a separate bathroom and a walk-in closet. It was more of a studio apartment than a bedroom. My food was delivered every day by the chef, and once a week, a maid would come and clean my room._

 _Besides, I wasn't lonely._

 _I had Arden._

"Milady, you should go to bed now..." Arden tried to convince the little girl as respectfully as possible. "It's 10:32 p.m." He pointed out.

"Just once more? Please?" Miki begged, still not tired at all. Instead, she was bouncing with energy on her fluffy bed in her nightgown.

Arden let out a sigh as he opened the brown book for the fifth time that evening. "You have so many other books to read from Ms. Satou, why must you read this one?"

"I like it." With her childlike logic, Miki reasoned with a blank face. "It's my favourite book."

Straightening his back a little, Arden cleared his throat, indicating he was serious. "Once more, then you need to sleep."

"Okay!" Nodding, Miki shuffled closer to her butler. She leaned on his arm as he began to read the book once again.

 _Arden was my butler. He was the one that accompanied me from Spain to Frace. He stayed here, trapped with me every day, telling me stories of how it felt to walk under the blue sky. He takes care of me, waking me up, helping me pick out clothes, keeping me company, and even reading me to sleep. If I was lucky, he would even bring me something called 'craft kits' from the outside world. At night after I fall asleep, he would slip out of the door and go down the elevator. Only to wake me up with next morning with a soft smile._

 _He was one of my only two sources to the outside world._

"Milady," Arden called out to the now eight-year-old as he gently cleaned up the garbage created after she had completed the latest craft kit he brought. "If you keep reading that book over and over again, you are going to get sick of it one day." He teased her.

"I won't." Still keeping her eyes on the words of the book, Miki giggled. She sat on the ground and had her back leaned against the door of her little world, with the book, _Rapunzel_ resting on her legs. Her eyes turned to a downcast as she stared blankly at the familiar words.

 _I won't ever get sick of it._

 _Arden thinks of this story as childish, and that it may be okay to laugh at a fairy tale._

 _However, to me..._

 _It is a story that has been my dream. It says an opportunity will appear, to free me from this fate._

 _I was Rapunzel, trapped in the tower._

Suddenly, Miki perked at as she snapped around to stare at the door behind her, startling Arden who paced over to her side.

"Is something wrong, Milady?" He asked.

The strawberry blonde didn't respond. She kept her eyes glued to the door as she began to mutter. "That's!" Her eyes lit up in excitement as she jumped to her feet. Quickly placing her book on a table nearby, she waited eagerly for the door to swing open as it revealed the figure she longed to see.

"Father!" She squealed, jumping into Yuzuru's arms.

"Miki!" Eyes widening in surprise at warm greeting, Yuzuru scrambled to catch his daughter as he stepped back a little, dropping a large bag in the process.

"Master Yuzuru," Arden bowed his head in respect at the sight of him.

"Hello Arden," Giving the butler a quick nod, Yuzuru carried his daughter who was giggling in his arms as he stepped further into the room, closing the doors behind him. "How did you know I was here, Miki?" He proceeded to ask the little girl, who clung onto her father by the neck, snuggling him like he was the fluffiest teddy bear in the world.

"Your voice gave you away, Father." She simply replied showing no intentions of letting go, leaving Yuzuru slightly confused.

 _Sound._

 _That was the sense I appreciated the most._

 _After a while, I became an expert at telling people apart by their voices._

 _I could hear the voices of people talking in the gardens outside my window. I could hear the chef and maid exchange words outside my door. I could hear the cars of my father or grandmother pulling into the mansion. I could hear the rain, lightning, thunder, and hail._

 _It was also the sense that brought the prince, to Rapunzel._

"So where did you go this time, father?" Miki asked enthusiastically as she nibbled on a lamb chop.

"Let's see," Swallowing his food, Yuzuru chuckled. His daughter was always a curious one. "I was in China for two weeks, then I went to Barcelona for a month, then France for three weeks."

"China?!" Miki's hazel eyes began to twinkle. "That's the place with the Pradas right?"

"Pandas, Miki." Yuzuru corrected with a sweatdrop. "But yes, here I even brought back a keychain for you." He laughed, pulling out a few things from his large duffle bag. "I also brought you back a few other things."

"Wow! Thank you, Father!" Wither her face bright, she quickly finished the last bits of her food she scrambled onto her feet to search through the new bag of goodies, exclaiming in awe at everything. Yuzuru watched with a sorrowfully tender expression as she called out to Arden with every new thing, asking what they were and what they did. It was painful for him to see his children like this. One in France hated and ridiculed by his grandmother, his son that he doesn't see very often. The other trapped in her room in the main estate in Japan, his daughter separated from the rest of the world.

"Father? What are these?" Pulling out one of the few DVDs stuffed into the bottom of the bag, she blinked with Arden over her shoulder. " _Crime? Crime Drama_ ?" She looked at him curiously.

"Oh, that is a series I came across while I was in Europe." He explained, finishing up his food as he crouched next to his daughter. "It's a TV series about a young detective solving tough cases in London. It's supposed to be pretty popular among the kids."

"Wow! Thank you, father!" Miki gasped as she began sorting through all the disks.

"Aweee, you are just the cutest." Yuzuru cooed. "Come here!" He hugged her close, nuzzling her while his hands pulled at her cheeks.

"Fawthew, stwap pwinchwing mwy chweeks pwease." Miki protested while giggling.

Arden sweatdropped as he looked over the titles of the volumes. The case of the Missing Puppy, the disappearance of the cake. These were all clearly, slice of life mysteries with the occasional serious case slipped in. However, when he saw Miki's beaming face, he decided to keep quiet.

"Father," Holding a few DVDs close to her chest, Miki turned to him. "You said you went to France, did you go see Tamaki-kun while you were there?" She asked enthusiastically.

Yuzuru froze for a second before his expression melted into a smile. "Yeah, I did," He told her, ruffling her hair as she sat on his lap.

"Really?!" Miki's eyes lit up as she bounced like a little puppy. "How is he doing? Does he have many friends? Does he go to that place called the school? What are his favourite things to do?"

 _I knew all about Tamaki-kun even before beginning at Ouran Academy._

 _That was how I experienced childhood, by listening to stories about him from father._

 _I never hated him, or anyone for a matter of fact._

 _I envied them._

 _I wanted to meet him._

 _They lived in the world out there, walking under the blue skies. With all the freedom to do what he wanted, and Tamaki-kun didn't let it go to waste. With that, I was contempt. Listening to stories about him from father, I felt like I was right by him. I could hear his piano, I could see the crowds of kids and I could feel the grass brushing against my legs._

 _It was all thanks to Tamaki-kun, the stories father told, and Arden, I was able to live without feeling the pain of loneliness._

 _Father would tell me about all the cultures the world had to offer. Japan's samurais and warriors, France's sweets and architecture, China's animals and language, Italy's art and festivals... Those stories were my little telescopes into the world._

 _It's how I lived as the imprisoned princess._

 _As I grew older, and I watched Crime? Crime Drama_ , _I began to take a huge interest in production design. I paid lots of attention to the backgrounds and sets of the show due to my interest in the outside world. I started to draw design sketches of my own and showing them to Arden, who in turn often brought me photos of certain places to use as a reference._

 _Thanks to those, I got more and more curious about what was out there, what more could I see and most importantly..._

 _Who I can meet._

 _I wanted to see them for myself._

"Wow! So this is a school!" Miki, now fourteen, her hazel eyes sparkled at the beautiful new photo before her. It was a pink french style building with a Big Ben-like clock. As usual, Arden had managed to bring her a brand new picture, this time of the place called 'School.'

"Ouran Academy is under the Suoh family's School Managment branch," Arden informed, setting out some tea. "It is a rather prestigious school, so mind you, it is much grander."

"I understand." Miki, now fourteen, giggled, taking a closer look, noticing a figure on the bottom of the photo. "Arden, what is this little brown thing at the bottom." She asked, skipping over to him.

Leaning in closer, Arden blinked. "Oh, that might be an honour roll student trying out for the entrance exams." He commented.

"Honour Roll Student?" Miki raised an eyebrow.

"Normally it is commoners who are honour roll students at Ouran since they don't have money. If they get a high enough mark and remain there. Their entire school tuition fees are paid for." Shrugging, Arden went back to laying out the tea.

"Even though they are not of the social class?" Miki looked down at the photo. At that moment, she had an unspeakable about of respect for the person in the picture.

"Milady..." Eyes turning wry, addressed her with a bow of respect. He watched as she made her way to the windows "Speaking of which, I bring some news this morning."

"Hm..." Twirling on her heel, Miki responded. "What is it?" She tilted her head with a smile as she paced over to her shelf, picking up one of the empty photo frames she had, resting on the shelf. Gingerly, she opened the backing and began to position this new photo on the cork board backing.

"From what I've heard, Master Tamaki is currently in Japan," Arden informed her.

Immediately Miki's hands flinched as her eyes widened. "Really?!" She exclaimed, her hands were brought to her lips, trembling with excitement. "Tamaki-kun is here?! Where is he? Is he here in the main estate?"

"But unfortunately..." Arden's eyes turned pitiful as he kept his lowered stance. "I hear he resides in the second estate."

Miki blinked with furrowed brows. "Eh? Why?"

"According to rumours, he is here on a deal with Mistress Shizue, as the heir to the Suoh family." He explained. "He left his sick mother behind in France to assure her financial stability, and will begin attending school come April."

"I see..." Eyes turning to a downcast, Miki turned back towards the brand new photo she had completed framing. She took a deep breath and walked over to her opened window, glancing out beyond the endless horizon. "Arden," She spoke as her hands reached out absently, knowing that as long as she stayed in her captive room she would never be able to reach that end of the world. Birds were singing, flowers were blooming below in the gardens. She wanted more to see, she wanted more to learn, she wanted more to understand. She wanted to meet more people, like the girl in the photo.

"Tell my father; I'd like to meet. I'm requesting to leave this place. I need to venture outside my comfort zone; the rewards are worth it." It's strange really. The moment you begin to learn more about something, the more you crave to know. Yet a sense of doubt and worry lingered in her chest. Glancing over her shoulder, her lips curled wryly. "Will you support me?" She asked a little sheepishly.

"I will support you even if the world were to end, milady."

His words calmed Miki's heart as she broke into a radiant smile.

 _At that moment, I realized that Rapunzel must've felt like this too. After being trapped for so long, she should have been able to tell people apart by their voices. She must've noticed the prince's voice was different from the sorceress's, yet she still let her hair down to the stranger._

 _It was because she knew, if it there was even the slimmest chance to reel in an opportunity to find help and truly escape into the outside world, she had to take it._

 _It was her determination and courage that gave her, her happiness and freedom._

 _I realized, I had to gather my courage to let my hair down as well, so I could one day maybe, eventually, leave my tower._

 _I wasn't contempt with looking into the world through a window anymore._

 _Even for just a little, I wanted to leave and walk under the bright sun in the sky._

 _It took two years..._

 _Two years after that fateful day, grandmother had left on a six-month business trip, establishing and extending relations all over Europe._

 _Father enrolled me in Ouran Academy under one circumstance._

 _Arden was to travel to Spain alone and keep my movement out of the Fernández family's eyes._

 _He accepted it in a heartbeat, swearing to keep me safe as I enjoyed myself while I could._

 _Father even offered for me to move into the second mansion along with Tamaki-kun to get to know him better. However, I refused._

 _There was a part of me, that felt... scared of facing him._

 _What would he think of me?_

 _Would he accept me?_

 _Would he ridicule me?_

 _Would he despise me?_

 _Instead, I opted to get to know him, as a classmate first._

Miki looked down at her feet. They were no longer on the familiar rug. In fact, she was wearing shoes outside of the main estate for the first time she could remember. She was standing on tile, in front of what they call, 'a classroom.' Her heart wouldn't stop pounding against her chest as the adrenaline spiked in her system.

"That's right class, before your first day, I would like to make one more announcement." She heard the teacher faintly announce. "You may come in."

 _Rapunzel, Rapunzel,_

Taking a deep breath as an adventurous smile curled upon her lips, she took firm hold of the door and slid it open.

 _Let down your hair._


	19. -Christmas Short-

_-Christmas Short-_

It's the Host Club's Christmas!

"Arden, what are they doing outside?" Peering curiously out the window, a little girl with strawberry blonde hair pointed at the front gardens floors below as people rushed about in the chilling weather wearing fur coats. "They keep hanging these red ribbons on the trees; it's a little weird."

"Let's see," He leaned out the window as he loomed over her shoulder, the young butler hummed. "Ah, they are getting ready for Christmas, Milady." He informed her.

"Christmas?" The five-year-old repeated as she tilted her head. "What is that?"

"It's an annual celebrating Christ's birth in the Christian religion," Arden explained with a soft smile. "Many people like to get festive and decorate their houses when the holidays come around."

"Really?!" Whipping her head around, Miki jumped off the ledge of her window and ran back in her room. Twirling around as her little chiffon dress fluttered behind her, she giggled. "Could we decorate my room too? Please, Arden?" Opening her arms wide, she gestured her bedroom.

Rubbing his chin slightly, Arden's emerald eyes flickered up to the ceiling. "I suppose I could bring in a few things for you to use and decorate," He told her, watching in adoration as she threw her arms up into the air.

"Yay! You're the best Arden!" She cheered, jumping up with a victory pose. "Oh! I could use the ribbon from the leftover craft kits to do something too, could you get them out, please? This'll be so exciting!" Spinning on her heel, she began to plan out how to decorate her room when she realized something. "Say, Arden," Leaning sideways, she glanced over curiously. "What do people do on this 'Christmas'?" She asked.

"Well, Milady." Chuckling as he paced over to the cupboard of left-over craft supplies, Arden spoke. "For one, families gather together to decorate a Christmas tree, eat dinner and exchange gifts." He explained.

"A tree?" Miki gasped in amazement as this wonderful day. "Could you bring a tree in for me?"

"I'm afraid that's out of my limitations, Milady." Sweatdropping, Arden took out a few boxes of ribbons. "We could decorate that bonsai tree I brought a while back if you'd like." His eyes crinkled slightly as he gestured the well-taken care of plant in the corner of the room. He faintly remembers that day, when he came in to find his lady sulking because she could 'never touch or feel a tree.' So instead of letting her out to go to the trees, he decided to bring it to her instead.

"Yea! That'll be great!" Nodding, Miki agreed wholeheartedly as she dashed over to look through the ribbon stash beginning to sort out the colours. "They are using red and green as the main colours, so I'll use... this... this... and this..." She focused intently on organizing the colours to match up with the ones she spotted downstairs before pausing slightly. "Arden," She spoke faintly.

"Yes, Milady?"

"You said families gather, right?" With her eyes in a downcast, the little girl stared down at the pile of colourful ribbons on her lap. "Will father be visiting?"

The previously cheerful room fell silent as Arden tried to search for an answer. Should he sugarcoat it? Or be blunt to the poor girl? Ths sound of the winter winds howling outside were the only things that fill up the room. Swallowing down the concern, he opted to be up front and tell her.

"I'm afraid not." He said after a silence that felt like an eternity. "Master Yuzuru is currently in France." His brows furrowed slightly as he delivered the news.

"I see..." Unable to see her eyes through her bangs, Arden wondered if she was crying before her face lit up into a bright smile that surprised him. "At least he's with Tamaki-kun, right? I have you Arden, so I'm okay." She chirped happily as she pushed the box of ribbons between them and patted the spot next to herself on the soft carpet flooring, gesturing for him to sit down next to her. "Come on, help me chose which red to use." She cheered, giving him a toothy grin. "If it's just the two of us, we mine as well decorate together."

Arden felt his heart sink into his chest as he saw that merry smile. Huffing out a laugh, he sat down next to her, and the two began to plan out how to decorate their little world together.

Miki's eye fluttered open hazily to meet with the architectural ceiling. Blinking slightly, she could faintly hear her phone ring as a single for a text message. Turning her head slightly, she spotted her phone on her nightstand and reached out, only to retract her arm as her heated skin made contact with the cold winter air.

 _That's right, Christmas is almost here..._ After bracing herself, she made another attempt to grab it while sitting up in her bed. Rubbing her eyes, she flipped her phone open to receive a message.

From: Arden

Merry Christmas Milady,

I hope this year, you are celebrating your Christmas with your friends happily.

Almost as if on cue, the doors of her room slammed open as Tamaki budged into her bedroom, wearing a Santa hat on his head. He was dressed up in a green and red sweater and wearing the widest grin. With a dramatic pose, he shouted. "Come on Miki, no lazing around in bed!" He declared, pacing over to her bed and slamming his hands down on the mattress as his sister stared at him in a slight daze. "It's Christmas Eve, it's a tradition that everyone in the Second Mansion decorates that place together." He leaned in enthusiastically as his eyes shimmered with holiday joy. "That includes you too, so come on! Get moving!"

Miki blinked out of her haziness as she stared blankly at the blond.

Seeing such an expression on her, Tamaki flinched back slightly. "Don't tell me," A horrified look appeared on his handsome face as he crumbled. An imaginary strike of lightning bolt crashed down from the sky. "Do you not know what Christmas is?!" He exclaimed.

Shaking her head as she broke into a bright beam, Miki shook her head gently. "No, Tamaki-kun, I know what Christmas is." She giggled airily as she threw over her comforters and hopped out of her bed. "You say it's a tradition for us to decorate the mansion? I'll be ready in just a second."

Changing out of her nightgown and into a Christmas sweater that Tamaki had insisted her on wearing, Miki hummed as she opened her room door. "Good Morning Suzuno, what are you doing?" Tilting her head, she gazed up at the green bush of leaves tied together by a red ribbon that the platinum blonde was hanging up on the doorway between the stairs to the grand entryway and the hallway to the siblings' bedrooms.

"Ah, Miss Miki." Turning around on the high ladder," Suzuno chirped. "I am doing my part in the decorations. You, Master Tamaki and your guests will be in charge of the central salon."

Blinking rapidly, Miki tilted her head to the side. "Guests?" She repeated, wondering who could possibly be here on such a family-oriented holiday. However, her questions were quickly answered when she made her way down the long flight of stairs and towards the central salon where her brother also said he was waiting. She peeked her head in curiously, finding her friends from the host club gathered around a giant bare pine tree. Their heavy winter jackets were thrown to the side casually on the velvet couch with half-eaten pieces of cake on the coffee table.

"Hikaru! Kaoru! No slacking!" Standing on a ladder that Mori stabled from underneath, Tamaki commanded as he pointed down at the ginger twins. "Start hanging these ornaments up; we cannot afford to lose any more precious time." He shouted.

"What kind of ornaments are these? They look hideous." With a nonchalant attitude, Hikaru and Kaoru spoke in unison as they toyed with obnoxiously coloured decorations in a cardboard box. Hanging one each over their fingers as they stared at it with deadpanned eyes, the turned up to stare at the blond. "Why are you up there anyway, Milord?"

"No complaining!" Pointing a finger at them, Tamaki chortled as his shoulders trembled in delight. "Listen up, men. I am the king of the host club, so it only makes sense that I get to put up the finishing part," Taking out a beautiful golden star, he gestured it flamboyantly. "Behold, the star of the tree!" He announced, striking a pose that held the special decoration on the palm of his hands like a jewel.

"That's not fair Tama-chan!" Honey protested with a pout and tears circling his eyes. "We want to put up the star too!" He whined, holding Usa-chan close.

"You just want all the glory for yourself, huh?" Hikaru teased with a dark grin, causing Tamaki to jolt out of his glorious state in guilt.

"That's not very king-like." Kaoru continued, teasing him as he, his twin and Honey all reached for the ladder and began shaking it playfully, causing Tamaki to cling onto the handles for dear life.

"Now, now, settle down." Kyoya clapped his hands together.

"Why?" Miki jumped as she heard a familiar voice grumble next to her. Snapping her head around, she realized she hadn't noticed Haruhi standing at the side with shoulders slumped and still wearing her winter coat. "Why are we even here on Christmas Eve?" She mumbled.

"Fancy seeing you here Haruhi," Tilting her head, Miki hid her hands behind her as she greeted the underclassman with a warm smile. "What brings you to the Second Suoh Estate to early in the morning?"

Averting her eyes, the brunette watched the twins before letting out a tired sigh. "I was just going to get some studying done, but Hikaru and Kaoru suddenly appeared at my doorstep and dragged me into their limo," Peering up, she nodded her head as if to greet Miki. "Sorry for bothering you on such a day."

"Oh no, it's okay." Waving her hands quickly Miki chuckled, her voice chiming like a bell. Clapping her hands next to her face together, she tilted her head. "I'm glad you all came by. They say the more the merrier, right? Come on, let's go help them!" Paying no heed to the protests by the brunette Miki took Haruhi by the hand and tugged her gently further into the room.

"Ahh, please don't pull on my arm!"

"Ah, it's Miki-senpai!" Growing bored of teasing the blond, the twins greeted her with blank stares. "Morning."

"Miki-chan, good morning!" Honey waved eagerly.

"Good Morning," Like a puppy, Miki's ears practically perked up with excitement. "May I help you decorate this tree?"

The Host Club spent the rest of the day decorating the gigantic tree and the central salon together. Hanging up ornaments, tying up ribbons, adjusting wreaths, plugging in lights, Miki never realized there were so many more things to do other than fixing up a few decorations and cutting out a few false snowflakes. She couldn't help but feel warm and fuzzy inside as if the feeling of bliss has filled her core with joy.

"Ahh, I wonder what Santa is going to bring for us this year," Tamaki commented as grinned brightly.

Whipping her head around from the box of ball-shaped ornaments curiously, Miki blinked. "Santa?" She repeated. "Who is that?"

"EHHHH?!" With an arm shielding his face, Tamaki let out a dramatic yelp. "Y-Y-Y-You don't know who Santa is?!" He crawled back, ocean-coloured eyes filled with pity.

Shaking her head, Miki looked even more puzzled. "No, Arden never mention anything called Santa." She furrowed her brows as her lips formed a pout. Instinctively, she turned to Kyoya who lifted his glasses.

Giving in to her curiosity, Kyoya let out a small sigh as he explained. "Santa Claus is a legendary figure who is said to visit well-behaved children on Christmas Eve through their chimnies to-"

Not even allowing him to finish, Miki cocked her head to the side with an alarmed expression. "But that's breaking and entering is it not?" She questioned, causing everyone in the room to sweatdrop.

"That's not it, Miki-chan." Turning around on the top of the ladder as he hung a new ornament on, Honey chuckled. "Santa is said to bring presents for the kids."

"He brings presents?"

"Only for good children though," The twins shrugged, sharing an aloof glance. "If you were bad, he would bring you coal."

"How does he know?" Growing ever more interested, Miki pursued.

"There is that song isn't it?" Eyes darting up as her hand searched through the boxes, Haruhi hummed. "He sees you when you're sleeping, he knows when you're awake~" She hummed a tune to the beat as her finger swayed.

"Isn't that a little creepy? He sounds more like a criminal to me."

The host club sweatdropped.

"Definitely not!" Grabbing her by her shoulder with comical tears in his eyes, Tamaki shook his sister violently. "Listen to me, Miki! Santa is a man that brings happiness. He is the embodiment of hope and joy to children around the world! He is not creepy, breaking and entering or a criminal of any sorts understood?!" He shouted desperately before turning away to his emo corner as a shadow loomed over his face. "What should we do? At this point, you will be on the naughty list and be receiving coal as your first gift..."

"Eh? Really?" Mouth gaping open, the strawberry blonde cover the bottom of he lips with the tip of her fingers. "I don't want coal though." She clenched his fists, stepping forth as she completely bought into the idea of Santa without a doubt, despite being 16 years old.

"Worry not! I will not allow that to happen to you." Whipping his head around sharply, he snapped his fingers. "Listen up, men!" He announced dramatically. "We are not going to allow Miki's first gift from Santa to be coal! We will now commence operation 'Miki is a good girl!'" He announced as the twins and Honey saluted.

"Yes, sir!" They complied.

"Does he even realize Santa isn't real?" Averting her eyes, Haruhi mumbled under her breath.

Stepping out of her closet, Miki twirled around in the new costume the twins had brought over from their family's new fashion line. Tamaki had picked it out, insisting that it would get her on Santa's 'good side.' "How do I look?" She questioned as her arms flailed out to match the shape of her skirt.

"It looks great on you Miki-chan!" Honey beamed as he gave a thumbs up, the rest of the host club following his actions with an eye glisten. "You look super cute!" He cheered.

Spinning on the toe of her foot, Miki curtsied in her new costume excitedly before Tamaki quickly shook his head. "No, that's not enough!" Striking a dramatic pose, he pushed out a hand before his face. "This isn't complete, we need something else to complete the look!" Lifting a finger, he grinned with that goofy expression of his. "We need a reindeer!" He announced, pulling out a reindeer costume out of thin air. "Haruhi, would you like to do the honours?" He offered it with a flushed face.

"Nice idea!" Giving an approval chime, the twins snickered.

It was clear from their enthusiasm, the three of them had already pictured Haruhi wearing a reindeer costume in their mind, diverging much from reality.

"No way!"Haruhi snapped as her eyebrow twitched in annoyance, she spun on her heel attempting to run away from the blond and his crazy ideas only to be held back by the collar of her sweater. "If you want a reindeer, wear it yourself, senpai. Where did you get that thing anyway?"

"It wouldn't look as cute if I wear it!" Tamaki reasoned incoherently.

Watching the situation unfold, Miki covered her lips in a chuckle. "It's okay Tamaki-kun, while I appreciate your efforts of not getting me coal for Christmas, I don't think I need to get on Santa-san's good side." She chirped with a head tilt. "I'm already delighted that I am here, with all of you." Touching her hands to her chest, she gave the hosts a sweet smile. "That was the best Christmas present I could ask for."

Hearing her say this, everyone in the room quickly calmed down as they stared at her radiant beam with a bewildered look. Haruhi had stopped trying to get away while Tamaki slowly let go of her. He approached the twinkling blonde who stared up at him happily as he approached. Gently, he placed a hand behind her head and pulled her into a hug. "Thank you for saying that," He muttered with a smile in adoration. "You're also the best present I got this year too." He laughed slightly before pointing at the hosts. "Alright then, we are cancelling Operation 'Miki is a good girl', and changing it to, Operation 'The Best Christmas Ever!'." Lifting a finger with his usual pose, his lips curled into his usual prideful grin. "We are going to throw the best surprise Christmas party ever for Miki's sake! Let's get this show on the road!"

"Yes, sir!"

"Is it really a secret if she knows you are throwing it?" Raising an eyebrow, Haruhi wondered before breaking into a wry chuckle as she watched Tamaki's beaming look. He seemed more than determined to throw something grand for his sister. "Oh well," She chuckled with a small shrug as Tamaki began to give out orders.

As the decorating day became a party preparation day, the staff were eager to get in on the action regarding throwing the best not-so-surprise Christmas party ever for their new lady. The maids and butlers rushed about enthusiastically, getting ready for the party under Tamaki's orders. Miki was told to stay in the west wing of the mansions, not being allowed to approach the central salon as that was where the main party was being held.

Kyoya, being told to go check on her by Tamaki wandered through the French styled archways to find the strawberry blonde, still dressed in her costume, blinking curiously at small plant tied with a red ribbon above her door. Her hazel eyes, as usual, projected every ounce of cluelessness she held towards the strange object.

"What are you doing?" Giving her a weird look, Kyoya asked.

Hearing his voice, Miki spun around as she tore her gaze off of the white berries for a moment. "Kyoya-kun," She greeted, turning her full body around to face him. "I saw Suzuno hanging it up this morning." Lifting her finger, she pointed up at the strange object. "I could identify every single decoration piece in the west wing except for this, what is that thing?" She asked.

Pacing next to her, Kyoya peered up at the leaves hanging above her room door. "Ah, that is called a mistletoe," He smirked, lifting his glasses further up his nose bridge.

"A Mistletoe?" Cocking her head to the side, Miki repeated with furrowed brows. "If I remember correctly, Tamaki-kun warned me with something about this 'Mistletoe'." She hummed.

"Oh yeah? Care to tell what he warned you about?" Placing his hands in his pocket in a laid-back manner, Kyoya questioned.

Closing her eyes, Miki tapped her chin gently as she tried to recall the events that led up to the conversation. She had been designing the last host club production before winter break with a Christmas theme. When she asked Tamaki about the mistletoe', she remembered he said...

Eyes fluttering open, Miki pounded a fist into her hand. "I remember now," She gasped, mouth forming an 'o' shape. "He said to never stand under it with another man, or else I will be attacked..." Her voice trailed off as she felt a hand reach through her fluffy hair and rest against the side of her head, leaning her towards the side and a soft and warm sensation brushed against her cheek. Her eyes widened, and her breath hitched. Kyoya had taken the time when she was talking to lean in and sneak a chaste kiss on her heated cheek.

Almost as quickly as it came, the warmth vanished from her skin as Kyoya moved back with a satisfied smirk on his lips. "He is right in some ways," He stated smugly. "You should avoid mistletoes, or you'll be 'attacked' like you just did." Observing her expression, he couldn't help but feel triumphant in victory. Each time he pulled something like this, it seemed like he was rewarded with a prominent blush on her usually gleaming cheeks.

Miki stared up, left utterly speechless when Kyoya chuckled at her dumbfounded expression. Placing a hand on the back of her head, he pulled her into a loose hug. "Merry Christmas, Miki." His eyes in a downcast as he toyed with her fluffy strawberry blonde hair.

Remaining silent for a moment, Miki finally found her voice somewhere in the back of her throat as her heart rate picked up. As she wondered why she instinctively curled her arms up and under his and buried her face into his chest. "Merry Christmas, Kyoya-kun." She muttered, indulging in the strange sense of calmness she felt as Kyoya continued to thread his fingers through her hair.

"Koganei-san, couldn't you drive faster?" Eagerly waiting in the backseat of the limo, Yuzuru urged on the family driver as he fixed his Santa costume. "I heard Tamaki is throwing a Christmas Eve party for Miki, we need to get there in time! Santa can't be late to deliver the presents!"

"We are almost there, Master Yuzuru." Koganei chuckled as he turned into the gates of the estate. "Please, be patient."

Leaning back as he studied the lights in the brightly lit mansion, Yuzur let out a chuckle as readjusted his beard. "Of course I can't be patient. I want to play Santa Claus for my kids for as long as possible." He muttered. "They are adorable."

A/N: Merry Christmas everyone! I'm sorry this chapter seems so rushed and messy. I was down and out with a cold on Christmas, kinda sucks but I'm glad I got to put this out in the end. I hope you all enjoyed this chapter nevertheless.

I'll see you all next time with your regularly scheduled program of Rapunzel!


	20. 18 Delinquent's Image Change!

_-Chapter 18-_

Delinquent's Image Change! 

"Still, I didn't know late-Edo era cosplay would be so popular." Haruhi hummed, observing her costume's sleeve. With a new day, the host club had a brand new theme, and this time it was of the Edo era. After nights of drafts and colourings, the host club was fully transformed into the Ikeda Shops, fitting of such a historically significant period. Everyone in the host club, including Renge and Miki were wearing kimonos. The ladder, wearing the gift she was given by Tamaki a while back.

"What are you talking about?" The twins appeared behind Haruhi. Hikaru spoke. "That's the basic of the basics."

"There are more girls that like the late-Edo era than you can imagine, especially the Shinsengumi," Kaoru added with an aloof expression.

"And in any case, among those who like it, there are lots of real maniacs," Honey nodded.

"Perhaps the reason for their popularity was their gallantry in giving their young lives for the sake of the country." Renge appeared, slamming open the Japanese screen panel doors dramatically. "In their single-mindedness to live the bushido code, and in the stoic way in which they comported themselves. Or perhaps..." She turned to look at the twins.

Kaoru's eyes widened as he let out a startled gasp. His knees buckled, and he fell forward, his hand clutching at his chest as if he had been shot by an arrow. In a panic, Hikaru grabbed onto his wrist and reeled his brother to his chest, clutching him close.

"Don't you die." Hikaru pled with desperation and urgency.

"I'm done for," Kaoru replied, closing his eyes in defeat as the fangirls squealed in delight.

"...they detect the scent of something forbidden, coming from this gymnasium-type group of young men." Renge completed before snapping around. "Miki-senpai!"

"Yes, Renge-san?" Stepping out behind one of the other corners of the room, the girl in question smiled.

"The Ikeda-ya Inn may indeed be generally well-known," Pulling up a screen and slamming her hands on a desk that appeared out of nowhere, Renge's lectures began as pictures began to play in a slideshow. "But for me, just imagining the back of Hijikata-san, facing the northern lands, following the battle at Toba-Fushimi, sorrowfully wandering, trying to defend the Shinsengumi by himself, I could eat three whole bowls of rice!" She concluded with a dreamy sigh.

"Hijikata... Northern lands... Three bowls of rice..." Nodding as she took notes in her tablet, Miki smiled. "Thank you for your input; I will keep that in mind for next time Renge-san."

"I don't think you need to add the three bowls of rice," Haruhi commented with a sigh.

"Following your advice to not have us cast ourselves in any specific roles, saying it would be better to leave it up to our guests to freely fantasize for themselves, was the right choice." Kyoya wore a smug smirk as he jotted down in his usual notebook.

"Naturally," Renge puffed out her chest in pride. "Still, sure enough, having Haruhi-kun be Okita Soji is perfect."

"He does indeed fit in as the handsome evanescent young swordsman!" Momoka sighed dreamily.

"No, Haruhi-kun, don't die!" Kimiko squealed.

Miki blinked, thinking about Kimiko's words. She was about to go forth and ask Haruhi if she was feeling well, only for Kyoya to stop her.

"Matter of Imagination." He explained, not lifting his eyes from his notebook.

Suddenly there was the sound of something breaking, followed by another round of fans squealing. The hosts turned around, to see Mori had thrust a spear through the red sliding door before him.

"Mori-senpai?!"

"Why the sudden lunge?!"

"Discontent about not getting any attention?"

"Please calm down!" Tamaki shouted defensively. "I know you only get one line every chapter, and we are barely even halfway through this fanfiction, and you never got your own feature, so you must be irritated..."

"Mori-senpai!" Miki's eyes widened as he pulled out the sharp edge of his spear, finally showing the damage he had done to the prop. Running over, she knelt next to the prop as her fingertips traced over them with slight hesitation. "No matter how upset you are, please do not damage the set." She scolded with a pout on her lips.

"Sorry," With a deadpanned face, Mori pulled her hand away and slid the door open. "We have a trespasser." He stated, standing before her to act as a barrier between the designer and the intruder.

Everyone looked down. In the shadows, a male student with red hair was sprawled onto the ground, clearly, a little startled by the spear the suddenly stabbed through the wooden door. He wore a scary scowl and gritted his teeth. "Morinozuka Takeshi!" He shouted, scaring everyone except Honey, Kyoya and Mori himself half to death.

"Surprise Attack?!" They exclaimed in unison.

Just when it seemed like the red-haired boy was about to punch Mori, he instead knelt to the ground and bowed as if they were in a dojo.

"Senpai, please take me on as your apprentice!" He proposed.

"Huh?"

"Kasanoda Ritsu, of 1st year, Class D," Kyoya read from his notebook, sitting on the couch with Haruhi and Miki on either side of him, reading over his shoulder. The twins next to Miki and Tamaki next to Haruhi, staring at Kasanoda. "Heir to the 3rd generation head of the Kasanoda Syndicate, the most powerful line in the whole Kanto area. Admitted to Ouran for high school. He has long red hair and a mean-looking appearance and is taciturn, and without friends. If your eyes meet, you will have bad dreams for three months. If you bump shoulders, you will be sent to the hospital. Those who attempt to talk back to him are sent directly to their graves. Also, he is feared by his classmates as 'the human blizzard."

"So," Tamaki rested his elbows on his knees with a curious expression. "Why does a human weapon like yourself want to become an apprentice of Mori-senpai's?"

"No, Tamaki-kun. It's black magic." Miki corrected him as she leaned forward with a severe expression.

"That's not true." Kasanoda lowered his head. "I'm not a human weapon, neither do I practice black magic. I was just born with a face that makes me look mean."

"Then you're aware of it, Casanova-kun." The twins shrugged with Tamaki nodding.

"It's Kasanoda." The boy corrected.

"Vasanoka?" Miki tapped her chin.

"Kasanoda." Eye twitching, he tried once again. That wasn't even relatively close.

"Bossa Nova?"

Eyes gleaming red, Kasanoda jumped forth and shouted. "I said its Kasanoda! Do you want to die!?"

The twins and Tamaki jumped behind the couch, glaring sheepishly. "He does indeed have a mean look." They spoke.

Realizing that he was scaring the hosts as he did with the rest of his class, Kasanoda leaned back. "Damn it; it's all because of the way I look." He grumbled.

"Really?" Miki blinked, tilting her head to the side. "Once you get used to it, he looks adorable." She commented quietly, her cheeks breaking into a smile.

"I don't think he wants to be called that either..." Haruhi muttered with a sweatdrop.

Not hearing the two exchange words, Kasanoda continued. "From the time I was born, since I was just tyke, my old man would always say 'Cause of this mean look I have...I'm set to be the greatest gangster of our time.' And so, from the time I was little, I was taught how to be a godfather." Running a hand through his fiery red hair, he continued with a pained voice. "Thanks to that gangster's education, nobody ever comes near me. Even my friends got scared and won't get too close anymore. And so, I am all alone. But I really, I, too, would like to play with everyone else, I'd like to play Kick The Can with the people that follow me."

"To be sure, Kick the Can is nice." Tamaki nodded in approval, his elbows resting on the backing of the couch.

"But I don't know how I'm supposed to associate with other people anymore," Kasanoda continued glancing up at Mori, meeting his eyes. "Morinozuka-senpai, that's why I need you to show me. How can you be the way you are? As mean-looking as you are?" Those words seemed to have struck a chord with him as his usual calm and composed face turned to disbelief and shock. Not noticing the change, Kasanoda continued. "Expressionless, unspeaking and unsociable, you've got a mug like a watchdog from hell, so how is it that you're able to get those who are around you to like you so much? Please, teach me your secrets!" Getting out of his seat, Kasanoda bowed his head, once again pressing his forehead on the ground.

Feeling a little defeated by the first-year's unintentionally hurtful words, Mori leaned forward, pinching his nose bridge.

"Takeshi, are you okay?" Honey asked, a little worried.

"I'm a little lightheaded." He replied in a flat tone.

"Sir..." Hikaru began.

"...are you sure we shouldn't do anything?" Kaoru finished.

"No, leave him be," Tamaki closed his eyes. "He said that he wanted to become Mori-senpai's apprentice. Mori-senpai must be the one who decides what to do. This is not something that we can interfere with."

"Tamaki..." Mori's voice was as calm as ever, calling out to the blonde who looked up in response. Once he met eyes with him, Mori gave the king a distressed and desperate look, clearly sending an 'SOS' message.

"Very well. Mori-senpai, if you insist, I, Suoh Tamaki, will do whatever little I can to help you out," Tamaki grinned in secret delight, running a hand through his hair. "Lift your head, Bossa Nova-kun."

"It's Kasanoda."

"For the time being, you can call me King, Bossa Nova-kun," Tamaki continued, paying no attention to his protests.

"I told you-"

"Are you listening, Bossa Nova-kun?"

"Yes, sir." Given up at correcting these dorks to pronounce his name properly, Kasanoda sat up straight.

"There are may be many points of difference between you and Mori-senpai, but there is one definitive thing that you are lacking," Tamaki lifted a finger. "That being a lovely item!"

As Tamaki went on to explain the benefits of a 'lovely item' and how to fix his 'Yankee fashion,' Haruhi, Kyoya and Miki remained on the couch watching the events unfold.

"Does he really need the image change though?" Miki wondered as she leaned on the backing of the sofa, kicking her legs like a child. "I think he's really nice and kinda adorable, just as he is."

"You say that about everyone," Kyoya spoke, still not even sparing a glance at the host's usual antics.

"Once again, I don't think he'd like being called that." Haruhi sighed. "You are still going to join in on whatever Tamaki-senpai comes up with, aren't you?" She raised an eyebrow at Miki.

"Of course." Miki chirped with a firm nod. "Everything is a new experience."

"I don't think this is the kind of 'nex experience' you should have..." Averting her eyes, Haruhi commented.

"Someone's out to get Mori-senpai?" Miki repeated with a blink.

"No doubt about it. I was there when it happened. Clearly, he's gotten on the wrong side of someone." Kasanoda nodded. He had come back for the second time since the twins and Tamaki's combo 'fashion and lovely item image' didn't play out as planned. However, he had also informed them about how two flower pots seemed to have fell atop of him and Mori earlier that morning.

"Oh, no way, no way," Hikaru shut down his claim.

"Mori-senpai would be the last person to get on someone's wrong side," Kaoru added.

"You don't know that for sure," Kasanoda was quick to argue.

"Never mind that, Bossa Nova-kun," Pulling over a whiteboard that has bold words written and a few drawings Miki sketched up, Tamaki declared. "As of today, we start 'Operation Bossa Nova-kun Image-up' in earnest!" With a pointer, he gestured the board.

"Yes, sir!" The twins, Honey and Miki, were quick to join him.

"Hey, just a minute! What do you mean, 'as of today'?!" Kasanoda shouted, the events of the day before not forgotten. "Don't go pretending that thing yesterday didn't happen! Thanks to that, people were even more afraid of me yesterday than usual."

"Bossa Nova-kun, I hope you don't misunderstand." Tamaki gestured behind him. "That thing yesterday was just the twins getting carried away. I hope you'll forgive them."

"We are really behind you on this." Miki nodded, with her signature radiant smile. "Bossa Nova-kun, you are a nice person, and we want everyone to see that." She giggled.

Kasanoda mumbled, lowering his head. "Sorry, I am in your hands."

And with that, all the hosts except for Haruhi gathered by the board and began to discuss their strategy of the day to change Kasanova's image.

"All right, does anyone have any ideas?" Tamaki asked.

"Should we try another outfit?" The twins asked in unison, a prankish grin residing on their faces.

"Absolutely not," Tamaki denied firmly. "Let's tackle the subject of a lovely item instead." He suggested, making a grand gesture. "Something pure, something captivating, something fluffy, like Kuma-chan."

"Should we put angel wings on him?" Miki suggested, raising her hand as if they were in class. "He turned out pretty cute in that drawing." She pointed at the sketch of Kasanoda with angel wings and a halo as well as large anime-like sparkling eyes.

The twins and Tamaki took long stares at the drawing before shaking their head. "No, that won't work." They denied.

"What about giving him a pet?" Honey advised enthusiastically.

"That's a good idea." Tamaki agreed as he placed a hand on his chin, rubbing it as he thought. "What animal would work though?"

"A dog!" Miki tilted her head. "We could let him borrow Antoinette."

"No!" The idea was immediately shut down by Tamaki who shook his head violently.

"A bunny?" Miki tried again.

"I don't think a bunny would look good on a Yakuza." Hikaru pointed out.

"A parrot?"

"Those only look fitting on pirates." Kaoru sighed.

"An alligator!" Miki's eyes sparkled.

"Just what do you find cute, Miki-senpai?!" The twins shouted.

"But they are so cute." Pouting slightly, Miki reasoned. "How about a cat?" She tilted her head.

"That's a good idea!" Tamaki and the twins exclaimed, giving the strawberry blonde a thumbs up in approval.

"Have any of you considered the prohibition of pets on school grounds?" Seeing as the group finally come to an agreement, Kyoya pushed his glasses up, suppressing a sigh.

"Ah." Everyone fell silent.

"Wait! I have a solution." Tamaki raised a finger dramatically as his eyes flashed with an idea. "If we aren't allowed to have pets on school ground, why not dress him like one?"

"Would that really..." Hikaru began.

"...work though?" Kaoru finished.

"Renge-kun told me that kitty-ears are quite effective lovely items." He explained with a proud smirk.

"Then let's do it!" Miki and the twins affirmed.

A little later, Kasanoda stood before the hosts who stared at him with an estranged expression, except for Kyoya who wouldn't even look at him. He wore black cat ears on his head, and they stuck out like a sore thumb.

He looked a little like a grumpy old aged cat your equally grumpy neighbour would have.

There was a collective moment of silence as everyone tried to find their words for how he looked when Honey spoke his opinion.

"He's a cat monster." He stated bluntly.

Quickly, the host club back away and huddled together as they discussed the cat ears.

"What's going on sir?" Hikaru and Kaoru hushed. "You said it would work."

"He looks less cute with those ears on." Miki furrowed her brows.

"That's strange. I was told by Renge-kun that these days, kitty ears are quite the do-it-all lovely item," Tamaki tapped his chin, trying to figure out where his foolproof strategy went wrong.

"Naturally, there are limits to what placing ears on him can do, to temper the frightfulness of his appearance," Kyoya pointed out, his eyes still glued to his notes.

"Sir, that came off pretty weak," Hikaru commented.

"Yeah," Kaoru agreed. "If you're going to do it at all, then look..."

"You've got to go all the way and make him a kitty-eared maid." Presenting a cat maid outfit, the twins proposed.

"Are you guys making fun of me?" Kasanoda growled in annoyance.

So after much convincing, the twins managed to force the outfit onto Kasanoda. Just as they fluffed out the petticoat, there was a slight creak at the door, and a dirty blonde poked his head in.

"Excuse me," He stepped in apologetically. "Is Young Master Kasanoda in here?" He paused when his eyes finally trailed to see... his young master, dressed as a cat maid.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to interrupt your private pastime." Stepping back, he stammered.

"Who are you saying has a private pastime?!" Kasanoda shouted, grabbing the poor boy by the collar in rage. "Damn it! I can't take this anymore!" In his aggression, he tossed the cat ears onto the ground and bolted out of the music room.

"Young Master!" The blonde boy ran after him in a hurry.

"I wonder where Kasanoda-kun could've gone." Miki hummed as she walked with Haruhi, the two of them searching for the red-head in the inner gardens as the rest of the hosts searched other parts of the school courtyard. As they got closer to the pond, they found him sitting on the steps with a straw basket resting on his lap.

"Ah, a sparrow!" Haruhi gasped, looking behind his shoulder.

"Eh?" His head snapping up in alarm, he relaxed a little when he saw the two from the host club. "What are you two doing here?"

"So this is a sparrow, it's so cute." Crouching near him, completely ignoring his question, Miki chuckled. "Huh? What happened to it?" She perked up, noticing the bandage around its wing.

"It got hurt and had fallen down here the other day," Kasanoda informed her. "I took it to a doctor, who said it would heal in no time."

Humming, Haruhi sat down next to him as Miki reached in, stroking the back of her index finger on the head the little bird.

"Can I feed it?" Haruhi requested as Kasanoda stuttered back, looking a little flustered by how close Haruhi was.

Miki blinked a little at how red his face was, and how his eyes darted all over the place. As Haruhi's focus was drawn to the bird, she tilted her head as she knelt down before the two.

"Bossa Nova-kun," She called out to him. "Are you okay?"

"H-Huh?" Snapping around Kasanoda stuttered. "Why wouldn't I be?"

"Your face is completely red." She informed him, pointing at her own cheeks. She began to giggle as she watched him flare up even more, quickly looking away. "I haven't formally introduced myself to you yet, have I?" She bowed her head gently. "Just call me Miki, it's good to meet you." She introduced with a bright smile.

"Y-Yeah," Bowing his head as he pressed his hands to his knees, Kasanoda greeted.

"Bossa Nova-kun, you are a nice person." She stated, looking down at the sparrow in Haruhi's hands as it hopped around, eating up its share of bird feed.

A little surprised by her statement, Kasanoda blinked in confusion.

"I can tell. You can't fool these eyes." She giggled playfully, pointing at her sparkling hazel orbs, even though many people will disagree with that last part. "I don't think you need an image change, you should just be yourself, and then your feelings will surely get across to your followers." She wrapped her arms around her knees as she turned to look at him with a soft smile.

 _She's a freaking cinnamon roll!_ Kasanoda realized as he felt his body tense up in fear.

"Say, say, can I hold him too?" Turning her attention back to Haruhi, she nudged her in the arm like a little girl ready to get her turn on the swings at a playground.

"Miki-senpai, please don't push me like that, you'll scare the sparrow." Haruhi chuckled wryly before gently placing the bird in her eager hands. "Be gentle with it." She reminded.

"Hehe, I will." Feeling the little creature hop around and pick up the bird feed in her hands, Miki giggled. "He's so cute, and his feet are so ticklish."

"Kasanoda-kun, you did a great job nursing him back to health." Haruhi looked up with her natural smile.

Seeing such an adorable expression, Kasanoda jolted up from his seat next to the two girls scratching his head in embarrassment when Honey's voice echoed through the area.

"Look out!"

A can of paint was sent flying over toward the three, straight at Kasanoda who froze up. Luckily, Honey intercepted by kicking the metal object out of the way. Red paint spilled out flying straight towards the bird and Miki who was still trying to comprehend what was happening, but Haruhi acted quickly. Shoving Miki out of the way, as the red paint to splatter over her uniform.

Startled by the sudden movement, the bird spread its wings and soared up towards the sky.

"It flew away," Haruhi commented, not minding the red paint.

"It flew away." With a faint smile, Kasanoda let out a sigh of relief.

"Looks like it's going to be fine now." Miki beamed, waving at the bird. "Bye-Bye!"

"Haruhi!" Tamaki cried comical tears as he squealed, Kyoya following close behind. "Is that blood on you?"

"No, I just got some paint on me, that's all," Haruhi commented.

"Thank you for pushing me out of the way," Miki stood up and furrowed her brows worriedly. "Are you alright?"

"It's just some paint, senpai." Standing up, Haruhi overlooked her stain uniform. "I'll live."

"Are you sure you're alright, Fujioka?" Kasanoda followed up.

"Mm-hm."

"Let go of me, you bastard!"

"You big behemoth!"

Two unfamiliar yet also oddly familiar voices tore through the courtyard as Mori emerged behind some hedges, dragging two struggling students in his hands.

"This is dirty of you, Kasanoda!" One of the two shouted. "Not only do you kidnap our boss's kid, but you're also using musclemen like this one! You rotten kidnapper! Give us back the young master!"

"Silence, you ruffians!" The twins raised an eyebrow. "Here's some rope!"

"What's this about?" Kasanoda looked utterly confused as the twins tied the male students up.

"You know what?" Honey smiled, holding Usa-chan. "You were the one they were after all along, Bossa Nova-kun. We decided not to say anything until we caught the culprits. To avoid having any disturbance, you know?" He tilted his head, Mori pacing up behind him.

"So then, you helped me." Kasanoda looked dumbfounded as he paced up to Mori. "Why?"

Gently, the silent giant placed his hand on his head. "We can tell just by looking, who the bad guys are." He stated simply.

Kasanoda's eyes widened as he heard those words. He quickly turned his head to meet Miki's eyes. She merely smiled knowingly at him, hiding her arms behind her back.

Haruhi, who stood beside her glanced down at her arms before turning to look at Tamaki. "I'm gonna go change my clothes." She informed him.

"Need some help?" The twins teased.

"No thanks." Haruhi narrowed her eyes in annoyance, quickly shutting down the idea.

"Once again, thank you for protecting me." In gratitude, Miki bowed once more.

Waving her hands as she walked towards the building, Haruhi shook her head. "It's what anyone would've done, don't worry about it." And with that, she was off.

Just as she left, a new figure joined the group and quickly loomed over them. Miki looked up, recognizing him as the dirty blonde who entered the club room earlier. "You dumbasses!" He yelled, kicking both tied up goons in the chest.

"Hey!" Miki was about to run forth to stop him, but Kyoya quickly pulled her back.

"Not your place." He warned her in a low voice, earning a worried glance from her.

"Tetsuya...You're..." Kasanoda muttered.

"I'm terribly sorry for not telling you," The boy named Tetsuya knelt to the ground and lowered his head. "I am Sendo Tetsuya, son of the godfather of the Kanto branch of the Sendo Syndicate. I have long been opposed to the any-means-necessary methods of the Sendo Syndicate, and at length, one rainy day, a year ago, I got into a big blowup with my old man and ran away from home." He explained. "I had nowhere to go, so I sat in the rain as people passed by without sparing me a second glance. It was then, young master. You're exactly the sort of person I thought you'd be when I first saw you. Afterward, when I went to join with the Kasanoda Syndicate, you accepted me with kindness. I know, Young Master, that you're more self-conscious and awkward than most people, and yet, you're warmer than most people." He spoke with a nostalgic smile, clearly whatever happened that rainy day remained crystal clear in his mind.

Kasanoda seemed awestruck at Tetsuya's words as he merely stood there with a flabbergasted expression.

"And it's not just me," Tetsuya smiled. "Everyone in the syndicate knows. They just don't say anything since it would embarrass you." He then bowed his head deep, demonstrating his loyalty and dedication towards his master. Miki's heart stung a little as she was quickly reminded of someone else who had just as much loyalty as Tetsuya. "I, Sendo Tetsuya, wished to be someone like you, Young Master, so I cut my ties with the Sendo Syndicate and consigned myself to make my home among the Kasanoda Syndicate. Please, allow me to remain at your side, Young Master, from here on out, as well." He paused, looking back up with a flustered smile. "Oh right!" Reaching into his bag, he pulled out an umbrella and offered it to the redhead. "Here. The weather is turning bad, so please keep this. If our 4th were to get a cold, everyone would worry."

"You guys..." Lips curling Kasanoda took the umbrella, averting his eyes. "I will use it, then."

"What a great story!" The twins cried into their handkerchieves while Miki clapped excitedly.

"Oh," Turning to Miki, Kasanoda bowed. "I'm sorry Miki-senpai, because of me you almost got paint all over you."

Immediately waving her hands, Miki laughed wryly. "No, you don't need to apologize to me. Haruhi was the one who protected both of us. If anything, you should apologize to her-him." She quickly corrected herself.

"Right, I should go apologize to him too." Scratching his head, Kasanoda looked down.

"Haru-chan went to the club room to go change." Honey informed him, leaning forward playfully.

"Oh, thanks. I'll be right back."

"Right. Oh, Young Master!" Tetsuya called after him. "Let's play Kick The Can later!"

"Yeah!"

As she stared at the redhead runoff, Miki tilted her head as she watched his figure fade. A little confused on why they sent him off when Haruhi was changing, did he already know Haruhi's gender?

"We've done a good thing here!" Tamaki nodded in pride, hugging a still confused Miki close by the shoulder.

"Sir, you didn't do anything this time, did you?" Hikaru and Kaoru commented.

"More importantly, doesn't anyone care?" Kyoya questioned, turning to jot stuff down in his notebook once again "Haruhi went to go change clothes."

After a few moments of silence, the trio yelled in unison.

"MA!"

Quickly the chasing after Kasanoda, Tamaki grabbed Miki by the arm and dashed back into the school building.

"I can't believe we got careless!" The blonde cried. "Haruhi! Wait for me! Daddy's coming!"

"I thought you guys already told him about Haruhi." Miki's face remained blank, despite the fact that she was being dragged up the stairs by her brother.

"Miki-senpai, why didn't you say anything?!" The twins shouted, bolting up the stairs at lightning speed.

"No one asked." Miki blinked, stating it as if it were a matter of fact.

Before either Tamaki or the twins could form a rebuttal, Music Room #3 was in the distance and a shocked voice that echoed out.

"MA!"


	21. 19 Delinquent's Rejected Confession!

_-Chapter 19-_

 **Delinquent's Rejected Confession!**

Quickly arriving in the prep room, the hosts immediately surrounded the poor guy who was drawing heavy breaths out of shock. Not giving him a chance to breathe, the twins quickly surrounded him.

"You-saw-it-eh?" They glared at the redhead with gleaming eyes, not caring if he let out a shriek as his legs began to quake visibly.

"You saw?" Hikaru asked.

"You saw it didn't you, Bossa Nova-chi?"

"I didn't look," Kasanoda quickly shook his head, before mistakenly correcting himself. "No, I did get a glance...but it was just for a second, so I didn't look...No, I did see what I saw, but no, I wasn't looking." His indecisiveness caused the hosts each to glare at him curiously. Tamaki was completely pale while Miki blinked, still a little confused on how severe the situation was.

Honey appeared before him with a dark expression. "I think that people who can't make up their minds are scum." He said before turning away, causing Kasanoda to be sent through another wave of panic.

"So Fujioka is really a girl?" Kasanoda mustered through his horror.

"He appears to have learned Haruhi's secret," Kaoru said to his brother with a severe expression.

"This is not good." Hikaru agreed.

"How much did you see?" They asked, turning back Kasanoda who still had his back leaned against. "How much of Haruhi's soft, maiden skin, unknown to us, did you see?"

Kasanoda looked down sheepishly. "Like I said..." He muttered. "She was changing... So I saw her in her... underwear."

"You saw Haruhi in her underwear?!" The twins yelled.

Immediately, Miki understood what was going on. "Kyoya-kun," She turned to him who narrowed his eyes at the red-head. "That sexual harassment, right?" Her lips were forming a slight frown.

"Very much so," He replied emotionlessly, his icy tone sending a shiver down Kasanoda's spine. Miki then narrowed her eyes as her body shied away hiding behind Kyoya's slightly larger frame.

"That's not nice," Miki furrowed her brows as her lips formed a crescent pout, causing Kasanoda to stiff up out of guilt for disappointing a 'cinnamon roll.'

"What do we do?" Kaoru wondered.

"There's no two ways about it," Hikaru replied, taking out a wooden baseball bat as Kaoru held Kasanoda by the arms. "First thing we have to do is clobber him, and make him lose his memory."

"Now, now, stop that. It's a lot of trouble to cover up a crime caused by bludgeon." Kyoya intervened.

"Why can you be so calm, Kyoya-senpai?" Hikaru raised the bat. "Just look," He gestured Tamaki who was pale and curled up in the corner, completely pale and his brain not functioning. "His Highness is in such great shock; he's a mere husk of himself."

"Yeah, Kyoya-kun." Miki nodded eagerly. "It's not only sexual harassment, but it's extremely rude to spy on a girl changing."

"I didn't intend to!" Kasanoda attempted to justify himself. "It was by accident."

"Well, now that the secret is out, we'll just have to discuss this," Kyoya continued, pushing up his glasses. His eyes were glaring in the reflection of the light. "Kasanoda-kun. Haruhi is hiding the fact that she is a girl due to certain circumstances. We have no right to make you keep mum about this. However, would you at least remember this much? Being a son from one of those sorts of families, you must have heard a number of rumours. If you make enemies of the Ootori family, the Ootori private police known in Japan's financial circles as the Black Onion Squad will be mobilized. Such is a situation that, of course, we'd like to avoid, right?" Looking up, he offered Kasanoda a very unsettling, unbalanced smile as a dark aura emitted from him.

"Hey, stop threatening Kasanoda-kun already." Haruhi scolded them, stepping out of the prep room. "I'm sorry for scaring you." She told him.

"Fujioka..."

"It's okay if you tell others," Completely calm, Haruhi told him. "I don't mind."

"But Haruhi." Miki protested. "Wouldn't it be embarrassing if he told others about seeing you in your undergarments?" Causing Kasanoda's face to be flushed as he remembered the sight of Haruhi half naked.

"Of course, please don't tell others that." Haruhi sweatdropped with a wry laugh.

Seeing Haruhi's smile, Kasanoda's cheeks turned beet red. He was completely silent.

"Oh, my, Bossa Nova-chi, now that you've seen her in her underwear, are you in love with Haruhi?" They asked, causing the redhead to flinch.

Miki's eyes widened as he looked up at Kasanoda, curious to find him hiding his face.

"Miki-chan! Miki-chan!" The classroom was now mostly empty as everyone quickly scattered to do to their respective club rooms. Miki was staying behind to complete a little more work when Sora bounced over a while after the bell rang, heels lifting and lowering in pure excitement. "Kotaro-kun had the fresh batch of cookies I bake him!" She squealed. "He loved them so much!"

"I'm glad it worked out for you." Miki beamed up, setting her bag down next to her on the ground.

"Miki-chan's love advice is super effective." Kazehara Sumire, one of Sora's friends nodded in agreement as she stepped over. "I managed to confess to my crush just the other day thanks to her." She cupped her cheeks dreamily as she let out a sigh. "She really is Aphrodite in disguise."

Sora gasped in amazement. "Really? What advice did she give you?"

"She suggested for me to get us alone together, at a time where nothing could bother us." Sumire twirled around as she remembered the events. "He said yes! It was so romantic."

"Congratulations, Sumire-chan." Sora and Miki clapped for their friend's success excitedly.

"Say, say, Miki-chan." Sora leaned forward, planting her hands on her desk. "How is it your advice is so effective? Do you have a secret boyfriend we don't know about?" She teased with a wink.

Hearing her idea, Miki blinked. "I don't, I've never dated anyone before." She replied in a manner that couldn't even be teased on as denial.

"So then how is it so effective?" Sumire pressed on, also curious to know how the strawberry blonde could give out such amazing love advice despite having no experience in the field.

Humming Miki tapped her chin repeatedly, trying to pinpoint exactly how she gives them advice. "I just say what's on my mind." She concluded, lifting a finger as if that was a valid answer. Sora and Sumire comically slumped their shoulders, letting out an exasperated sigh. Miki tilted her head quizzically before suddenly remember something.

"By the way, Sora-san-"

"Sora-chan." The girl with chestnut brown hair corrected, with a playful poke at her friend's head.

"Sora-chan, Sumire...chan," Miki laughed uneasily before her face turned blank. "Could you two tell me, how does it feel to be in love?" Thoughtfully, she asked the two girls who stared back at her with an equally dumbfounded expression.

"What do you mean by that?" Sora raised an eyebrow quizzically. "Dating, I understand. But have you never been in love or even liked another person before?"

Miki shook her head cluelessly, her fluffy hair swaying behind her.

"I see," Stepping back, Sumire cupped her cheeks as she studied Miki with a hint of pity. "I can see how that's an issue then. Even if you were to fall in love at this point, you would have no way of knowing right?"

"Miki-chan, are in love with someone?" Sora urged on, her expression turned hopeful.

Suddenly, an image of Kyoya flashed across her mind when Sora mentioned the possibility of her being in love. Then, the spot where he kissed her on the cheek began to heat up. She quickly shook her head, averting her eyes as she wondered about the heat of blood that rushed to her cheeks. "I'm merely curious, that's all."

"Hmm, let's see..." Pursing her lips, Sora tapped her chin. "For me, love is like the sky," She began with her eyes closed. "It's clear on certain days, cloudy on others. It changes like night and day, rain or shine. And when you look up certain times, you can find a million starlike specks in Kotaro-kun's eyes!"

"Finding stars in their eyes?" Miki tilted her head. "Isn't that a little... strange?"

"I think that may only apply to Kotaro-san." Sumire sweatdropped as she chuckled attempted to explain herself. "I'd like to say love is like chocolate." She described with a whimsical sigh. "It's sweet, it melts with just a little heat and makes my heart beat so fast, it's about to burst."

Miki blinked rapidly at her description.

 _The heart is about to burst?_ She wondered. _Wasn't that dangerous?_

"Sumire-chan, I thought you only had eyes for Honey-senpai and Mori-senpai." Sora grinned. "To think you'd actually go and confess your crush like that."

"I enjoy the Moe." Sumire retorted with a proud smirk. "Renge-san's 'Moe Moe Ouran Diaries' are a fantastic read by the way-" Her voice trailed off once she heard her phone began to ring in her bag. She quickly reached into it, fishing out her phone. "Oh, speaking of her." She answered the phone with a bright smile. "Hello? Renge-san?"

"Hello? Sumire-san! Get over here right now! " Renge's overly excitable voice poured through the earpiece of the phone. Faint mutters and whispers could be heard in the background.

"Eh?" Sumire blinked. "But I have violin less-"

"Never mind today's violin lesson. Come to the Host Club at once. You're going to see something amazing!" And with that Renge hung up, leaving on a high note.

The three girls quickly exchanged glances, packed up and headed over to music room #3.

Once they got there, Miki quickly joined the hosts, par Haruhi and Tamaki, who was hidden behind a pillar. The expressions on Hikaru and Kaoru's faces were particularly gleaming. Everyone in the room was whispering amongst themselves, staring at Haruhi and one of her clients while Tamaki sat on the side, stiff as a robot, fiddling with someone. Upon a closer look, Miki's eyes widened as she realized Haruhi's client was none other than Kasanoda.

"Why is Bossa Nova-kun sitting with Haruhi?" Miki asked, round-eyed. "Did he request her?"

"You are late," Kyoya stated as he wrote in his notebook as usual.

"Ah, Miki-chan! You're here!" Honey greeted her with a bright smile. "Yeah, Bossa Nova-chi requested Haru-chan."

"Why?"

"Isn't it obvious Miki-senpai..." Turning around Hikaru sighed.

"... because Bossa Nova-chi is in love with Haruhi." Kaoru finished, pointing at the three.

Miki blinked in curiosity as she glanced back at the sight before them. Something seemed to have clicked in Tamaki's hands as he raised them with pride, he stiffly turned to Haruhi who was speaking with Kasanoda over tea. "Haruhi, I solved it." He said in a monotonous voice. "I solved the puzzle rings." He muttered.

"That was fast." Haruhi praised. "Now then, please try and re-attach them." She instructed.

"Ma!"

"What is Tamaki-kun doing there?" Miki asked, watching as her brother fiddled with two rings, trying to re-attach them.

"He was supposed to fix everything, but right now he is just being an idiot." Ranting, Hikaru pulled out his phone and quickly dialled up Tamaki's number. After a few rings, he picked up.

"Ma?" From the sound of it, his soul was entirely out of his body.

"Come on, sir. How long are you going to escape from reality?" Hikaru growled into the phone. "I'm warning you, sir, while you're there being a robot, the situation is rapidly becoming more serious."

"Ma..."

"Listen," Hikaru continued, Kaoru and Miki over his shoulder. "Think about this carefully, if you let things go like this and Bossa Nova-chi snatches Haruhi away. Haruhi's future is going to be the wife of a godfather, an 'Ane-san!" You know?!"

"Anee-san?" Miki repeated as she back away from Hikaru. "Big sister? What's so wrong with that?" She turned to Kyoy curiously.

"It's a way of addressing a mobster's wife." He explained as Miki gasped in horror. Glancing up from his notes, at Tamaki who suddenly snapped out of his robot trace and jumped up, yelling the words. 'Daddy is against it.'

"Bossa Nova-kun!" He shouted, grabbing Kasanoda's collar with his eyes flaming and recharged with fury. "What do you think you're doing here?! Now that you've finally established a bond with your fellas, what good does it do now not to strengthen it?! What about kick the can?! Go on, now. Go on, right now. Shouldn't you be enjoying your youth to your heart's content?! However, after all of this, if you mean to tell me that you still want to become close with my precious Haruhi!" Swinging the poor kid around, he finally let go and thrust a finger out and growled. "Then you'll have to defeat me, her father first!"

Kasanoda blinked. "Father? You mean, her father? You are Fujioka's father? As young as you are?" He questioned, raising an eyebrow in disbelief.

Tamaki's eyes turned blank as he blinked. "Maybe we aren't related by blood, but..." He stammered.

"Then, you have some sort of relationship with her mother?" Kasanoda pursued.

Beginning to crack under pressure, Tamaki drew away sheepishly. "No, I don't. I've never even met her." He admitted.

"The, you aren't her father, are you?" With those sharp words, Kasanoda sent a bone-chilling glare towards Tamaki who, in a daze walked away completely pale.

"Wah, Tama-chan. Keep it together," Honey cried, catching the blond as he fell towards the ground.

"Tamaki-kun!" Miki called out, quickly running to his side, helping Honey straighten her brother out.

"He's right. Strictly speaking, I am not Haruhi's daddy," Tamaki murmured in her arms.

"Not loosely speaking, either!" The twins pointed out as the hosts gathered around him.

"Tamaki-kun..." Miki hummed as she helped him up. "Did you think you were actually Haruhi's father?" She blinked.

Those words sent a jolt through Tamaki's system. "Hold on; I need to sort this out." Wiggling his way out of his sister's grasps, Tamaki curled up into a ball and hid his face in the sleeve of his jacket.

"Sort what out?" Kaoru asked.

"If, supposing...Supposing that I am not Haruhi's father..."

"Like, we said, there is no supposing about it." Hikaru groaned.

"Then why is it that I find Haruhi to be so cute and precious?" Tamaki finished, as everyone else's eyes widened.

"Sir, what are you talking?" Kaoru muttered.

"Why is it that I get so concerned that I can't stand it when Haruhi's with someone else?" Tamaki asked, "If I'm not Haruhi's daddy, then I shouldn't have any right to interfere with her."

"What exactly was with all of those delusions of you making her your wife up to now?" Hikaru raised an eyebrow.

"Is that strange?" Tamaki fussed. "Fathers usually don't wish to give their girls up to other men as brides, do they?"

"What about keeping Haruhi from kissing anyone?" Kaoru stuttered, in disbelief that Tamaki was such an idiot.

"Is it wrong to protect a daughter's cute lips?"

"I get it. Indeed. I did think that your lovey-dovey delusions lacked any sense of reality on a daily basis. But..." Kyoya pushed up his glasses.

"Tama-chan is really clueless when it comes to himself after all." Honey giggled.

Suddenly, Haruhi's voice could be heard across the room. One that caused Tamaki, who was sulking to jump up for joy.

"But Senpai is a lot like my dad in some areas."

Suddenly beaming with energy, Tamaki jumped up to his feet with a proud grin. "Did you hear that gentlemen?" He chuckled. "Haruhi just said that I was a lot like a father."

"Well, to be more precise, in the sense that Haruhi's father and you share a few similar personality traits, you being their father-" Kyoya's observations were quickly interrupted by Tamaki who jolted up with a prideful expression

"That's it. That's it. I may not be her daddy, but I am like a daddy." Letting out a sigh in relief, Tamaki cried comical tears.

"Looks like you aren't listening," Kyoya commented.

"Is there really nothing more?" Muttering under her breath, Miki glanced up at the blond who was in a daze from relief.

"There it is! There it is! There it is! Kasanoda-kun made his move!" Renge's passionate voice tore through Tamaki's self-revelation and announced the development between Haruhi and Kasanoda. Everyone quickly darted their eyes over, eagerly watching as if what was playing was some intense sports game.

"Fujioka!" Kasanoda leaned in, his body trembling as he stared into her doe-brown eyes. "I... like..." Those words seemed to have struck a chord with Tamaki who's gasp was barely audible. "Fujioka, I... I..." The tension swirling in the air was even detectable by Miki, who stood up and stared at the two curiously.

Realizing that Kasanoda was never going to finish his sentence, Haruhi deiced to help him. Or so she thought...

"Friends that share the same values are nice, aren't they?" Haruhi chimed, letting out a relaxing sigh before standing up. "I could never have anyone I could talk like this before. They're great... Friends like that." Haruhi smiled down genuinely at Kasanoda, whose face was as pale as a sheet.

"Well, he got shot down," Renge muttered.

"He got shot down, huh?" Suddenly, whispers began to spread through the crowd of girls.

"He got cut off before he could even confess his love."

"And got told that they were just friends twice, there."

"That's just like being told, 'Let's just be good friends.'"

"That poor guy."

"Poor guy..."

After a moment of silence from all the mutters and condolences for Kasanoda, the redhead turned away from Haruhi. "We'll always be friends, you and me, right?"

"Yep!" Haruhi nodded, utterly oblivious to what had just happened.

"Bossa Nova-chi!" The twins and Honey cooed.

"Kasanoda-kun." The guests began to cry into their handkerchieves.

"Kasanoda-kun..." Renge repeated. "...that was beautiful. Thank you for moving me." She shrieked, cupping her hands before her chest.

At that point, Miki's mind was beginning to short circuit from the confusion. Too much was happening at the same time. Why were they all crying?

"Thank you for moving us," The girls repeated as they all quickly rn forward and surrounded Kasanoda who was still in shock from being completely rejected.

"We'll be your friends, too!"

"That was magnificent."

"Thanks for the moe."

"We'll be your friends, too, Bossa Nova-chi!" Hikaru agreed.

"Let's play kick the can together!" Kaoru cried, offering him a can.

"I'm your senpai, but I'll be your friend. You can borrow Usa-chan," Honey offered, shoving the pink bunny in his face.

"I will include a big special on you in Moe Moe Ouran Diaries, Vol. 11," Renge sobbed as he platform lowered back into the ground. "Take care, now." She waved dramatically.

"Kyoya-kun..." Miki muttered, watching as the girls swarmed around Kasanoda like flies to a fruit. "Why is everyone crying?" She questioned.

"Kasanoda was attempting to profess his love for Haruhi," Kyoya explained, pushing up his glasses. "He was rejected, yet took it well."

"Eh? That was a confession?" Miki gasped, completely stunned. "But he didn't even confess." She pointed out.

"He was what they call being 'friend-zoned.'"

Miki blinked as she dissected the word, humming and feeling a little sorry for Kasanoda. She suddenly remembered Sumire's words. "Kyoya-kun, are there any diseases that can cause your heart to burst?" She blurted out.

A little taken aback by the seemingly unrelated question, Kyoya rubbed his chin. "There are a few, but why ask?"

"Because," Looking back at the crowd gathered around Kasanoda, Miki quickly found Sumire and Sora in the group. "I asked Sumire-san about the feeling of love. And she told me her heart was going to burst because of it." She stated. "If love can do that to a person, I don't think I want to exp-"

"That is an expression." Eye twitching, Kyoya interrupted, regretting his order to ask them.

"Really?" Miki's eyes widened in bewilderment.

"If you want to understand love, ask Tamaki." He stated with a hint of smugness to his voice, nudging his chin down at the blond who knelt on the ground and watched the scene before him with a mixture of relief and a new sense of tenseness.

"Hm?" Crouching down next to him, Miki tried to look at the view from his point. "What's wrong Tamaki-kun?" She asked him as instructed.

"When I think about the way Bossa Nova-kun was feeling, and I think about if he was feeling that towards Haruhi, my heart aches a little," Tamaki spoke, his ocean eyes never leaving Haruhi.

"Does it?" Miki asked as she touched her own chest, seeing if it was the same for her.

"That's strange. You are Haruhi's daddy, right?" Kyoya smirked at his best friend, "There shouldn't be any reason for you, as a man, to have your heart ache with sympathy toward him."

 _Heartache... of sympathy?_

Miki's eye stayed glued to Tamaki as she hummed thoughtfully for a moment, before trailing her vision to Haruhi who was also in the midst of the crowd. For a second there, she felt like she had a clue what Kyoya was implying. She wondered.

 _Does Tamaki-kun...?_

"Hyper Starlight Kick!"

With Tamaki's signature kick, a new round of kick the can, as a symbol of friendship with Kasanoda began. The guests and hosts all quickly scattered in multiple directions. Taking Haruhi by the hand, Tamaki quickly ran away towards the hedge maze, where they hid last time when they played with the newspaper club.

Miki giggled as she ushered Kyoya over behind her, trying to keep as quiet as she could. She guessed that the two of them might be hiding there, so they were about to crash their party when they spotted Hikaru and Kaoru also dashing in that direction.

Together, the four of them peaked under the table of the same rose-covered pavilion.

"Found you~" Miki giggled, pointing at them with a triumphant grin.

"What, you guys?!" Tamaki snapped with a protective tone. "This is Haruhi and my secret hiding spot."

"Don't decide that by yourself!" Kaoru whined.

"Besides, why does Haruhi have to hide with you, milord?" Hikaru pointed out.

"That's right, as long as we don't get found, we will be fine." Miki crouched down.

"Fool! It's given that fathers hide with their daughters. If anything, I'll let Miki in." He bargained. "The rest of you go find somewhere else!"

"I don't see the necessity of that." Kyoya teased.

"Shhh! Be quiet!" Haruhi hushed.

Above the group, hiding in a tree was Honey and Mori. The two of the overlooked their underclassmen of the club as they bantered back and forth about their hiding spot.

"It's clear that Hika-chan is the unconscious developing type, but Tama-chan clearly likes Haru-chan." Honey deduced as he looked down at the two mentioned. "Yet he's so dense he doesn't even realize it himself, right?"

"Yeah." Mori agreed.

"In some way, I think Kao-chan has feelings for Haru-chan as well," Looking down at said twin who was watching his brother argue with Tamaki, Honey sighed. "But he's too worried about Hika-chan for him to notice."

"Yeah."

"So the problem is Kyo-chan and Miki-chan," He said, looking at the two mentioned before giggling. "I never expected Kyo-chan to end up having feelings for a girl. I guess Miki-chan really caught him off guard, considering how his original intentions were purely out of his benefits."

"Yeah."

"Miki-chan is a little, different. It feels like she has a disconnect with her emotions." The lolita commented as he rested his arm on the branch he sat on, chuckling wryly. "I suppose it's only fair. If she didn't do that, she'd probably be overwhelmed with loneliness ever since she was a child. But time is running out, isn't it? The school festival is barely two months away." Honey sighed once again as he looked up at the sky. "Will there be any kind of development before we graduate?" He wondered.

"Who knows?"

A/N: HAPPY NEW YEARS EVE EVERYONE! OR HAPPY NEW YEARS WHEREVER YOU ARE!

If you can't tell, I have rearranged the chapters just a little as mentioned before. So Halloween will come AFTER this as well as the Lobelia girls. I did this just to establish a bit of a timeline. Right now we are floating around the tail end of September in the story, and trust me. The next few months in the story is going to get hectic so be ready!

For those of you who don't understand what Honey was saying at the end of this chapter, I will explain in a little more detail. In a way, Miki is very emotionless, just not in the way one may think. To combat her loneliness when she was young, she numbed herself to all negative emotions such as sadness, loneliness and jealousy. As Honey says, if she didn't she would end up wallowing in her sadness and loneliness to the point of breaking. She subconsciously did this to protect herself from her unfortunate circumstances. However, by being outside and experiencing more things, she is opening herself up to experiencing these new emotions, to the point where she is super confused. This is why it's taking her so long to understand her feelings towards Kyoya. She already has so many things on her plate. (Besides, if you haven't picked up already. This is a slow burn romance, enjoy the ride~)

With that, see you next year!

XOXO,

Astra.

P.S. Arden side story is now in the works~


	22. 20 The Lobelia Girl Strike Again!

_-Chapter 20-_

The Lobelia Girls Strike Again! 

"I'm going out," Haruhi called out routinely as she left her apartment complex dressed in her t-shirt and shorts, her father following her to the door.

"Come back safely." Ranka chanted.

Walking down the staircase, Haruhi froze when she spotted a familiar girl with strawberry blonde hair, wearing one of her signature chiffon dresses and radiant smile.

"Good Morning!" Miki was waving excitedly.

Ranka leaned over the balcony railing with a hum in adoration. "Why if it isn't Miki-chan, good morning. Are you here to hang out with Haruhi?" He greeted.

"Hello, Ranka-san." Bowing politely, Miki beamed. "Yes, she told me she was going to the supermarket. I felt like I must tag along." Clapping her hand together, she sighed dreamily.

Haruhi felt her eye twitch. She instantly regretted telling her about her trip to the supermarket, because who would be so excited as to bolt over five minutes after that text was sent? To go to the supermarket of all places?

She would.

"Miki-senpai, it's just a trip to the supermarket. You don't have to come all the way over here to-"

She was quickly cut off when her upperclassman looped her arm around her's. "Come on, Haruhi! The market isn't going to stay open forever." Ignoring the brunette's protests, Miki chimed as she began to drag her off with a cheerful bounce to her step.

"It's a twenty-four-hour supermarket..." Murmuring under her breath, Haruhi sighed in resignation that her day was going to be stuck with this overly-energetic girl.

"Ahh, youth..." Resting his cheek against his palm, Ranka hummed when suddenly two shadows darted over and grabbed both girls by the arm, startling them.

"Abduction..."

"...Complete!"

"Huh? What the..." Haruhi muttered, still trying to process the situation.

"Kidnapping?" Miki blinked.

Suddenly, a limo pulled over, and a window rolled down, revealing Benibara wearing sunglasses. She glanced at the two girls with a prideful smirk. "All right, take them in."

"Tama-chan, where is Miki-chan?" Climbing up the rigid staircase, Honey asked as he clutched Usa-chan closer to himself.

Hearing that name, the blond couldn't help but let his face and shoulders drop a little at the mention of that name. "She left me..." He muttered.

"Huh?" Raising an eyebrow, the twins pursued.

"This morning, she dashed out of her room and just left without saying anything to me..." Looking down dejectedly, Tamaki explained gloomily. "She's going through a rebellious phase." He sulked with comical tears streaming down his face as he held onto the cake box and began plucking at the perfectly tied bow.

"Don't you think it's cause she's gotten sick of you, milord?" The twins grinned mischievously as they suggested, watching as Tamaki become defeated by those words.

"Anyways, we are going to see Haru-chan now, so cheer up Tama-chan." Honey chuckled at how worried Tamaki was, watching as his mood quickly swing back around, and he was once again filled with smiles.

"Haruhi-chan, come out and play!" They chanted.

However, the one who opened the door wasn't Haruhi; it was a very groggily looking Ranka. "Huh?" He ran a hand through his tangled auburn hair, looking visibly annoyed at the intruders.

After a brief moment of silence, the seven turned to shuffle away. "Sorry, we have the wrong door," Tamaki muttered.

"Huh? Hey, hey, hey." Quickly snapping out of his hazy state, Ranka chased after the hosts and piled them back into the house. "Don't go so patently looking like, 'Oops, we just saw the tranny without his make-up, which we weren't supposed to see.' Even I have a bit of a beard when I've just woken up." He groaned.

"Hahaha... Ranka-san, you seem to be in good humour today-" Laughing uneasily, Tamaki leaned forth to try and greet the man only to wholly ignored when the man walked past him and swiped the cake box out of his hands.

"My, everyone, it's been so long! How are you?" His mood seemed to have flipped around once he had the cake in his hands as his voice just rose up into a higher pitch. "You'll have to forgive my dreadful appearance. I'm so glad you came."

"Is Haru-chan here?" Honey questioned.

"I'm sorry, Haruhi is out today. She met up with Miki-chan and some girlfriends of their picked them up early this morning, and they went out together with them." Ranka explained, eyes scanning over the assortment of cakes in the box.

"So that's where she went." The twins chimed.

"She's not home, huh?" Honey pouted.

"Well, I guess I should be glad that Miki is making other friends and hanging out with some of Haruhi's middle school friends, or whomever..." With his shoulders slumped once again, Tamaki and the rest of the hosts began to leave.

"It's kinda hard to imagine, huh?" The twins spoke in unisons with their hands over their heads.

"You see, this is why I was against a surprise visit," Kyoya commented.

"These girls weren't from her middle school days," Turning to close the door, Ranka explained nonchalantly. "But then, that's my little girl, having friends such as them. I mean, students from the famous Lobelia Girl's Academy coming all the way over here for her-" He was about to turn and close the doors when the hosts all bolted back over with terrified expressions.

"What did you say?!" Tamaki began to panic.

"Lo-"

"-be-"

"-li-"

"-aah!" They gasped in horror.

"My, how lovely you look! We have two little fairies here!" Chizuru squealed as she, Hinako and Benibara snuggled both Haruhi and Miki, who were practically forced into the Lobelia uniform.

"I think you should become a student now even more!" Hinako agreed.

"Gorgeous," Benibara gasped with tears in her eyes, letting go of the two. "It's almost as if that uniform were designed just for the two of you."

"Hold on!" Haruhi cried. "Please tell me what's happening! I don't know what's going on."

"I agree." Cupping her chin as she stared at a mirror in the dressing room, Miki let out a sigh. "This uniform doesn't suit me at all. The red and pink are clashing with my hair colour and washing me out, I much prefer the Ouran uniform."

"That's not the point Miki-senpai!" Snapping back to the Lobelia girls, Haruhi huffed. "We were going to the supermarket to do some shopping when you brought us here. You folks are just like the people in the host club." She grumbled.

"Maiden, stop that! Of all the people to compare us to, those guys?!" Benibara exclaimed in a fury before quickly calming down. "Oh, forgive me. It's only natural that you'd be angry. In all of our haste, we brought you here in your bedclothes."

"No, those aren't bedclothes, they're what I usually wear." Haruhi sweatdropped.

"Eh? Really?" Miki gasped, touching her finger to her mouth. "Those were your casual clothes? Haruhi, why don't you ask Hikaru and Kaoru for a little help, I'm sure they'll provide better clothes for you." She leaned forth with knitted brows and sparkling eyes, speaking genuinely.

"No, no thanks I'm good." Turning away with a deadpanned face, Haruhi mumbled.

"We have but have one request of each you, I apologize we had to ask this of you on the weekend. From our observations, maiden, you seem to go home in a limo under the protection of that obnoxious man, making it impossible for us to approach both of you after school hours." Benibara explained as she gestured Miki.

"Have they been stalking us...?" Haruhi averted her eyes, wondering how much time they had on their hands.

"That's a little creepy." Tapping her chin, Miki hummed in a quiet voice.

"As we have mentioned before, our purpose is to put on regular performances of songs and plays that we research, every day." Chizuru took over. "The truth is, today is what we call 'Pink Day,' when we celebrate the birthday of the founder of the White Lily league by putting on our annual special performance. We've been rehearsing very hard for a long time for this day..."

"...but of all things, the student playing the heroine was in an accident and is in the hospital, so we're in a real fix," Hinagiku raised a finger. "But we can't allow today's performance to be cancelled, for any reason. Which is why..."

"We want you, maiden, to play our heroine for us!" Posing dramatically, the Zuka Club requested together.

"I can't." Haruhi's response was blunt as the Zuka Club just, stared. "Thanks, but no. Come on, Miki-senpai, let's go."

"Eh? But I feel a little bad for them..." With a hand on her chin, Miki furrowed her brows. "Stage productions take a long time to prepare for; it would be a shame if they had to cancel the show."

"If you'd like to help them, please do it yourself. I'll be excusing myself then-" Haruhi reached for the door to exit the room when Benibara suddenly let out a shriek in distress, and a spotlight suddenly dawned upon her.

"I'm sorry, I cannot be as you were," She cried dramatically. "Please forgive me, Mother."

"Benio..."

"Benibara-sama..."

"Your mother?" Haruhi repeated, looking a little shaken.

"Benio's mother was a graduate of Lobelia too," Chizuru explained, pulling out a handkerchief and dabbing her eyes gingerly. "She was a senior member of the White Lily league and is regaled even now as a beauty in men's clothing."

"Especially today, on Pink Day, she left us with many legends of her magnificent performances in the songs and plays that she puts on," Hinako gestured the woman. "Benibara-sama has dreamed for so long that she could be like her mother."

"If today's performance is cancelled, that dream will be crushed," Benibara covered her face in sorrow.

"Your mother... you say..." Haruhi looked down in contemplation as Miki stepped closer to her with pleading eyes.

And so, Haruhi and Miki were ushered to the practice room as Haruhi began her preparations for the understudy of the heroine of the play.

"Ah, Marianne, how many thousands of nights have I prayed that I might see you?" Benibara recited fluently. "How greatly I despised being told that we were from different social classes and the thousands of other obstacles in the way of our love!"

"Frederick-sama!" Haruhi exclaimed monotonously.

"The gunshot wound I just suffered has it in for me..." Benibara sighed sorrowfully. "Is this where my fate ends?"

He's about to die from a gunshot wound. How can he talk so much? In the time that we're sitting here, can't I just drag him to the hospital? Haruhi wondered as she glanced up to see certain performers dancing routinely. Why are they dancing? Her eyes swept across the entourage of performers only to spot her upperclassman, standing on the sidelines with a handkerchief in her hands, dabbing her teary eyes. She held a pamphlet for the show in her arms.

"What beautiful acting..." She heard Miki faintly mutter, feeling a sweatdrop at the back of her head.

Unbeknown to them, the host club and Ranka, par Kyoya, were spying on Haruhi's robotic performance from the outside.

"Say, are Haru-chan and Miki-chan in there?" Honey asked, tugging on Tamaki's new Benibara Fan Club shirt.

"Yeah, Miki is on the sidelines, and it looks like Haruhi's playing the heroine in some tragedy," Tamaki answered, "But..."

"Frederick-sama," Haruhi spoke again, this time in even more of a robust voice.

"She is monotonous and sounds like an incredible daikon radish!" They sulked.

"I can't say anything to dress it up," Ranka facepalmed.

"Why doesn't anyone tell her?" Hikaru questioned.

"Apparently, that is the only line she has been given," Tamaki theorized.

As Haruhi began to 'sing,' Miki glanced around to try and find Chizuru or Hinako. Spotting the second-year on the other side of the room, looping around the singing Haruhi and not noticing the hosts near the window. "Um, excuse me, Su-" She attempted to call out to her when she felt her leg pull against something, followed by the sound of snapping then silence. She glanced down in confusion to find a pulled plug tangled in her leg.

"Oh, I'm terribly sorry. I tripped on the cord." She bowed to Chizuru who turned around with a confused expression.

"It's alright. Be careful, okay?" Smiling wryly, she replugged the machine and pressed the play button. "You were looking for me, right? How may I help you?" Standing up as Haruhi's 'singing' continued, she then asked Miki.

"Well, Benibara-san mentioned that she had a request for each of us." Miki averted her eyes to the said person who currently laid on the hardwood ground of the practice room, playing dead. "You required Haruhi to play the role of the heroine, so what was your request for me?"

Chizuru hummed as she narrowed her eyes at Miki, who blinked in response. She glanced at Benibara, who was absorbed in her acting. "Benio wanted to ask of this herself, but I supposed I could, seeing as she is currently busy." She turned around and waved the confused strawberry blonde toward the door of the practice room. "Come with me," She instructed.

Tilting her head, Miki followed obediently.

"It's an honour to have one of the Ootori boys come visit here." In the darkened theatre, Kyoya followed the manager of the school as she gushed over his presence. She guided him through the white lily theatre as the place was fully prepared for the show being put on later that day. "Please, take any seat you wish the show will be starting in an hour and a half or so, if you need anything, please just give me a call." She cupped her cheek, stopping at the front row.

"I will, thank you." His lips were retaining that unbalanced smile, he nodded his head as the manager made her way back up and out of the theatre. His attention was quickly turned to the stage once he heard footsteps against the hardwood. He glanced up to see Miki of all people, following Chizuru to the center, standing under the bright spotlights.

"Wow! This is absolutely amazing. The production value of this set, the large orchestra pit, the layout of the stage. It's brilliant!" Miki exclaimed, her round hazel eyes reflecting the harsh lights that beamed down onto them. Her hands remained clasped before her chest as she took in the elaborate set before them, her hands spread wide to see just how grand theatre was.

"Amazing isn't it?" With her arms crossed, Chizuru chuckled mysteriously. "How would you like all of this to be yours?"

"Huh?" Miki's awestruck state came to a halt as she turned to stare at the woman with a dumbfounded expression.

"From what we understand, you are the production designer for those lowlifes. However, we believe your talents will be much better suited for us." Chizuru explained. "We would like you to become the Zuka Club's set designer instead." She offered, crossing her arms before her chest. "If you'd chose to accept, Benio would be more than elated to introduce you to some industry professionals that would be thrilled to meet you."

"I don't know about that..." Miki averted her eyes back to the brilliant set.

"You seem conflicted." Chizuru hummed as she narrowed her eyes, walking past Miki, placing a hand on her shoulder. "We'll give you some time to think about it, give us your answer after the show." And with that, she exited stage left, disappearing into the wing.

For a while, Miki just stood there under the bright lights, just staring blankly at the grand stage. All of this space, all this equipment, connections to real industry professionals, all hers if she just said the word. She began to wonder what life would be like if she genuinely achieved her dreams of becoming the head production designer of a big time

Slow footsteps tapped against the hardwood floor, echoing through the empty theatre and catching Miki's attention, anchoring her back to reality. "Kyoya-kun?!" She gasped, watching as the boy walked out of the shadows of the wings with his arms crossed over his chest. "What are you doing here?"

"We went to Haruhi's place and found out from Ranka you two were abducted by the ladies from Lobelia Academy." He offered a swift explanation, stopping next to her as he turned to face the gorgeously over the top set the Zuka Club was planning on using.

"Is Tamaki-kun and everyone else here?" Spinning on her heel, Miki glanced into the crowd. "Where are they? I don't see them anywhere." She blinked.

"I believe they snuck in under the disguises as the Zuka Club fan club."He paused for a moment as a small silence ensured. "Quite the offer you've received." He finally commented as the lights of the giant billboards reflected in his half-lidded eyes.

"You heard that?" Her eyes still glued to him, she tilted her head to face him a little more.

Ignoring her question, Kyoya continued. "It's certainly a generous one at that. Accepting it will certainly fast track you to the top of the entertainment industry." He stated. "Are you planning on taking it?"

Miki bit her bottom lip as she returned her gaze to the intricately detailed set. "What do you think I should do, Kyoya-kun?" She asked as the light continued to surround them as if their conversation were part of a performance of its own.

Readjusting his glasses, Kyoya turned to walk away. As he slowly disappeared into the darkness of the stage wings, his response was simple.

"As I've told you, consider things from a perspective that would benefit yourself."

It didn't take long for that hour and a half to pass, as the white lily theatre was quickly flooded with the Zuka Club's fangirls. They rushed in like water from a sealed damn, filling up the seats in an amazingly coordinated manner. Whispers and dreamy sighs filled the theatre as the lights dimmed down. Miki stood off-stage peeking cautiously out the curtains and into the crowd, trying to see if she could spot her brother or the rest of the host club. It didn't take long before she found them leaned up against the side of the wall, gawking at the large crowd, wearing the Zuka Club fan t-shirts as Kyoya said.

"Miki-senpai, is something the matter?" Haruhi's voice rang behind her as well as the sound of heels tapping against the hardwood ground.

"Tama-" Letting go of the velvet curtains, Miki turned to respond. Only to freeze up when she saw Haruhi's costume and makeup. Subconsciously, a hand found it's way to her chin as she tilted her head a little concerned. Haruhi was wearing a hot pink ball gown with white ruffles. Her face was caked up with makeup, an unreasonable amount of blush, lipstick, and eyeshadow, all in the same shade as her dress. It was so excessive; one couldn't even pass it off as 'just stage makeup.'

"Haruhi, that look doesn't suit you very much." She pointed out bluntly.

The brunette felt her eye twitch and a sweatdrop at the back of her head as she turned away with a deadpanned face. "Ah, is that so?" She muttered.

"Eye makeup that matches your dress colour is a little too much," Giggling into her fingers, Miki spoke. "Fushcia is a colour that would suit a more neutral makeup look, as it balances out the attention you are getting for such a bold outfit." Her voice trailed off as she began to ruffle out the white parts of the dress. "But I suppose we don't have time to change it now, the best we can do to balance out the colour is this. It will help balance out the palette just a little."

"Miki-senpai, you are really knowledgeable in these types of things," Haruhi commented as she instinctively raised her arms, watching as Miki went to work on her uncomfortable dress. "To think that you would do well in fashion design as well..."

"This has nothing to do with fashion design, Haruhi." Stepping back a little to scan Haruhi's outfit one last time, Miki winked playfully. "This is the colour theory; it's a basic in visual arts, and any kind of design be it regular art, production or fashion." She explained as she lifted a finger, a sweet beam curling on her lips as usual.

Seeing such a childlike expression return to her face, Haruhi gave a wry, unsymmetrical smile. "You really like art, don't you?" She asked.

"Of course!" Miki exclaimed in a hush as to not cause a fuss before the show. "I've been studying art as a hobby for almost seven years, Arden has always brought back these things called 'craft kits' for me. And then, he would also buy me colouring books, art books, as well as art guides. I learned the ten commandments from the colour theory from there. The number one rule is to always..."

As Miki began to blabber off into her own word of excitement, Haruhi sighed endearingly. _I thought she looked a little troubled before, but she really looks the happiest when she's_ _learning new things_ _or talking about designs._ She thought.

Not long after that, Haruhi was ushered off to the center of the stage as the curtains rose. As she 'sang' and danced, the play reached it's climax as they rose on the rising platform. Benibara was clutching Haruhi in her arms.

"At last! The long-awaited kiss scene," Someone screamed from the crowd.

"The deep passionate embrace between forbidden lovers during their all-too-brief tryst!" Another squealed.

"They've risen from the trap door!"

As the two on the risen stage leaned in, a loud voice shot across the theatre, causing a ruckus.

"Haruhi! Don't do it!"

Hearing the familiar voice, Miki peeked out of the curtains in a hurry. Spotting, Tamaki sprinting at full speed from the back of the theatre and down towards the stage, the rest of the hosts and Ranka following behind him.

Haruhi also noticed as she head snapped away from the kiss. "Tamaki-senpai?! Dad?! Why are you all here...? And what's with that t-shi-" In her fit of panic and surprise, she failed to notice how she began to back away from Benibara as her heel got caught in the rise of the platform and she began to fall, letting out a shriek.

"Haruhi!" Miki's eyes widened with worry as she stepped out of the wing only to see Chizuru and Hinako push over an airbag, catching Haruhi snug in the center.

Letting out a dry laugh, Benibara smirked. "Greetings, host club. How kind to show your boorish incompetent faces." A new spotlight lit up as the stage cleared. Benibara jumped down from the platform to meet with Chizuru and Hinako, who held a sign that read 'Surprise Great Success!' "Thank you for such a torrid display in this swelting heat." She continued. "You do realize we've videotaped you from the moment you entered school grounds?" Turning to the dancers and actors, she raised her hand to point at a projection screen that rolled down as the lights shone. Images of the host club attempting to climb the fence outside of Lobelia Academy, them stalking and conversing outside of the practice room, them sneaking around in the theatre, rolled across the screen like a slideshow.

"Vassals, did you watch carefully? This is what I tell you to never do." The woman laughed. "This is exactly what vulgar men do in their effort to break lovers apart."

"Ew! How unsightly!" Someone exclaimed dramatically.

"How they debase themselves!"

"This is just what Benibara-sama was talking about when she said we must stay on guard!"

"Yes," Clicking her tongue, Benibara shook her finger at the host club who deadpanned her. "Even when performing a male role, there is no need to adopt the sheer ribaldry of real men. We must remain smart and beautiful as we act out the fantasies of young ladies."

"Yes, Benibara-sama!"

"Thank you for your guidance!"

"Now then," With the snap of her fingers, lights suddenly illuminated onto Miki who was standing on stage. She quickly raised her arms to cover her eyes from the harsh treatment her eyes were shocked with. "Maiden, now that you have been enlightened by us regarding their brutish ways, are you going to accept our offer to become our set designer instead?"

"What!?" Tamaki screeched in terror.

Quickly allowing her eyes to adjust to the light as she squinted, Miki stood on the stage to face the Zuka Club. The side of her face that was lit up burned as she bowed her head. "I'm sorry," She apologized, still squinted. "I'm afraid I'm still going to have to refuse your offer."

There was a brief second of silence as the Zuka Club retained their pose and a loud gasp waved through the crowd. Fans began to whisper and murmur about how she had just 'turned down Benibara-sama's earnest request.' Glares and words of spite started to shot at her, not that Miki herself noticed.

"Why?!" Benibara was the first to break as she dashed forth, grabbing Miki by her wrists and holding them up. "Why would you accept such an offer? Have you truly forgotten your grace and pride as a woman? Have they truly brainwashed you so?"

"Please let go of me; I'm pretty sure this is considered sexual assault," Miki spoke as she stared down blankly at the woman's gloved hands that clutched around her wrist.

They felt... unpleasant.

"Oh, I apologize." Quickly retracting her hand, she continued. "But why, maiden?"

After taking a step back just to be cautious, Miki began to explain as she rose a finger. "For one, the Zuka Club's shows consist mainly of live shows and musicals; you would require a set designer for that. I am a production designer, meaning I specialize sets for film and TV. The two may sound similar, but are very different." She pointed out with a head tilt. "Secondly, while I admire the fact that you have pride in being a female, but I don't agree with your ideals of berating the male gender. I simply don't believe I would enjoy working with a group who do not hold the same ideals and beliefs as I do." She stated bluntly, still wearing that all too innocent smile.

Those words seemed to have sent another wave of panic through the crowd. The whispers turned harsh, and the glares turned sharp, everyone on stage, par Miki was starting to feel uncomfortable from the hostility being directed at the clueless strawberry blonde.

"And finally," As if she hadn't done enough damage, she continued as her face turned soft. Closing her eyes, she placed her hand in front of her chest. " While I genuinely appreciate the offer, I do not want to rely on other people's connections to achieve my dreams." Her eyes fluttered open; she then offered the Zuka Club a sincere bow. "So I apologize, but I must decline."

"Miki!" Hearing his sister's moving speech, Tamaki had comical tears streaming down his face as his system began to fill with relief from the announcement that she would be staying.

"I see." Benibara let out a sigh as her eyes darted to Haruhi who was slightly dumbfounded. "Young lady, we are terribly sorry." Her voice was once again filled with drama and flamboyancy. "We wanted to recruit this maiden over to our club, as well as offer a negative example of their roles. I'm sorry to have burdened you with such an unpleasant task." Suddenly, Chizuru and Hinako gathered around as the three struck a pose. "But we would still like you to join our club as well. If you are so inclined, please retain your role of heroine-"

"If I'm not being forced to act, I'm going home." Haruhi flat-out-declined.

"Young Ladies, we will come and fetch you again!" Benibara declared.

"Don't bother!" Quick to defend the two girls, Tamaki and the twins snapped.

As the group began to banter back and forth, Kyoya approached Miki from behind as he stood next to her under the spotlight. "I thought I told you to consider things from a perspective that would benefit yourself." Adjusting his glasses, he could hide the small smirk that formed on his lips. Somehow, it felt like a rock that had been dangling in the air finally landed in his chest.

"What are you talking about? I'm very much considering this for my own benefits." Turning to him, Miki blinked. She looked slightly confused before bursting out into a radiant smile that matched the light that illuminated her face. "I created and chose this dream to become a production designer on my own, so like that, when I do one day work for the professional industry. I want it to be because of the recognition of my skill, not my connections."

Seeing her usual expression, no matter how flawed and naive her logic was, Kyoya's smirk deepened, not commenting on it. He hid his face by turning back to focus on the idiots that were running around back and forth on the stage as they all simultaneously slipped on banana peels.

"Seriously where do these things come from?"Shifting her focus to the hosts and the Zuka club who were groaning to get up, Miki wondered out loud.

Only to slip on a banana peel of her own and fall face first onto the stage.

A/N: Happy New Year everyone!

If you didn't know, the ending I chose for this chapter was a mixture of both the Manga ending and the Anime ending. I personally preferred this turn out better as if gives a little more depth to the Zuka club characters by allowing them to have another motive other than wanting to recruit Haruhi.

By the way, I received the best gift one could ask for on the first day of the year yesterday. For one, this story reached 500 Favourites and 20,000 reads on Quotev. Then, the wattpad version of this story has officially reached 1K reads! It has been about two months since I first started this story and I can't believe there has already been so much progress. It makes me a little emotional just looking at the numbers. Writing has always been a big part of my life, it's my creative outlet and a way of me to relieve stress from writing essays in topics I have little to no care for. I'm so glad that I have the audience to share my work and support the characters and storylines I have created. Really, thank you all so much and I hope you guys will continue to read and support this story in 2019!

With that, have a good day!

XOXO,

Astra


	23. 21 A Princessly Sister's Heart!

_-Chapter 21-_

 **A Princessly Sister's Heart!**

"Welcome!" The doors of Music Room #3 opened early in the morning, to a covey of pirates as signature rose petals flutter down, acting at the entourage to the new guests arriving. The ever-changing room was transformed into the dangerous lands of the pirates. Each host dressed up for the occasion, wearing proper hats, eyepatches, some even manning props such as weapons or telescopes. Kyoya even took off his glasses in place for spectacles after Tamaki and Miki's pestering.

"Man your stations, scally-wags! Raise the anchor!" Tamaki directed as he pointed out a finger towards the ocean walls. "We sail for the edge of the world, to find the legendary gem more beautiful than any other. A gem that entrances and ensnares all who touch it! That's right..." He placed a hand under Sora's cheek as the girl blushed profusely. "I've come to steal this princess's heart!"

"Captain Tamaki!" Sora muttered dreamily.

Miki overlooked the scene with a proud grin. This set was perhaps the most detailed and realistic one she's ever designed, and the guests were noticing. Aged wooden pillars with ropes attached to them, barrels filled with all sorts of items, which the twins sat on as they conversed with their customers. Occasionally, they'd throw in their 'forbidden brotherly love act.' She even pulled out a special corner of the room and transformed it into an 'adventure corner,' one which Honey and Mori made wonderful use with their 'bunny tours,' guiding guests through their treasure mine. Sumire was in the mix, giggling as she followed the two in giving Miki an excited wave.

What made the entire theme better, was that even she was dressed up as a female pirate. Tamaki had taken the liberty to also order outfits for her whenever they got the chance, saying that it was 'a new experience' for the girl.

"Miki-senpai?" A voice rang behind her. She quickly turned to find Kasanoda of all people, standing near the walls of the club room with a bright flush on his cheek and dirtied clothes. He was holding what seemed to be a plant in his arms.

"Bossa Nova-kun! What brings you here?" Miki greeted him sweetly.

"Where is Fujioka?" He asked, eyes darting around the busy club room.

"Ah, Haruhi is over there." Directing his vision towards a particular section of the room, they found Haruhi conversing with Momoka, Kimiko and Renge who were complaining about how the women couldn't join the pirates on their adventures.

"I wouldn't leave you behind," Picking up a cup of tea, Haruhi flashed her natural, honest smile. "Having tea together like this is what I love."

Her words proved to be super effective with the girls, who immediately began to scream and fangirl.

"He said 'love'! Haruhi said 'love.'" Cupping their cheeks, they swooned.

"F-Fujioka! Say that again!" Kasanoda quickly bolted over with reddened cheeks and a sheepish manner. Miki followed close behind, a little perplexed by why they were freaking out over the word 'love.'

Before the redhead could reach Haruhi however, the twins stopped him. "What are you trying to do, Bossa Nova-chi?" The glared, placing their prop knives under his throat as if they were about to execute him. "You want Haruhi to say 'love' to you?" They questioned with gleaming eyes, scaring the poor guy.

Miki tilted her head. _Is that word such a big deal?_ She wondered.

"Kansanoda-kun," Kyoya crossed his arms, finally having enough of the spectacles and switching to his glasses. "We welcome you as a customer, but would you take a bit more care with your appearance?" He pointed out.

Jumping back, Kasanoda looked down in slight embarrassment. "Sorry," He stuttered. "I had to give something to Fujioka, so I rushed over!"

"Did you come directly from club, Kasanoda-kun?" Haruhi stepped out of her seat to greet her friend.

"Club?" The twins raised their eyebrows.

"Did you join a club, Bossa Nova-kun?" Miki's eyes widened.

"You joined the gardening club, didn't you?" Haruhi responded. "You are training to eventually take care of animals."

"Really?!" Miki gasped as her eyes began to twinkle. "What kind of animals? Kittens? Puppies? Or maybe an alligator?"

"I don't think an alligator would be allowed..." Kasanoda sweatdropped, questioning what his upperclassman found cute. He peered down at the potted plant in his hand before thrusting it forward towards her. "You mentioned you wanted to grow edible plants. So as a symbol of our friendship, here."

Haruhi's doe eyes widened at the sight of the greenery in the pot. "Wow, these are for me?" She gasped, her voice rising in pitch. "What are they?"

"C-Cherry Tomatoes," Kasanoda replied, his face turning as red as the tomatoes in his gift.

Seeing Haruhi so happy, Tamaki quickly snapped his fingers. "Honey-senpai." He called out.

"Yes, Captain!" The lolita came bolting as he grabbed a maraschino cherry from the rim of a drink and plopped it into his mouth. Miki tilted her head, watching quizzically as he quickly spat the seed out into his palm and tossed it into a pot already filled with soil that came out of nowhere, which the twins and Tamaki hurried to bury.

"Haruhi," With a radiant smile, the four offered the plant to Haruhi. "This is only the seed from a maraschino cherry, but if you care for it with love..."

"That's impossible." Haruhi averted her eyes with a deadpanned expression. "Even if it wasn't a maraschino." She grumbled.

"Eh, it doesn't work like that?!" Miki gasped, jumping back as if the revelation crushed down on her like a rock.

"Wahh! Haruhi is being mean!" Tamaki cried comically.

Ignoring the rowdy comments coming from the host club, Haruhi turned to Kasanoda and began to receive instructions on how to care for her new gift when a new presence arrive at the door, along with a crisp voice.

"It's so lively in here, and those costumes... Is this a play of some sort?" Everyone's attention was quickly directed to the entrance of club room. Tamaki gasped slightly, standing up out of reflexes.

"Milord?" The twins shot their eyes over.

Miki's hazel eyes rounded as her hands found their way to her parted lips. She sucked in a harsh breath as she studied the girl who spoke, she looked strikingly similar to someone she knew of.

"The student council president is here?" Kyoya murmured.

"Excuse us for interrupting your club activities," Matsudaira Toshiyori, the student council president of Ouran Academy greeted the now silent club room as he gestured a girl with fluffy blonde hair and sapphire eyes. "I'd like to introduce you to a new foreign student. As of today, she'll be joining Class 1-A to see what a Japanese high school is like. May I present to you, the first princess of the Monar Kingdom, Princess Michelle!" With the announcement of her name, the elegant girl lifted her skirt into a small curtsey. "What do you think, Princess?" Toshiyori then gestured the host club with a bow. "These are our school's elite. They're very popular." He explained.

Tamaki who had been subconsciously inching closer to the girl caught Haruhi's attention. "Tamaki-senpai?" She called out to him, breaking his train of thought. "What's wrong? Do you know her?"

"Huh? Um... No." In a daze, he quickly shook his head. "It's nothing." He quickly shrugged it off.

"They'll do." Michelle gave an unbalanced smile. "During the two weeks I'm at this school, I'll assign you eight as my servants."

"What?! She can't be serious." The twins snapped and began to lunge towards her only to be stopped by Miki who tugged on their arm with unusually saddened eyes as Tamaki waltzed forth and took to a knee before the princess.

"It would be an honour, Princess." The blond placed a hand over his chest, resembling a loyal servant. "I am Suoh Tamaki; I shall strive with all my heart to be of service to you."

"Where is the Monar Kingdom?" Haruhi asked as the hosts quickly changed out of their costumes and back into their uniforms, getting ready for the day.

"It's a small country in Europe." To everyone's surprise, Miki answered the brunette. What was even more surprising, was the absence of her usual bursting energy and cheerful attitude. She looked down at her school bag with dulled eyes as she remembered Princess Michelle's face, a dry smile forming on her face. "If I remember correctly, it is a country rich in mineral mines."

"Indeed," Kyoya confirmed as he quickly tightened his tie. "Most people in Japan don't know of it. Unfortunately, the king and queen passed away in an accident three years ago. The First Prince, 21-year-old Lawrence then assumed the throne."

"He's Princess Michelle's Big Brother, right?" Honey questioned in a merry voice.

"However," As the host club began to walk out of the club room, Kyoya placed a hand on his chin. "I heard she wasn't supposed to arrive until next month." He stated.

When the twins and Haruhi returned to their classroom, Michelle was already there, conversing with her new classmates. They looked rather taken in by the blonde as a large crowd quickly formed around her desk.

"So you moved up your plans?" Someone asked.

"Yes," Michelle replied, interlacing her fingers and resting her chin on her hands. "I did so because I wanted to see the leaves change. By next month, they would've all fallen. I'm afraid my request troubled my brother, but I'm glad I came. The view is truly spectacular."

"Your Japanese is really good!"

"And your hair is so blonde and pretty!"

"Why thank you," Brushing her aforementioned blonde hair over her shoulder, Michelle smiled in a reserved manner. "My brother also holds my hair in high esteem. Due to my hastened departure, we were unable to prepare properly and I could only bring a few servants." She sighed in a troubled manner, cupping her cheek. In the Royal Palace alone, I have 150 maids. I came here to study, and I know I shouldn't be so selfish but..." She paused. "Being in a foreign country is so unsettling..."

Entranced by her beauty and elegance, the class quickly grew rowdy.

"Then you should use our servants!" Someone offered.

"Mine too!"

"Please allow us to help you!"

"Why, thank you!" Michelle giggled softly into her palm. "My brother will be grateful for your kindness." She chided.

Hikaru grumbled as he crossed his arms. "What's with her?" He commented. "Is she just naturally selfish? She must have been spoiled rotten growing up."

"And it's 'my brother this' and 'my brother that.' She must have a serious brother complex!" Kaoru added.

They shrugged as their voices came together as one. "Too much love between a brother and a sister is just wrong." They sang.

 _But too much love between brothers is fine?_ Haruhi thought to herself with a sigh.

"Besides, Princesses aren't that rare. Everyone is way too excited over her." Hikaru commented.

"Huh? They're not?" Haruhi's eyes widened.

"At the very least, no one in this class is in position to assign us as their menservants!" Kaoru grumbled.

This was when the trio from the second year appeared, Kyoya announcing his presence first. He placed an elbow on Haruhi's head as he looked over at Michelle. "It may be a small country, but she is still royalty. It wouldn't do any harm to be in her good graces."

"Kyoya-senpai!" Haruhi grumbled as she lifted his elbow off of her head.

"Just look at him," Paying no mind to Haruhi's protests, he nudged his chin towards Tamaki who was already before her with a bouquet of roses.

"Your sweet, honey-coloured hair, your blue eyes that melt into the sky, these roses cannot equal to your beauty, but they may humbly attempt to accept it." As he knelt before the princess and offered it to her, he spoke in a sincere voice.

"Why thank you!" Michelle beamed.

Miki watched silently from a distance, unable to move. Her eyes remained unmoving from the two as her hand clenched before her tightening chest.

"If there are any inconveniences at school, princess, please let me know." He offered.

"Well," Michelle let out a small cough as her perfect brows knitted into a frown. "My throat does hurt a little. My constitution is too weak for air conditioning. Could someone turn down the fan for me? And this chair is painfully austere." She spoke, cradling the fresh rose bouquet in her arms.

"As you wish," Tamaki bowed before turning to the class president of Class 1-A Kazukiyo Soga. "Soga-kun, could you go to the control room and inquire about the air conditioning?"

"Ah, yes!" Soga nodded before hurrying off.

"Hitachiin brothers," The blond then turned to Hikaru and Kaoru. "Grab fans!"

"Huh?" The twins gaped in disbelief. "No way! Why would we do something like that? Kyoya-senpai," They turned to the host club vice president to find him already on the phone.

No more than a second later, the Ootori Family staff appeared, carrying a red velvet couch and fans.

"Thank you, Ootori-san." Michelle smiled, resting on the armrest of the luxurious couch.

"It's an honour to serve you, Princess." With a bow, Kyoya accepted her gratitude with an unbalanced smile.

"Oh, do we have English lessons next?" Michelle glanced at the blackboard with a slightly troubled expression. "My English is already excellent, so I don't need them."

"I'll ask the teacher to change the curriculum," Tamaki responded with a curt beam.

"The schedule is too strenuous, would you arrange for more free time?"

"As you wish." Tamaki bowed.

"Would you arrange to have a private massage room built for me?"

"As you wish."

At this point, the twins were nearing the end of the ropes of their patience as they grit their teeth. Tamaki was waiting on her hand and foot like a slave, attending to her selfish request with no second thought.

During lunch, he even asked the chefs to prepare a special Monarish menu for the princess during her stay. Going as far as to figure out what foods she can't tolerate from her private secretary, as well as polishing all the silverware.

"Milord will do anything for her; he didn't even go this far when Miki-senpai came." Following Tamaki and the princess into the cafeteria, Hikaru whispered to Haruhi and Kaoru. "And that princess's selfishness is escalating."

"The pride of the Suoh family has been laid to rest," Kaoru added. "Even the other students are bowled by it."

"Something stinks!" A familiar yet frightening voice echoed as she appeared behind the trio as well as a dark yet keen aura. They quickly whipped their heads around to find Renge with narrowed eyes and a hand to her chin.

"Renge..." Haruhi sweatdropped.

Crouching down, the twins and Renge began to discuss. "What stinks here?" Kaoru began. "The lamb entree?"

"Of course I'm talking about Tamaki-senpai!" Renge corrected a serious expression on her face. Her brows furrowed as she pointed at the said blond who assisted the princess into her seat. "He's always sweet towards girls, but this time it's a little too much, don't you think? He's always with her. It's like no one else exists. That's not his style! Besides, he and Miki-chan-senpai didn't even interact the whole day. Something definitely stinks!" She hissed.

"Hold on, what does this have to do with Miki-senpai?" Kaoru sweatdropped. "And what's with that 'Miki-chan-senpai'?"

"Because doesn't Miki-senpai have that 'Miki-chan-senpai' aura? She has too much moe to be flatly called senpai." Renge leaned back with her hands on her hips. "I came up with that nickname, by the way." She announced proudly.

"Ah, I see..." The first-year trio sweatdropped.

"Those two are always together, they even come to school together," Renge informed them with a smug grin. "Everyone suspects that they have a secret relationship going on behind the scenes, a scandalous romance between the King and his production designer. Yet today, they haven't spoken all day, no doubt it is a lover's quarrel, especially judging by how quiet Miki-chan-senpai has been."

The twins almost choked on their saliva once they learned of the 'suspicion' everyone has about Miki and Tamaki. "I don't think they have anything going on between them." Hikaru laughed unconvincingly. "Milord has always been impulsive if we just wait it out-"

"You're too weak!" Lifting a finger, the dirty blonde quickly interrupted him. She narrowed her large brown eyes. "Remember the look on his face when he first saw the princess! It was the look of a man who fell in love at first sight!" Turning around, Renge then clenched her fists. "Tamaki-senpai will find himself in a love triangle between his ex-lover Miki-chan-senpai and the Princess, falling in forbidden love with the Princess who is, in reality, his sister whom he was separated from as children!"

Hikaru and Kaoru sweatdropped at just how ironic Renge's fantasy was.

A little later, Michelle's food arrived at her table.

"Sorry to have kept you waiting, Princess," The chef bowed. "I'm sorry, but today we could only prepare French cuisine."

"That will be fine." Michelle waved before looking up. Her sapphire-like eyes scanned the crowd as she tapped her chin. "Let's see..." She hummed before spotting Haruhi, who sat with the twins, ready to eat her boxed lunch. "Yes! You over there! I heard that you are a commoner." She smiled in an unbalanced manner. "Could you taste my food to make sure it isn't poisoned?"

That selfish and insulting request was the last straw for both of the twins who shot up from their seat. "She's unbelievable!" They shouted in unison, ready to walk up and teach this princess some respect when Tamaki intervened.

"Hikaru! Kaoru! Stop!"

"But Milord!"

Ignoring the twins protest, Tamaki bowed like a butler to the princess. "Princess, I would be happy to taste your food." He offered, leaving the twins furious as they glared at Princess Michelle.

"Milord is an idiot!" The twins shouted as they tossed Tamaki's Kuma-chan to the ground. It was the afternoon, and the host club was supposed to gather as usual. However, the second-year trio was missing.

"What is he thinking?!" Hikaru growled as he tore at the stuffed bear's "He would have never lowered himself like that before!"

"Hikaru, Kaoru, relax." Haruhi interrupted, taking the poor brown bear back before the two could damage it further.

"Doesn't it bother you Haruhi?!" They then directed their anger at Haruhi, yelling at the top of their lungs. "You live your poor life in quiet desperation, yet the princess is utterly insensitive!"

"Yes... Some people are utterly insensitive. Two of them are right here." Averting her eyes, Haruhi grumbled.

Suddenly the door opened with a creak as Kyoya, and a dejected Miki stepped in.

"Hikaru, Kaoru, Don't yell in the club room," Kyoya spoke calmly.

"Kyoya-senpai!" The twins complained. "Milord and that princess-"

"I've only seen photos, But I think they look similar. The princess and Tamaki's mother, isn't that right?" Kyoya cut them off with a thoughtful glance at Miki, who stared blankly at the ground.

Miki nodded as the clubroom fell silent. "I haven't met her in person either, however..." Her voice trailed off as she took a deep breath — a sorrowful look surfacing on her cheeks. "Her soft blonde hair, her eyes whenever she smiles. It resembles her very much." She admitted.

Haruhi stepped forth. "Miki-senpai," She began. "You and Tamaki-senpai have different mothers, right? Where is Tamaki-senpai's mother?"

"From my understanding, she is currently in France." With a pained smile, Miki explained. "It's a long story, but they haven't seen each other for almost three years." She paused for a moment, studying Haruhi's thoughtful expression. "In a way, his circumstances are worse than my own. I've haven't seen my mother for as long as I can remember, so I hardly have any memories of her. But Tamaki-kun grew up with her and was showered in her love and affection. Therefore, he most likely has much more of an attachment to his mother than I do."

"The last time he saw his mother, she was crying." Kyoya narrowed his eyes softly. "Maybe what he wants, is to see that princess smile..." He hypothesized.

A wave of thought and empathy for Tamaki fell upon the hosts. "If he only told us, we might have..." Hikaru and Kaoru looked down.

Suddenly there was a small clank at the door, and it swung open to reveal a hasty Tamaki. "Sorry, I'm late!" He ran in. "I was busy seeing the Princess to her residence..." His voice trailed off as he locked eyes with everyone in the room. "Huh? Is this a meeting day?"

The twins stared at him for a moment before lunging forth and began pushing him around like a pinball. "Mother Complex! Mother Complex!" They chanted. "Stupid Milord has a mother complex!"

"What?!" Flustered by their words Tamaki struggled to get out of their grasps. "What's with the sudden rudeness?! Don't push me!"

"That's how they cheer him up?" Haruhi commented with a sweatdrop.

"Those two are never direct you know?" Honey chuckled, clutching Usa-chan close to his chest.

Having enough of teasing Tamaki, the twins turned to leave. "Well, that's enough for today. Bye Bye." They said in unison as they headed for the door.

"Huh? You're going home already?" Tamaki followed them with his ocean eyes, slightly puzzled. "What about the meeting?"

"We have to go all-out when servicing the princess tomorrow, so we need to go home and prepare!" They chided nonchalantly, looking rather indifferent at Tamaki who grew even more confused. As they turned to left, the rest of the hosts began to trickle out of the room.

"Us too, right Takeshi?" Honey giggled as he and Mori headed for the door.

"Yeah."

"Bye, Tamaki." Kyoya shot him a glance.

"I'll be waiting for you in the car." Miki waved with a small smile.

"What? What's going on, why is everyone-" Before he could get his entire sentence out, the double doors slammed closed.

As the hosts continued to walk down the now empty halls of Ouran Academy in silence, Honey piped up first.

"Are you okay, Miki-chan?" He asked, leaning forward slightly, shooting her a reassuring smile.

Taken off guard by his sudden question Miki blinked. "Yes, I'm alright Honey-senpai." Her lips curled upwards as she closed her eyes. "Why ask?"

"Because you've been silent all day." With his arms wrapped behind his head, Hikaru said.

"Usually, you would be bouncing all over the princess with questions," Kaoru pointed out.

"Is the resemblance between the Princess and Tamaki's mother bothering you as well?" Kyoya raised an eyebrow at her as she turned to stare him for a moment.

After a while, her hazel eyes flickered to the ground. "It does," She admitted as her lips curled into a wistful smile. "I guess there always has and will be a part of me that blames myself, for what happened to Tamaki-kun and Anne-san." She muttered.

That evening in the Second Suoh Estate, Miki sat at her desk staring blankly at her designs dressed in her nightgown. Her eyes shot up to her door and gazed across the hallway into Tamaki's room. He was doing his homework. Noticing her staring, Tamaki glanced up and waved at her. Miki shot a smile back before attempting refocusing her attention back to her work. Halloween was coming up soon, so she had been focusing on the Dracula styled theme Tamaki had asked her to create. However, at that moment, she couldn't concentrate on something like designing when her eyes kept shifting to her phone that sat next to her tablet.

Giving in to the temptation, she snatched up the phone. Hesitating for a moment before flipping it open before dialling a number and placing the device up to her ear. She shivered a little, feeling the cool metal brush against the rim of her ear. There were exactly two rings before the recipient picked up.

"Milady, what a pleasant surprise." A polite yet pleasant voice bounced back, and she instantly felt her lips tug into a smile.

"Good ev-afternoon, Arden." Miki quickly corrected herself, checking the clock on her desk before standing up.

"Judging by that little slip-up, it's evening there isn't it?" Arden teased, his voice was just as Miki remembered. Charming, Playful and Kind.

"It's 9:48 p.m, yes." Miki chuckled as she waltzed over to her bed and sat down with a small sigh of relaxation.

"Good Evening to you, then."

There was a small silence on the opposite end of the phone before Arden spoke again. "So, to what do I owe this call to, milady?" He asked.

"I wanted you to help me look into something," Leaning back, Miki plopped down onto her bed as she allowed her long strawberry blonde hair to scatter all over the white bedsheets. "Find me everything you can about the Princess and Prince of the Monar Kingdom."

"As you wish, I will have it ready you before classes begin tomorrow morning," Arden replied respectfully.

"Eh?"

"If this weren't urgent, you would have simply written in one of your letters to me. I figured since you took the initiative to call me, you would like to receive this information as soon as possible." With perfect observation skills, the butler gave a crisp reply.

Miki blinked for a few moments before bursting into a fit of giggles. "You're right. You're absolutely right," She chuckled as she curled onto her side, still holding her phone with her right hand.

"Though, may I know why?"

Hearing his question, Miki's chuckles came to a halt as she stared blankly before her at her desk on the far side of the room. Taking a deep breath, Miki began to fidget with her thumb. "I met the Princess of Monar today." She confessed, eyes blinking tiredly.

"I see." His voice trailed off, suggesting that he was thoughtful. "How was it?"

Eyes dulling slightly, Miki began to play with the strands of her hair. "She looked rather similar to Anne-san." She rolled onto her back once again, using her forearm to block out the bright illuminating light in her face.

"Is that so? Forgive me, but are you sure you weren't hallucinating?" Arden stifled a chuckle, jesting.

"No, I was certain!" Jolting up from her seating position, Miki pouted as if her butler was right before her. "I took a close look; she looked strikingly similar!" She defended herself.

"I believe you, milady." Hearing her voice turn bubbly once again, Arden dropped the teasing with a small laugh. "What did you do then?"

"I... well..." Miki stuttered as she averted her eyes, shoulders slumping.

"Did you perhaps avoid her?" Arden's guess was a bullseye, causing Miki to groan slightly and fall back onto her bed. The butler chuckled at just how childish and predictable his lady was. "Milady, did you forget your oath to always charge straight forth while you were in the outside world?" He reminded her gently.

"Huh?" Miki blinked.

"After we received your father's approval after much pestering and bargaining, you swore as long as you were outside, you would face everything head on without reservations and a bright smile." He sighed.

The strawberry blonde's eyes widened as she remembered that promise she made to both herself and the butler. Her lips tugged into a wide grin as she nodded. "Of course, I do." She giggled. "And that's what I will be doing." She affirmed him, the sparkle in her eyes returning in an instant.

"That is a relief to know." Arden's voice grew softer and a bit higher from relief.

"How are things going, in Spain?" Changing the subject, Miki asked.

"Successfully, Milady," Arden reported modestly. "The Fernández family has no word of your movements," He paused. "However..."

"Hm? Is something wrong?" Sitting up, Miki supported herself with her elbow on her bed as she pursued.

"Milady..." He hesitantly uttered. "I do bare some news that I hoped to deliver the next time I wrote to you, however, I believe now is a better time to speak of it."

"Arden, what happened?" Furrowing her brows, Miki grew worried at the serious tone her butler was using. "Is something the matter?" Each second that ticked by grew more agonizing as she waited for his reply.

"The Fernández family... has gone bankrupt," Arden announced reluctantly.


	24. 22 A Princely Brother

_-Chapter 22-_

 **A Princely Brother's Love!**

"The Fernández family... has gone bankrupt," Arden announced reluctantly.

Miki's eyes widened as she heard him say this. She gasped slightly and sat up straight. Her eyes flickered to her large window as she stared out into the night. "What does this mean? For both my mother and I?" She finally managed to choke out.

"If they are smart and care for your wellbeing" Arden spoke with a hint of possibility. "They will transfer their custody of you over to Master Yuzuru, and you will be permanently under his care. Lady Elisa will more than likely be safe, as the likely choice for them is to go into hiding, nothing bad will befall upon them." He reassured

"Really?!" Hearing this option, Miki almost lept up into the air. Instead, she settled on standing up with a bounce. "Do you truly mean it, Arden? Will I be officially under the Suoh family name? Mother will be safe?" And will she, dare she say it. "Will I finally be free?"

"If that were to happen, yes, milady."

With her hand quickly slapping over her mouth, Miki stifled a yelp of joy. She instead opted to gasp as she began to pace around her room as a million thoughts swirled in her mind and combined into a storm. She felt her eyes water slightly and her nose turn sore. Her breath became shaky and uneven as she imagined the possibility of finally being able to announce her name out loud with no hesitation. She swallowed again, feeling a lump form at her throat. "Arden..." She croaked. "I-I don't know what to say." She giggled, trying to blink back the tears that began to swirl and gather at the corner of her eyes.

"It's getting rather late on your end, why don't you rest first?" Arden suggested a small sound of shuffling suggested he was moving papers around in the background. "I will send in the information regarding the Monar Royal Family in the morning and keep you updated on the Fernández family."

"Okay!"

"Milady," After a few moments of silence, Arden muttered.

"Yes? What is it?" Tilting her head, Miki hummed.

"Do you remember our promise?" With a slight shuffle on his end, Arden asked.

"Of course I do!" Tilting her head, Miki chided. "Always smile, because a smile can change your life. I keep that advice to heart every day!" She chirped, excitedly smoothing out her nightgown.

There were another few moments of silence before Arden huffed out a breath. "That's good, good night."

With her fingers trembling and her heart still pounding, Miki pressed the end call button after bidding her loyal butler a good night. She had a big day tomorrow, as the twins came up with a plan to service the princess and she was more than happy to be a part of it.

Arden hung up the phone with his liege with a gentle smile on his face. Placing the phone down next to his laptop, he cast the screen another glance.

The news of the Fernández family's bankruptcy has already flooded the media, and reporters who were hungry for their share of money jumped on the chance to investigate the prestigious family thoroughly. Arden sighed softly as his emerald eyes flickered to the phone, remembering the immense joy that flowed through Miki's voice once she learnt of the possibility of her being free.

If they cared for her wellbeing.

"You woke up early this morning," Tamaki teased as the limo carrying the two zoomed off in the clear morning towards Princess Michelle's luxurious hotel. "I didn't even need to wake you up." He chuckled.

As they began to pull over, Miki chirped happily. "I went to bed rather early last night." She paused for a second, studying Tamaki as he glanced out the window at the hotel, eyes already searching for the princess. "Say, Tamaki-kun?" She called out to the blond, earning a small 'hm,' a tender smile and a tentative look. "Let's do our best today, and get the Princess to smile, okay?" She tilted her head with a lively beam.

Tamaki flinched, it was as if she could read his heart. He froze for a moment before letting out a small laugh. He reached out a comforting hand and placed it onto Miki's head, who's face turned blank and puzzled as he ruffled her hair affectionately. "Thank you, Miki." He breathed out gently as his body language relaxed. "It already means a lot to see my dearest sister, smiling."

Hearing his words, Miki's face broke into a bright grin. "All the more reason to do my best then," She clenched her fists, holding them before her chest.

Tamaki nodded with a chuckle as the limo door opened and he stepped out, gesturing for Miki to follow.

Just as she was about to get out, her phone let out a small beep and a vibrate. Fishing it out of her bag, Miki checked the message she was expecting. Sure enough, it was Arden's report on Princess Michelle. Her eyes quickly scanned over its contents before her mouth gaped open.

"Eh?" She gasped, eyes widening in shock.

Haruhi was left frozen at the front gates of Ouran Academy. Three Indo-Asian Elephants with the hosts accompanying them, dressing in Thai attire as they paraded through the streets and into the Academy. Leading the pack was Miki, riding the elephant with her legs to one side, greeting the crowd enthusiastically. Tamaki and Kyoya were below, walking along with the giant creature as they too waved out. Princess Michelle sat on the second one, looking rather unfazed by the spectacle she was participating. Hikaru and Kaoru walked together with her elephant, waving with broad grins at the onlookers. Honey rode the final one with a happy expression as Mori guided the animal indifferently.

"Ah! There she is!" Miki noticed Haruhi first and began to wave at the brunette, who wanted nothing to do with the embarrassment. "Haruhi! Hey!" She greeted airily, unable to stop giggling as the excitement of riding an elephant for the first time pumping through her veins.

"Good Morning Haruhi! Would you like a ride on the elephants?" The twins greeted her.

"Why is there a somewhat Indo-Asian parade?" Haruhi grumbled, stepping away and into the awestruck crowd that waved to the hosts and the Princess.

"Isn't it fun? You should have expected as much!" They grinned.

"It was kinda tough!" Honey chuckled shouted merrily as he waved to Haruhi. "We had to make sure my elephants would be ready in time!"

"These are your elephants?!" Haruhi jolted.

"We had to prepare quickly," Kyoya stated with a slight smirk. "So there was a little bit of trouble controlling traffic on the way from the princess's hotel."

"The parade started at the hotel? How embarrassing..." She mumbled with a sweatdrop.

"It wasn't embarrassing; it was tons of fun!" Sliding down the trunk of the elephant like a slide at the park, Miki giggled as she landed on her feet next to Kyoya. "I never imagined I'd actually be able to ride an elephant! That's one thing off my bucket list now." Her hazel eyes were once again filled with the sparkles of adventure and excitement. She pulled out a notebook from her school bag that she had god-knows-where and ticked something off in an exaggerated manner.

"That's because you have no shame..." Haruhi sighed with a deadpanned smile.

Kyoya couldn't help but agree with Haruhi's observations. When Honey first introduced his pet elephants to the club, she was hopping around like a bunny with her usual enthusiastic beam. She asked the lolita if she could pet them ten different times in that thirty minute prep time they had. He was pretty sure those poor creatures felt harassed by the overly eager girl. Pushing his glasses up, he let out a sigh. At least she seemed back to her usual, cheerful self.

"Hm? Kyoya-kun, is something wrong?" Miki tilted her head at him with a curious expression.

"No, it's nothing."

"With all the hustle-bustle, I didn't ask you to join us, Haru-chan. Forgive me." Honey apologized to Haruhi with fake tears in his eyes.

"That's all right; I appreciate the sentiment." Averting her eyes, the brunette muttered.

"Here we are!" Helping the princess off of the elephant, Tamaki offered her a hand. "If you please, Princess Michelle, I shall escort you to your classroom across a carpet of the fresh rose petals prepared by the gardening club!" Gesturing down a carpet that sure enough, was scattered by rose petals, Tamaki smiled.

"Why thank you," Michelle responded indifferently.

As they got to class 1-A, Michelle sat down with a thoughtful expression.

"You do know," She placed a hand to her chin as she spoke in an elegant manner. "My family is well acquainted with all the other venerable families. My brother and I are especially close to Duke Baden of France. He always makes it to my birthday banquet. When I told him about my visit to Japan, he said he wanted to come see me. I assume he'll arrive in a few days; I'm sure I can introduce you all to him." The corner of her lips curled in an unbalanced smile as the students of the first years class gasped in awe.

Suddenly, the twins appeared next to her in gentlemanly manners, nothing like their attitudes from a day before as they offered her tea.

"There, sorry to interrupt." Hikaru raised the teacup to her, just enough so if she extended her hand, she could reach the handle. "Your throat must be dry; we prepared a special herbal tea." He offered.

"A special spa is waiting for you in the central garden," Kaoru added with a bow. "A beauty salon is also available; please enjoy them at your leisure."

"Those two..." Haruhi grumbled. "They've changed completely. Today they're going all out."

"They said that for Tama-chan's sake, they would serve Princess Michelle with the utmost generosity." Honey commented, leaning in next to Haruhi.

Slamming a fist on her hand, Miki blinked. "Isn't this what they called two-faced?" She asked.

"Oh, I'm sorry." Passing the tea back to Hikaru with a slight frown, Michelle waved the boy away. "This tea doesn't suit my taste. Could you prepare some cranberry juice for me instead? Preferably from Canadian berries." She asked.

"Yes, with pleasure." Hikaru saluted, his eyebrow twitching out of annoyance as his patience already began to wear thin.

Michelle then turned to Kaoru. "And I believe the central garden is enclosed by buildings, could you please erect the spa room somewhere open?"

"We'll have it reconstructed right away." Copying his brother's salute, Kaoru grinned fakely.

"I'm sorry for all the trouble." Michelle flashed a honeyed smile. "My brother will be so thankful for your kindness."

"It's no problem at all!" The twins yelled, their hands and body twitching out of anger and annoyance.

"They're spirit of generosity was short-lived." Haruhi sweatdropped.

"Considering it's those two, they did their best!" Honey cheered, watching as the two run off in anger.

After a while of resting, and the twins itching to snap and slap the selfish princess, Tamaki stepped in. "Are you tired, princess? Shall I show you to the relaxation room?"

"Yes, if you would." Michelle stood up, and guided by Tamaki, she left the room, leaving the twins growling in sheer anger as they bawled their fists, trying to suppress the urge to punch her. As Haruhi and Honey attempted to calm them down, Kimiko approached them with a slightly troubled expression.

She called out the brunette gently. "Um, Haruhi. Something has been bothering me." She paused as the hosts' attention quickly darted to her. "I think the Princess has been lying."

"Huh?" Everyone quickly became dumbfounded. "She's been lying?" They repeated.

Kimiko nodded slowly as she tapped her chin. "Duke Baden has been a family friend since my grandfather's days, but I've never heard that he's a friend of the Monar Royal Family. Besides, I think he's in Switzerland seeking medical care for his wife. There's no way he could come to Japan now."

"But why would the princess..." Haruhi's voice trailed off as Kyoya stepped in.

"Her talk about the luxurious life at the royal palace is also false." He explained with a hand in his pocket.

"Kyoya-senpai." The twins muttered.

"Monar appears to be rich on the surface, but the gap between the rich and the poor is considerable." Kyoya continued. "The newly ordained king Laurence is very conscientious. He doesn't allow even the royal family to live extravagantly. It's extremely unlikely that she has a luxurious lifestyle."

"But," Lifting a finger, Miki added. "I heard he is a wonderfully proactive king who often visits his people to listen to their voices and opinions." She pointed out with an all too cheerful smile.

"You knew all along?!" The twins shouted, pointing at Miki.

Blankly Miki shook her head. "I had Arden check it out for me, I just learned of all of this, this morning."

"That princess!" Hikaru growled."She's not only selfish, but she's also a liar!"

"Why didn't either of you tell us sooner?!" Kaoru yelled.

"You never asked." Miki tilted her head, blinking.

"How are we supposed to ask if we didn't know?!" Their voices came together as the twins shouted at the clueless girl.

"I feel bad for Tama-chan!" Honey cried.

Letting out a sigh, Kyoya pulled Miki away from the twins who looked like they were ready to lash out all their pent-up anger from waiting at the hands and feet of Princess Michelle onto her. "Regardless of whether she's lying, didn't I tell you? It's still worth getting in the good graces of Royalty." He stated. "Besides, I think Tamaki knew a long time ago."

Michelle stood before the falling leaves of the schoolyard. Kyoya's predictions were correct, Tamaki had her figured all out. She glanced up at the falling leaves of fall as a wave of annoyance and defeat crashed over her when a bell-like voice rang behind her.

"Beautiful, isn't it?"

She whipped her head around to see a girl with strawberry blonde hair that was a little taller than her, smiling back brightly. She recognized her as part of 'the host club' as well as being the girl that sat near Tamaki when they paraded down the streets of Tokyo.

"It's wonderful to finally meet you, Princess Michelle." Greeting her, Miki gathered up the nerves to pace next to her as her hazel eyes flickered up to the leaves. She hummed as her hands found their way behind her back and she began to rock her weight from heel to toe.

"W-Well yes, they certainly are." Trying to maintain her composure around the stranger, Michelle forced a chuckle.

"You needn't pretend in front of me," Giggling playfully, Miki winked at her. "Keeping up a façade like that must be tiring, is it not?"

She felt the Princess flinch beside her, before muttering. "How?" She paused, voice raising. "How do you and Suoh-san know?"

Averting her eyes, Miki glanced back up at the red and orange leaves as they fluttered down in the fall wind. "I don't know about Tamaki-kun, but..." Her voice trailed off as her eyes crinkled. "Perhaps you and I are more similar than you think."

"Huh?"

"You are acting like this so you could return to Monar with your brother, right?" Staying focused on a single leaf as it floated down from the tree, Miki asked. "I'd say, it's because I understand how you feel."

Michelle's sapphire eyes widened as she studied the beaming girl next to her. "You do?" She stared incredulously.

"Mhm." Miki nodded, her curt movements resembled a child's. "Because for the longest time, I felt the same way. It's difficult to explain, but it's a warm fuzzy feeling. The yearning to see your brother, no matter how far they are. Just for a while, for a day you want to spend time with him. I guess it's a common feeling for us little sisters, huh?" Pressing a hand against her chest, she glanced to the side, locking eyes with the flabbergasted princess. "However, I promise, your brother loves you very much. He sent you to such a beautiful country at such a beautiful time after all." Leaning forth, she flashed a reassuring smile as the wind picked up. More leaves began to fall, and Miki's strawberry blonde hair got caught in the breeze, swaying. Humming, her eyes shot back at the leaves and lit up. "The leaves at this time are truly stunning." She giggled.

Those words seemed to have struck a chord with the once elegant princess as she stepped forth roughly and began pulling on the branch with a foot planted against the trunk. "My brother said the same thing! What's so pretty about these stupid leaves anyway?"

"Princess?" Shocked by her sudden outburst, Miki blinked.

"Hey! There is Princess Perjury!" The twins appeared, having searched for the Princess along with many others. Their presence snapped Michelle out of her anger as she glanced at the now broken branch in her hands.

"What are you talking about?" She chuckled, holding the twig. "By the way isn't this something? The branch just fell off-" She attempted to walk forward only to trip on the root of the tree she broke the branch from and fall flat on her face, suppose it was karma from the tree.

"Are you alright, Princess?" Miki quickly knelt down to help the blonde as other gathered.

"Princess, are you hurt?" Soga, the class president of 1-A, ran over.

"Are you okay, Michelle?" Honey cried.

"Are you hurt?" Haruhi sweatdropped.

"Princess, can you stand?" Kyoya waltzed over.

"You should watch where you're walking." The twins chided.

"Why..." As Miki helped her up, Michelle began to sniffle. "Why are you all being so nice to me?" Lifting her face, she cried. "Why did everyone put up with my selfishness? If everyone hated me, I was sure my brother would let me go back..." Sitting up, she began to sob. She looked up at Haruhi. "I was so mean to you... And all that money wasted on me... The hotel is luxurious, and nobody points out my obvious lies. The meals are gorgeous and amazingly delicious, it was hard to pretend they were nothing special."

"Life at the palace must be dratted poor..." The twins muttered under their breath.

Michelle then looked down. "And to top it all off, you brought elephants... In front of all those people... The parade was so embarrassing I could've died." She muttered, burying her face in her hands in shame.

"In any case," The twins sighed. "It's all right if you acted selfish to get everyone to hate you, but wouldn't your brother be angry if he knew?" They shrugged as Michelle went through the sudden revelation.

"That's true... What should I do? I hadn't thought that far..." Michelle muttered as more tears began to form in her eyes. "Wahh! My brother will hate me!" She cried as people hurried to comfort her. "My father and mother died so suddenly; my brother is all I have. He says he cares for me, but he pushes me away... I want to be of more help to him." She sniffled as more tears rolled down her pale cheeks. "I just wanted my brother to spend more time with me." She admitted before a look of shock flashed across her eyes. "Oh! That's right! Suoh-san! He acted like he knew everything!" Immediately her eyes snapped to Miki as she went through another mood swing, now in the midst of panic. "Miki-san, what should I do? Even now, he could be telling my brother all the bad things I've done..."

The strawberry blonde opened her mouth to comfort the stressed princess when Haruhi spoke up. "Tamaki-senpai would never do that." She stated. "He's not that type of person." She crouched down next to the princess. "He was probably waiting for you to realize on your own, losing your parents is hard, but nothing will change if you wait around. He wanted you to have the courage to tell your brother how you truly feel, and to see your true smile."

Suddenly, footsteps began to echo through the courtyard followed by two voices. They quickly looked up to see two figures in the distance.

"Oh, there you are, Princess!"

"It's Renge-san." Miki waved her hands, realizing that Michelle's grip has loosened as her fingers were brought to her lips.

"Hehe, a special guest has just arrived!" Renge tittered as she gestured the man behind her, dressed in formal wear.

"Michelle." He wore a tender smile.

"Brother!" Michelle exclaimed.

Staring lovingly at his teary-eyed sister, Prince Laurence's eyes crinkled. "This whole time, I was desperate to preserve what our parents left behind, to make our country more prosperous and peaceful. So that everyone in our country," He leaned in placing a hand on Michelle's tear-stained cheek. "But most of all you, my dearest sister could always smile."

Miki's eyes widened as she stood up slowly.

 _It already means a lot to see my dearest sister, smiling._

She quickly snapped out of her flashback when Michelle glanced over hopefully at her, responding with a warm, close-eyed beam.

"Brother!" With that, Michelle jumped into her beloved brother's arms.

With the beautiful reunion between Princess Michelle and Prince Laurence, Miki's eyes automatically began to search for her brother, who she found not far behind a pillar, overlooking the situation with a kind smile. She slipped out of the crowd that began to gather around the royal siblings and bolted over.

To Tamaki's surprise, Miki popped the corner and immediately tackled him into a big hug in the shadows. He leaned back onto the pillar he hid behind for support as he felt her arms tighten their grip around his waist. "Miki, did something happen?" With a wry chuckle, he began to stroke her hair in a doting and affectionate manner, fixing the stray strands that moved when she lunged at him. "What's this suddenly for?"

Miki snuggled her cheek closer into her brother's chest with a brilliant smile. "I'm just... grateful for you." She stated, leaving Tamaki a little puzzled.

 _I'm sorry, Tamaki-kun. Right now, I can't tell you how much you mean to me or even call you 'Big Brother' out loud. But, I'll be patient. Because I'm sure, one day, I'll be able to tell you 'I love you, Big Brother' without hesitation._

 _I sincerely hope that day, is coming very soon._

A/N: I hope you guys enjoyed that little sibling moment between Tamaki and Miki at the end of the chapter, you guys seem to really like those and so do I. It's one of the main reasons why I wanted to put this mini-arc into the story. Technically speaking, this story was meant to take place in Spring with the cherry blossoms, but because of timeline issues, I decided to put it in during fall. I mean, close enough, right? For those of you who don't know, these chapters are chapters 38-39 in the manga series :).

So from what I can see, you guys seem to really love Arden to the point that I'd he's quite a fan favourite among you guys (besides Miki of course). I'd like to say he is one of my favourite original characters, tying second place with another character who hasn't been introduced yet. I'll be sure to address that when he or she shows up ;). His story is a pretty interesting one and I had lots of fun writing it, though it will be a while before I can release it as we need to meet a few other characters to get the full scope of the situation. So please sit tight and be patient.

With that, have a great day!

XOXO,

Astra.


	25. 23 What Miki can do for him!

_-Chapter 23-_

What Miki can do for him!

"What?! Milord is absent with a cold?!" In Music Room #3, a new incident has arisen, beginning with the twins' dramatic exclaim as well as the loud gasp of Honey. Even Mori, who was usually stone-faced turned dumbfounded. Miki swore she could've seen a lightning bolt crash down like how this new information was being jolted into them.

The strawberry blonde nodded worriedly, her usual radiant beam replaced with a small, concerned frown. "He has been in bed with a fever since last night, Shima-san wouldn't even let me visit him out of fear that I would catch it."

Kyoya stood next to her, clicking on his phone as he pulled up a message the blond had sent to him during classes. "And I just got this text from Tamaki himself," He informed them as everyone quickly crowded around the small screen.

I'm dying.

Fever, throat, rubby nobe (^o^)/

"It reads like a cold medicine commercial." Hikaru sweatdropped as his brother held the phone.

"He probably meant 'runny nose,' right?" Honey chirped as he sat on Mori's shoulders, overlooking the text.

"And why the cheerful emoticon?!" Kaoru grumbled. "You should save this, Kyoya-senpai, to laugh at later."

"But Milord never gets sick!" Hikaru snapped out of his usual hobby of jesting Tamaki as his expression turned dark.

Kaoru nodded as Kyoya took back his phone. "It could be a sign of Armageddon!" He agreed.

"Haru-chan, let's escape! There'll be scary thunder!" Honey ushered, taking the confused brunette by the hand.

"Even Tamaki-senpai must get sick sometimes-"

"What?! Tamaki-sama has a cold?!" The guests who were arriving in the host club exclaimed at the sudden news.

"Suoh is out sick?!" Even the male students who merely passed by shouted out in distress.

Everyone quickly filed into the room as whispers and murmurs of worried flooded the usually lively and cheerful music room as students began to discuss Tamaki's condition. It seemed like without the flamboyant blond, the club's atmosphere was completely thrown off balance. Haruhi couldn't help but deadpan at the congo line of people, all worried over the king of the host club.

"Not Tamaki-sama..." Tsubaki, one of his regulars, placed a hand to her lips. "He's never even had a single cavity. He's always bragging about his good health."

"I didn't even know it was possible for Suoh to get sick." Kotaro nodded.

Sora sighed dramatically as she cupped both her cheeks. "He must be lonely since Princess Michelle left, he cared for her like a sister."

 _Like a mother, not like a sister._ Most of the host club grumbled under their breaths.

"Come to think of it," Sora continued as she glanced up, tapping her chin. "He was acting strange even before the princess left." She commented.

"Milord is always acting strange!" The twins shot down that idea in unison.

"No, he's been out of sorts for days now." Shaking her head, another guest agreed. "Two days ago, he put 30 spoonfuls of sugar into one cup of tea. Then proceeded to write a poem."

"A poem?" Miki repeated, tilting her head.

"Ah yes, I was there. It was something along the lines of 'More than sugar, Is it okay to be so sweet? A father's love.' Tamaki-sama sounded so cool reading that poem!" Sora agreed, squealing cupping her reddened cheeks.

"What the heck is that?!" The twins laughed, slapping their hand against the table as comical tears poured out of their eyes. "It sounds so dumb!"

Haruhi sweatdropped as the girls continued to squirm and the twins chortled. "Isn't a Haiku supposed to be by five, seven, five syllabuses?" She grumbled.

"That reminds me," Ayame placed a hand at her chin, glancing to the side. Her long curled hair laid softly on her shoulders. "He was reading a childcare book during class. It's odd for him to study so hard."

"He asked me about my relationship with my parents." One of the guests spoke up.

"Me too."

Suddenly, a large rumble echoed through the ground as well as the sound of a power motor working. The floors opened and a sound of a familiar laughter filled the room. As expected Renge stood on the revolving platform ascending from the ground as she laughed. "I bet you all are wondering what happened to Tamaki-san has been ill, but I of course never miss a moment of truth!" Lifting an all-knowing finger, she began. "Yesterday after school, Tamaki-san invited Mori-senpai to meet him behind the gymnasium. He asked 'Have you ever thought about wanting to kiss Honey-senpai?'. However, Mori's swift and clean 'No' must have been that final blow that sent him to bed!" She hummed with a sorrowful expression. "I didn't know Tamaki-san and Mori-senpai were having an affair. What's to be done though? The conversation was fairly vague..." As Renge continued to mumble off and sprout out her own theories, Mori was left surrounded by the hosts and some customers who questioned him eagerly about what the dirty blonde meant.

"Ah!" Pounding a hand against her fist, Miki gasped as her eyes lit up. "Now that I think about it..."

"What's wrong?" Standing next to her as the situation panned out before them, Kyoya raised an eyebrow as she snapped out of her silence.

"Tamaki-kun asked me something similar last night." Raising a finger, she tapped her cheek. "When we got home, he seemed rather bothered by something so I asked him if anything happened." As their conversation was cloaked by the rowdy questions thrown at a silently panicking Mori, Miki continued. "He asked me, 'Have you ever thought about kissing Father or me?'"

Placing a hand under his chin, Kyoya turned thoughtful. "And? What did you say?" He pursued.

"Hm?" Cocking her head to the side, her lips curled into a slight frown. "I told him 'Of course not, that would be considered incest.'" She stated in an obvious manner before her eyes widened with distress. "Was it something I said perhaps?" She asked in a hushed voice, covering her mouth with her fingers.

Seeing her at least possess some sort of self-awareness, the boy with black-ish green hair smirked in amusement. He placed a hand on her head, ruffling her wavy strawberry blonde hair. "I don't believe it was something you said, though I have a pretty good guess on what it was that sent him to bed."

Her heart skipped a beat as his hand continued to comb through her hair, minding the braided crown. Miki blinked, the anxiety still lingering in her chest as she wondered what could possibly have sent Tamaki into his fever.

While everyone was getting worked up and forming theories of their own in terms of why Tamaki has been sick, the blond himself laid in bed, worrying himself. He wasn't concerned over Princess Michelle, Mori or Miki's words.

He thought back to the day when Princess Michelle and Prince Laurence reunited under the falling leaves of the courtyard. After Miki had tackled him into a hug and gave him some strange yet comforting words, Haruhi approached him. After speaking for a little, Tamaki had a sudden revelation.

When Haruhi smiled at him...

 _... I wanted to kiss Haruhi!_ Burying his face in his pillow with a flushed face, Tamaki panicked. He was curled up in bed, sweating up a river, yet his fever didn't seem like it was going to break anytime soon. _But I'm supposed to be her father!_ He told himself, slumping over on his already messy bed. _I'm a pervert..._

"Welcome home, Miss Miki." The first to greet the group as they made their way into the Suoh Second Estate was Suzuno, she wore her usual tender smile as she bowed to the others. "Can I take your bags for you? I can drop it off in the lounge for you." She offered the hosts.

Haruhi gasped at the grand entrance of the house. It looked more like a ballroom than the main hall. A set of staircases on each side, leading up to the same floor, the giant chandelier, the red carpet. She didn't have enough time to take it all in the last time she was here, as she was quickly dragged off by Tamaki to Miki's room.

"Ah, yes please!" The twins chimed nonchnatingly as they dropped the bag into Suzuno's waiting hands.

"Thank you." Honey giggled. "We have cake in the car, could you take that in please?"

"Yes, of course, Master Haninozuka."

When Suzuno offered an open hand to Haruhi, she shook her hands with a sweatdrop. "Oh no, I'll keep mine with me, thank you." She smiled uneasily, feeling awkward about making someone else do something as simple as holding her bag.

 _Damn these rich people..._ She thought.

"I'll take mine back to my room myself." Miki gave the platinum blonde maid a nod in thanks. "Where is Tamaki-kun and Antoinette?" She followed up, glancing around to look for the golden retriever that usually tackled her when she returned home.

"Antoinette is in the maid's quarters as to not disturb Master Tamaki. He is currently in his room, resting." Suzuno chuckled as she clutched the five leather bags to her chest. "Shima-san and everyone else is taking care of her."

"Alright, let's go see milord!" With a chime, the twins marched forth and towards the staircase as everyone followed close behind.

"Why are you two acting as if this is your own house?" Haruhi grumbled as she looked back to see Miki who was staring down at the ground, lost in thought. "Miki-senpai?" Slowing down a little, she leaned forth to try and get in her upperclassman's peripheral vision.

Noticing Haruhi call out to her, Miki turned around as her lips automatically curled into a smile. "Yes? What's wrong Haruhi?" She gave the brunette a close-eyed smile.

"You don't have to be so worried about Tamaki-senpai," Haruhi reassured her, "I'm sure he's doing just fine."

"It's not Tamaki-kun's illness I'm really worried about." Face returning neutral, Miki placed up. Holding her book bag before her legs, she tapped her chin with her free hand, remembering how her 'treatment' was like when she was sick. It wouldn't be too much to assume that Tamaki was probably going through the same process with if not the same, more enthusiasm from the energetic staff.

The sound of a pair of double doors opening caught the two girl's attention as the noticed the rest of the hosts have arrived in front of Tamaki's room.

"He looks fine to me." Hikaru and Kaoru chimed, opening the doors to see Tamaki half-naked as the maids were eagerly trying to dress him in fresh pyjamas.

"We came to see you Tama-chan." Honey beamed, clutching onto Mori by the neck who looked rather uneasy. "We brought chocolate and strawberry cake!" The lolita giggled as he jumped down from the silent giant, picking up Kuma-chan who fell to the ground through Tamaki's struggle against the maids.

"Why aren't you at school?" Tamaki asked, a little awestruck.

"It's over already." The twins shrugged.

"Thank you, but we'll take it from here," Kyoya explained to the maids as they packed up to leave, a little disappointed they didn't get to serve their young master.

Hearing that, Tamaki broke into tears of joy as he glanced up in a daze. "You guys..." He sniffled with beet red cheeks.

"There, there. Don't cry." Hikaru comforted as he helped Tamaki take off his sweaty shirt. "Finish getting changed, take off your pyjamas."

"Okay."

"And the bottoms," He added.

"By the way, Milord." Kaoru grinned as he held Tamaki's spare clothes. "Haruhi is here."

Just at the same time, Miki and Haruhi have finally reached the room. The former walked in without reservation nor noticing Tamaki was mostly naked while the latter froze.

"Oop, excuse me." Haruhi blinked. "Please take your time." With that, she closed the door.

There was a brief moment of silence where Miki just stared at the door, then at Tamaki who remained still. He then quickly burst into comical tears. "You did that on purpose!" He shouted at the twins who turned away in an aloof manner.

"Oh? Did we?" They jested.

Out of energy to continue bantering with them, Tamaki flopped down onto the bed with a small thump.

"Uh-oh, he died." The twins sang.

"Tamaki-kun!" Miki rushed forth to help her brother back up, pressing her palm against Tamaki's forehead, her brows knitted together. "Your fever still hasn't seemed to have gone down." Laying him down and throwing the covers over him, she informed.

"Sorry Miki, did I worry you?" Breathing out heavily, Tamaki looked up at the strawberry blonde with his tender eyes. "This must be a heart disease masquerading as a cold." He sighed dramatically, resting the back of his hand against his face.

"Eh? Really?" Retracting her hand, Miki covered her lips. "Then what should I do? Is there anything I-"

"He's being dramatic." Kyoya corrected as he skimmed through the doctor's note. "It's just a common cold. If he takes his medicine and stays in bed he should be fine."

"My headaches and my heart aches, Kyoya." Tamaki reasoned, curled up his blanket to cover his face. "My ice pack is melted, and I'm thirsty. I'm going to die..."

"Why don't you rest, I'll get you some water and an ice pack." Smiling sweetly, Miki exited the room, leaving Tamaki in the care of the rest of the hosts.

A little while later, Tamaki laid on the side of his bed lifelessly as he watched everyone else either sitting down at the table set or exploring his room. He coughed, bringing the blanket closer to himself as he waited for his sister to return with the water and ice pack.

"Haha! Check this out!" The twins laughed as they held a scarp book each in their hands.

"'Snacks of the Commoners, Volume 3'!" Hikaru burst out laughing as he scanned through the pages. "Milord's room is so much more interesting than Miki-senpai's!"

"Why is he putting all these snack packages in a scrapbook?" Kaoru flipped through another one, as he wiped away the tears that circled his eyes.

"Wow! They're sorted by brand and type. He even records the date he ate them and what he thought!" Honey exclaimed as he hovered over their shoulders, clutching his signature pink bunny to his chest. "He had one for candy bars, coffee, snacks, chips and even cake!"

"He may not look like it, but he's a blood type A." Kyoya lifted his glasses as he commented.

"Haha! Here's the report on delicious candy bars!" Hikaru teased.

Glancing up from the 'Commoner's Coffee Collection' Honey noticed Haruhi and Mori pressed up against a glass case display. "What are you looking at, Haru-chan?"

"Tamaki-senpai's collection of snack prizes," Haruhi replied, not looking away from the little figures that littered the surface of the shelves, like little terracotta soldiers standing there.

"Snack prizes? What are those?" The twins tilted their heads, seemingly bored of the scrapbooks already.

"They're toys that come with commoners' snacks," Kyoya explained as he, Honey and the twins paced over.

Mori was staring intently at some of the small figurines, one, in particular, he took out of its display and brought closer to his face. Though his expression remained neutral, his excessive staring at the knickknacks suggested that he had grown fond of it.

"Do you like that one, Takashi?" Honey giggled. "It's nice huh?"

"Hm." Mori hummed.

"Come to think of it, maybe Mori-senpai has a fetish for small things. Honey-senpai, for example." Hikaru hushed to his brother not-so-discreetly.

"He cares a lot about Haruhi and Miki-senpai too, and they are both pretty small," Kaoru whispered back.

"Oh! That's..." Spotting something familiar Haruhi gasped happily as she pressed her palms against the glass.

"You recognize it?" Kyoya asked.

"Yes. I used to collect them. It's from the Micca's house series." Haruhi wore a nostalgic smile as a slight flush of excitement crept onto her cheeks. "Wow, I didn't know they were still making it. It brings back memories."

Suddenly, Tamaki jumped out of bed upon hearing that. Grabbing a box, he quickly swept all of the 'Micca's house series' into the box and thrust it toward Haruhi. "Here, I want you to have them!" He exclaimed.

"Uh... That's alright." Haruhi sweatdropped. "They bring back memories but I don't really-"

"Take them!" Tamaki insisted, his fever not helping to calm his already stirring emotions.

Seeing no way to reject his sincere offer, Haruhi stammered. "T-Thank you.." Reaching out, she attempted to take it only for Tamaki to jolt back in shock once her fingers brushed against his.

Letting out a shriek, the blond jumped back in surprise as he dropped the box.

"Hey, what's wrong with you milord?" The twins raised an eyebrow, quick to defend Haruhi as she was knocked back to the ground from his sudden outburst.

"Tama-chan, are you all right? Your face is bright red!" Honey pointed out in concern.

"I'm done for..." Running a hand through his hair and down his face, Tamaki squeezed his eyes closed as tears brimmed. "My heart is pounding, my chest hurts, my headaches..."

"Maybe we should call a doctor..." Honey suggested as Tamaki began wobbling back towards his bed on unsteady steps. That was when the doors of his room opened, revealing Miki.

"Tamaki-kun, I brought you the ice pack." She beamed excitedly, lugging a bulky plastic bag into the room.

Everyone's eyes shot to her as they fell silent, just staring at her cheerful expression to see if she was serious or not, despite knowing that she most likely was.

"M-Miki-senpai..." Hikaru lifted twitching a finger to point at the oddly shaped bag. It was as if she dumped a pile of bricks in there.

"What is that?" Kaoru finished, a little scared to know the answer.

"Huh?" Miki tilted her head to the side as she blinked. "It's a pack of ice, an ice pack." She stated, lifting up the white plastic bag. "I thought I explained I was going to get one."

Silence once again ensued.

Tamaki let out a tired sigh as he floated over to his bed. "Don't worry about me anymore, Miki. I'm just a pervert." He spoke in a self-deprecating tone, leaving Miki to wonder what happened. Pulling over the sheets, he chuckled dryly. "Now Haruhi, please allow your perverted father to rest in bed..." And with that, he tumbled into his bed and accidentally knocking over a photo frame in the meantime.

Watching him curl up into a pillbug in the comfort of his sheets, the hosts sweatdropped.

"Is he really all right...?" The twins commented. "Maybe the fever has gone to his head."

Noticing the photo frame, Haruhi paced over to pick it up. "Tamaki-senpai? Something fell..." Her voice trailed off as she got a peek at the photo before Tamaki snatched it out of her hands and hid it under the blankets with him.

"Miss Miki." This time, strict voice filled the room as Miki stiffened up. Shima stood at the door to Tamaki's room with a stern expression. "I have told you many times not to approach Master Tamaki while he is sick, haven't I? Your body is much frailer, it doesn't take much to get you sick." She reminded.

"Sorry, Shima-san..." Lowering her head like a child being scolded by her mother, Miki apologized quietly.

"The rest of you, if you please, tea is waiting for you in the salon. Come this way." She gestured the hallway behind her.

Honey let out a small cheer for joy as he bounced out of the room, everyone following behind as they left Tamaki to rest. Miki kept her head down as she furrowed her brows, handing the bag of ice to Shima as they made their way downstairs.

"Kaoru," She called out to the ginger-haired boy who was speaking to Honey.

Turning around, the calmer of the twins hummed in response. Slowing down his steps, he allowed their pace to sync up as they descended the long staircase to the main floor. "What's up, Miki-senpai?" He grinned, tucking his hands in his pockets.

"I... Well..." Miki hesitated as she looked down at her feet, her reluctance was fairly out of character for the usual cheerful strawberry blonde. "I want to do something for Tamaki-kun." She explained, hands clutching before her dress. "He took care of me while I was ill, and I wanted to do the same for him. I tried to help make porridge for him last night but the staff told me not to."

 _That's because you don't know how to cook..._ Kaoru thought to himself with a sweatdrop, remembering Misuzu's loud shriek when she attempted to back in Karuizawa.

"I then tried to take care of him, but for some reason, it wouldn't work out well."

 _That's because you think ice packs are a pack of ice..._

"I thought if I couldn't do that, I'd at least stay by his side, but Shima-san wouldn't allow it out of worry that I'd become sick as well." Concluding with a final sigh, her hazel eyes dulled as her eye line dropped. "What should I do in this situation? I want to try and be there for Tamaki-kun, but I don't know what to do."

Falling silent, Kaoru thought for a moment. "I think you should just do what you do best," He shrugged with an aloof expression.

"Huh?"

"You are trying too hard to fit in with what you consider is correct for a 'sibling,'" He pointed out casually. "But there is no correct way of going about it. Just do what only you can do for milord, and I think you'll be fine."

"What I can do... for Tamaki-kun." Pressing her index finger against her bottom lips, Miki hummed before glancing back at him. "Do you help Hikaru with managing his emotions?" She blinked, speaking in a lower voice as to not let the older twin hear.

Surprised by her sudden observation, Kaoru remained silent as to urge her to continue.

"You said so in Karuizawa, 'He just doesn't know how to act, except to force his own feelings onto others, so he becomes monopolizing, like a child.'" She recited his words, raising a finger with a soft smile. "So it is thanks to you, he is beginning to learn how to claim independence over his emotions. That is something only you can do because you understand him the best, right?"

Hearing her analysis, Kaoru chuckled as he glanced over his shoulder as Haruhi and Hikaru conversed. "I guess you could say that," He muttered as his eyes began to dull. "But one day, Hikaru may choose to let someone else into his life. At that time, I may be... at a loss for what to do."

Miki's eyes darted between his amber eyes and Hikaru who walked alongside Haruhi. _From the tone of his voice... Does Hikaru have romantic feelings for Haruhi as well?_ She wondered as the two's conversation tuned into her ears.

"You know Haruhi," Wrapping his arms above his head, Hikaru averted his eyes. "You pay an awful lot of attention to milord."

"Huh?" Haruhi raised an eyebrow.

"Well, like with the princess the other day, you said 'Tamaki-senpai would never do that.'" He paused for a moment. "That surprised me."

"Oh, I'm sorry. Did you want to say it yourself?" Placing a hand to her mouth, Haruhi apologized.

Hikaru gave her a weird look as his arms returned to his sides. "Ha? What are you thinking?" He questioned.

"Because, if I hadn't, you would have, right?" Haruhi pointed out.

"What? Well..." He scratched his sideburn awkwardly. "I guess so..." He mumbled. "But not just me, Kaoru would have too..." Realizing something, he quickly shoved his hand into his pocket. "So you mean it's not unusual for anyone who knows milord to say something like that?"

"Yeah." Haruhi nodded curtly.

Suddenly, Hikaru broke into a wide grin. "I see. Yeah, that's right. I gotcha now." He chuckled, patting the brunette on the head cheekily. "By the way, what did milord grab out of your hand?"

Pausing for a moment, Haruhi's eyes seemed to have grown distant. "It was a photograph." She explained. "She looked a little like Princess Michelle, but even more like Tamaki-senpai."

As Haruhi said this, Miki froze on her steps as her eyes grew wide. A conversation with Tamaki back from the first day when she moved in resurfaced in her mind.

"Miki, have you sat under a kotatsu before?" As he assisted her with unpacking her DVDs, Tamaki asked the strawberry blonde as she put away her empty photo frames.

"A kotatsu? What is that?" Glancing up from the crystal clear frame in her hands, Miki raised an eyebrow.

"EH?!" Hearing her response, Tamaki nearly dropped some of the precious DVDs as he jumped back in complete and utter shock. Lightning bolts of revelation crashed down upon him as he stared at his newly arrived half-sister as if she were some kind of alien. "A-A-A-A Kotatsu! Miki! You don't know what that is?" He exclaimed more than asked. "Listen to me," Grabbing the confused blonde by the shoulders, Tamaki spoke firmly. "A kotatsu is a symbol of happy family life in Japan! You kick each other's feet under the kotatsu, play fighting while watching the Costume Grand Prix, and build bonds of trust among family!" His ocean like eyes turned pitiful as he stared at a very confused Miki. "You poor child... Leave it to me! When winter comes, we'll go to Kyoya's place! I'll have him get a kotatsu ready for us!" He promised, obviously disregarding Kyoya's say in the matter.

"Tamaki-kun, you really do like this kotatsu thing, huh?" Despite his long monologue about the uses of kotatsu, Miki had never understood what the item exactly was. Instead, she opted to comment on his evident passion for the subject.

"Of course!" Flamboyantly, Tamaki exclaimed as he turned on his heel to open his hands. "It's a dream of mine, our whole family, dining under the kotatsu." He paused for a moment as he realized something. "That's right! You too, Miki!" He beamed. "You need to join us at the kotatsu with your mother as well! Once I get grandmother's approval, the six of us, You, me, father, maman, and grandmother can all sit under a kotatsu and dine together! We will need a pentagon-shaped one then!" He cheered.

"Dining... Under a Kotatsu together?" Miki repeated, her brain having difficulties following that much information at once. However, she quickly broke into a bright smile. Grabbing Tamaki's hand, she nodded.

"Yeah! Let's do it!" She encouraged.

"That's right..." Spinning around on her heel, Miki muttered. "Right now, the only thing I can do for Tamaki-kun is..."

"Miki-senpai?" Kaoru tried to snap her out of her trance, but he was startled when Miki pushed her feet off against the ground and bolted upstairs. "Miki-senpai, where are yo-"

"I figured it out!" Not even looking back, Miki shouted. "Thank you Kaoru, I know what I can do for Tamaki-kun now! Give me two hours max!"

Sprinting up to her room, Miki didn't even bother to change out of her school uniform. She scooped up her book bag that leaned against her chair and pulled out her tablet. Opening a draw in her desk, she also pulled out a couple of Japanese furniture pamphlets she kept for resources and flipped to the page about kotatsu. Then, she paced over to her small collection of photo frames and scanned over them, swiftly. Her finger lingering on each one before ultimately deciding on a vintage wooden one. Gingerly, she picked it up with both hands and brought it down, placing it next to her tablet on her desk.

Turning on her drawing tablet, she picked up her stylus.

 _Princess Michelle looks very similar to Anne-san._ _So I'll use her a reference._ Wasting no time at all, her pen began to move on its own accord. _Tamaki-kun is always taking care of me, so this is the only thing I could possibly offer him in return..._

Suzuno rushed down the hallways towards the study with Miki's tablet. She had just been instructed by the strawberry blonde to print out her most recent piece of artwork when she noticed a familiar man speed down the corridor. "Master Yuzuru!" She exclaimed, eyes widening. "What about your business trip?"

"I'll return shortly." Lifting a hand and gesturing for her to stop the questions, Yuzuru briefed past her. "Where are my kids?"

"Master Tamaki is in his room resting; Miss Miki is in her room as well. Their friends are in the salon. Now, if you'll excuse me." The maid listed off everyone's location in the mansion as she bowed and hurried off.

Stepping into Tamaki's darkened room across from Miki's closed doors, Yuzuru pulled up a chair and sat next to his son. Tamaki laid in the sheets, a sweaty mess as he murmured. "Ugh... I'm such a pervert."

 _He may be my son, but he looks like a fool when he's asleep._ The man thought to himself. _It's cute though._

As the blond shuffled in his bed, the blankets shifted to reveal that he still clutched the photo of him and his mother close. Yuzuru noticed this, and let out a wry smile. "I'm sorry, Tamaki." He muttered. "To tell the truth, I could arrange for you to see your mother behind your grandmother's back. But I'm waiting to see if you have the strength to win your grandmother's acceptance and the ability to take over me to head the Suoh family."

"Father?" At this point, a bell-like voice rang behind him. He swiftly whipped his head around, spotting his daughter standing with her back against the light. "You didn't tell me you've returned, welcome home." She beamed softly as she approached Yuzuru.

"Miki, it's good to see you too." Standing up from his seat, Yuzuru enveloped her into a warm embrace. "What are you doing here? I thought we agreed not to let you come to close to Tamaki while he's sick." He chuckled, as Miki affectionately wrapped her arms around her father's back.

"I wanted to give him this." Gesturing the wooden photo frame in her right hand, Miki tilted her head with a bright beam.

"Hm, let's see." Leaning in closer to see the newly drawn artwork inside, Yuzuru flinched for a moment before his lips curled into a soft chuckle. He crisply placed a kiss on Miki's forehead, shocking her. Then he turned back to look at his son who was grumbling in his sleep, he sighed. "Both you and Tamaki, such adorably foolish children." He commented as he leaned forward, planting a gentle kiss on Tamaki's forehead as well.

Stirred by the sudden brush, Tamaki touched the spot where Yuzuru kissed. Opening his lead like eyelids, he turned his head, spotting his father and Miki.

"Ah, you're awake." Yuzuru teased. "Peek-a-boo!"

"How are you feeling?" Miki tilted her head, still holding the photo close to her chest.

"I just woke up." The blond corrected. "Kissing your son! What are you a pervert?" He whined.

"No, it's incest." Miki corrected with a straight face.

Sweatdropping both his kids' response, Yuzuru reasoned with a mischievous grin. "I'll always feel like kissing my adorable children, no matter how old you two get."

"Really?" In a daze, Tamaki sat up, slightly dumbfounded.

Seeing his silly face, Yuzuru stifled a teasing chortle. "Of course, would your father lie to you?"

"Really? Truly?" Tamaki's misty eyes began to brighten at his father's affirmation.

"Yes!" Lifting a finger, Yuzuru grinned. "It's no exaggeration to say a father is proud to feel this way." He explained.

Miki blinked at his response, remembering the kiss Kyoya gave her back at the summer festival. Her hand subconsciously glazed against her cheek, where she could still remember the strange sensation lingering.

There was a small knock on the door as Haruhi poked her head in. "Excuse me, we're about to leave, but I forgot my snack prizes." She paused once she noticed the chairman, sitting next to Tamaki's bed.

"Haruhi." Miki chirped.

"Hello! So you came too!" Yuzuru was quick to greet her. "You're Fujioka Haruhi, right? I've heard a lot of good things about you."

"Mr. Chairman, I didn't know you were here," Haruhi responded. "I'm glad-"

Before Haruhi could finish her sentence, however, Tamaki grabbed her wrist and reeled her in. Copying his father, he placed a gentle kiss on her forehead. As he pulled away, the previous pain and tension in his voice seemed to have vanished as he grinned back at a confused Haruhi. "A father is allowed to do that!" He stated as he fell back onto his bed, dropping asleep the moment his head hit the pillow.

"Oh, yeah..." Glazing a finger against the spot where his warm lips touched, Haruhi sweatdropped. "He's a kissoholic; I should watch out."

"Well then, I'll just leave his gift here." Smiling cheerfully, Miki set up her gift to Tamaki on his bedside table, where the photo of his mother usually resides. She gave her sleeping brother one last look before turning to Haruhi who had gathered up the box of snack prizes. "You said you guys are leaving? I'll go see you off," Dashing forward, she looped her arm around the brunette in a routine manner. "Come on, let's go!"

"Ah, Miki-senpai, please don't pull!" Haruhi protested as she was once again being dragged around by her immaturely mature upperclassman, leaving Yuzuru wondering what had just happened. However, he quickly snapped out of it as his eyes turned to the photo in the gift Miki had left.

 _A simple drawing of a six-people family sitting around a kotatsu table, dining in complete bliss._

As the Ootori limo pulled up in the driveway, at last, Miki and Kyoya were standing at the front porch of the mansion. The rest have already left, the twins insisting on taking Haruhi so she wouldn't need to carry the box of snack prizes home herself.

"Well," Holding his book bag under his arms, Kyoya moved out the door. He smirked at the strawberry blonde who seemed to be lost in thought about something. "Give my regards to your family." Turning his head, he was about to leave when he felt a light tug on his sleeve.

"Wait." Miki's eyes darted up as the locked eyes, and he shot her a weird look.

"What is the matter?"

She blinked with her usual blank and clueless face, indicating she was confused about something. "Kyoya-kun," There was a moment of silence as Miki's eyes flickered down before meeting his once again. Her grip tightened around them hem of his sleeve tightened and she fidgetted slightly. Opening her mouth, she finally spoke. "Do you see me as your daughter?"

.

.

.

Kyoya felt his eye twitch at her question. Readjusting his glasses to hide his annoyance, he sighed in an irritated fashion. "Where did you get that idea from?" He questioned as he turned his full body to face her, her hand retracting.

"You kissed me here." Her fingers trailed up her cheek to the spot, pointing at the tingling spot. "Father and Tamaki said it is common for a father to want to kiss his daughter."

Closing his eyes, Kyoya couldn't help but sigh again. "I do not see you as a daughter-figure, Miki." He swore he felt almost ten light years only just by having this conversation with her.

Feeling a sense of unexplainable relief run through her, Miki averted her eyes. Why did she feel... happy? Knowing he didn't see her as a daughter. Shaking that thought out of her head, she allowed her fingers to remain against her cheek. "That's good," Letting out a small sigh of relief, she chirped. "It would be troubling if you did see me like that," She told him honestly.

Humming, Kyoya leaned forward as he brought his face closer to hers. "Is it?" He questioned with a smug smirk. "And pray tell, why would that be?"

"Because I'm older than you, it would be strange for you to think of me as a daughter-figure, wouldn't it?" With a sweet smile, she stated bluntly.

Kyoya froze as he thought for a moment.

Mistaking his silence for a sign of elaboration, Miki explained. "Tamaki-kun has told me already; your birthday is in November right? I was born in June, which would make me slightly older than you."

Kyoya felt his eyebrow twitch in annoyance as he began to look visibly agitated.

Seeing that Kyoya was upset, Miki peered up at his face curiously as she wondered what could the problem be. "If it makes you feel better," She began, not sure if it will help. "I don't think of you as a son-figure." She spoke in an airy voice.

"Miki,"

"Yes?"

"Stop talking."

Miki tilted her head as she blinked. It didn't seem like it helped.

Kyoya turned around as he began to walk out the doors of the mansion before remembering something. "That's right if I recall correctly. You mentioned that you wanted to work in the production designing industry for recognition of your skill, right?" Opening his school bag, he pulled out a neatly folded sheet of paper and passed it to her.

Taking the sheet, Miki opened it gingerly to find information for an opportunity to work as an intern, on the production sets of Boston in the upcoming September. All she had to do was submit works from her portfolio by the late spring. Miki gasped, she peered up at Kyoya who huffed out a chuckle at the sheer amount of joy present in her eyes.

"Get this, and I'm sure you'll gain plenty of recognition." He informed her with a small smirk on his lips.

A/N: SURPRISE UPLOAD! I was kinda excited to post this chapter, so I went awe what the heck again and decided to post it early. Okay, to be fair I'm excited mostly for the next chapter as we'll finally meet a character I've been wanting to introduce for a while. In terms of why, well, you'll see then!

As we are slowly slipping out of the singular stand-alone chapters and further into the arcs, I feel like chapters are going to get much longer, well over the 5000 words mark. For reference, so far most chapters have been about 4000-6000 words with the longest being the beach chapter with 7000. In fact, one of the future chapters has about 11400 words total... It's a little overkill but think of it as a special edition. I thought of splitting it in half but I felt that chapter would work best together as a whole. So that being said, uploads MAY slow down a little, dragging out to 3-7 days. I never really had an upload schedule, to begin with, cause I'm more of a free-spirit writer. I mean if you check out my profile, you'll notice I have a story that hasn't been uploaded in 6 weeks (for fans of that book, it's coming I promise! I'm working on it!), because of some lack of motivation issues (even though the entire plot is already planned out). I haven't really had much of an issue on this story thanks to the overwhelming support I've received from you guys. Your comments and love give me the motivation while I deliver the chapters, so in a way, it's a duel-support system if you will 3.

I was taking a look at chapter 10 the other day, and I noticed something. At that point, this story has just hit over 100 favourites on Quotev and like 200 views on wattpad. Now, however, we are sitting at a freaking 550 favourites and 1.5K views at chapter 20~23. WHAT MATTER OF SORCERY IS THIS?!

Seriously, thank you all so much!

With that, have a good day!

XOXO,

Astra.


	26. 24 Honey Captures her Soul!

_-Chapter 24-_

Honey Captures her Soul!

 _Which designs should I submit though?_ As she scrolled through every design sketch stored on her tablet, Miki hummed. _The police-themed is a personal favourite of mine; the guests loved the pirate-themed, Heian-themed was another fan favourite._

"Achoo!" Honey's sneeze was just the wakeup call she needed as she snapped back into reality from her wonderland of designs. She glanced over at the lolita, spotting him with Mori nearby, passing him a tissue box. Four guests fussed over him as they placed down their forks.

"Oh, Honey-senpai, do you have a cold?" One girl asked. "It's easy to get sick when the seasons are changing."

"No, I'm fine." Rubbing his nose awkwardly, Honey giggled.

"Take care of yourself." Another girl who Miki recognized as Sumire warned tenderly with her hand near her lip. "I actually feel slightly feverish myself."

"I'm sorry to hear that, Princess Sumire." He flashed his usual dashing smile as he offered the tea to her. "Warm yourself up with this ginger tea, and we'll use it to divine whether that fever is from a cold or your feelings for me."

Cupping her reddened cheeks between her palm, Sumire let out a squeal as she swooned over his sugar-coated words. "Tamaki-sama!"

"Tamaki-sama, are you also a fortune teller?" One of the guests asked.

"A fortune teller?" Gasping, Miki tilted her head. Like a cat, her ears perked up excitedly as her eyes shone with excitement. "Tamaki-kun, you can tell people's fortunes?!" She exclaimed with shimmers in her hazel eyes.

"Yes, of course." Reaching out a hand to no one in particular, Tamaki readjusted his hair. "Did you know that since ancient times, people have read their fortunes in flora and the stars? But today the common folk use everyday items such as electrical appliances and stationary." He informed them. "At first, I was impressed by their skill in entertaining themselves without spending money, but then I realized it was a symptom of the emptiness in their busy lives! They'll use anything to feel better, in an attempt to confirm the significance of their existence!" Hand clenching into a fist, he struck a dramatic pose.

"Tamaki-sama, you are so cool!" One of the guests exclaimed.

"Please tell me my fortune!" Sumire pled.

Bouncing over to an empty seat next to Sumire, Miki giggled. "Tamaki-kun, tell mine next!"

"You're amazing Tama-chan!" Honey praised.

"Milord seems to be in perfect form after recovering from that cold," Hikaru commented, sipping on a cup of warm commoner's coffee.

"If he had stayed abed longer, we might have learned to miss him." Kaoru shrugged with a sweatdrop.

"Oh, Haruhi! Haruhi!" Glancing up from his cards, Tamaki beamed as he gestured for the brunette to come closer. "Let daddy tell your animal fortune!" He offered. "Are you a bunny? Or maybe a birdie? Come here!"

"I don't really care about that..." Haruhi hummed before pulling up a chair and sitting at least five feet away from Tamaki. "Please make it quick." She spoke as if it were nothing.

Reaching out shakily, Tamaki blinked. "Huh? Why are you so far away? Daddy is over here."

"I'm just being safe." Haruhi reasoned.

Hearing her words, the blond jolted back in shock. "Eh? Why?! Did I do something wrong?" He panicked as his eyes darted back and forth, brimmed with comical tears.

"Hm? Don't you remember Tamaki-kun?" Miki tilted her head with a finger to her chin. "When you were sick, you-"

"It's fine if you forgot." Interrupting her upperclassman, Haruhi spoke firmly.

"What are you talking about?!" Tamaki shrieked as the tears poured out of his face like a water dam. "What should I do? My daughter is in a rebellious stage! I know! I'll seek the answer by fortune-telling!" And with that, he scrambled through the cards in an attempt to figure out what was wrong when a hand crept onto his shoulder like a spider.

"Ah! I didn't know you liked fortune-telling, Suoh-kun." Nekozawa peeked up out of nowhere with Belzenef in his other hand, scaring the two blondes half to death.

"Nekozawa-senpai!" Darting behind her chair, Miki peeked out cautiously.

"Eeek!" Tamaki yelped, and his face turned pale.

Laughing maniacally, Nekozawa grinned. "You should join the Black Magic Club!" He muttered. "We're currently holding our late-fall fortune-telling campaign. I'll give you some special training."

Tamaki let out another screech as he dropped the cards, he sprinted behind Kyoya who paid no mind to him.

"That's right... I have some great news for you Haninozuka." Turning towards Honey, who was indulging in his afternoon cake happily, Nekozawa announced with a dramatic finger point. "Congratulations! Our very own mistress of maledictions has chosen you to be her sacrificial victim."

"Malediction?" Sneaking sheepishly away with tears of shock in her eyes, Miki repeated with questioning eyes.

"In other words, curses," Kyoya replied, still not glancing up from his work.

"Eeeh?!" The host club's eyes widened.

 _~Miki's Mind Theatre~_

 _Honey tied to a stake in a witches pot._

A girl with beautiful long black hair and dull eyes approached Kasanoda who jolted in fear at her presence.

"H-Huh?!" The redhead responded choppily, trying to retain his tough persona.

"You've been fraternizing with the host club recently, are you acquainted with the one they call 'Honey-senpai'?" The raven-haired girl asked with no emotion in her voice.

"Uh? N-No, not really." Kasanoda trembled slightly at her unsettling aura.

"I see, sorry to have inconvenienced you." With that, she pulled a wooden voodoo doll out of her bag and slid it towards the already horrified mafia's future leader. "Please accept this as my apology." And then, she walked away, leaving Kasanoda and the rest of her classmates in a panic.

"Kanazuki Reiko, first-year, class D, Black Magic Club member. Her family runs a high-class tailoring service in Japan. Her hobby is casting curses, and because of this she doesn't fit in with other students." Kyoya recited as he read through his notebook, glancing up at Tamaki, Miki, Hikaru and Kaoru who all peeked through the doorway of class 1-D.

"She's the one that wants to use Honey-senpai in her soup?" Miki blinked as she tilted her head in confusion. "She seems very nice."

"What makes you think she's gonna cook him?" Haruhi felt a sweatdrop behind her head as her shoulders slumped.

"Because Nekozawa-senpai said 'sacrificial victim.'" Lifting her finger, Miki with a serious expression. "She might use him to concoct a potion."

"Miki, she is the one cursing him, not cooking him." Readjusting his glasses, Kyoya corrected her.

"Do you know why she is cursing you, Honey-senpai?" Seeing that if this conversation went on, they'd be stuck here forever, Kaoru quickly changed the subject.

"I've seen her somewhere before, but I don't remember her exactly." Honey cried as he clung to Mori's back.

"She doesn't wear a black cloak like Nekozawa-senpai does." Haruhi pointed out.

In unison, the twins shrugged with a headshake. "Class 1-D sure has a lot of freaks. Like Bossa Nova-chi."

"Wahh... Why me?" Honey whined as tears circled in his eyes. "Why am I cursed? Is she really going to cook me?"

Seeing his cousin in such distress, Mori stayed silent as he placed Honey down on the ground. Then, in one crisp movement, he snapped around and marched towards the classroom. "I'll go have a talk with her..!" He grumbled.

"Ahh! No violence, Mori-senpai!" Tamaki was quick to stop the silent giant before Nekozawa appeared again.

"That's right." Placing an arm around Tamaki's shoulder, he chuckled darkly. "Interrupting the curse would only invite more calamity." He affirmed, causing Tamaki to shrivel in fear and crumple in Miki's arms as she too was as white as a sheet from the president of the black magic club.

"Wahh! I want to eat cake" Honey cried desperately as he clung onto Mori. "I don't wanna be turned into a potion!"

"Scary, no?" The twins whispered not-so-discreetly to each other.

 _Things are heating up... I want to go home._ Overlooking the situation, Haruhi sweatdropped.

"Haninozuka, don't you remember?" Grinning from ear to ear like the Cheshire cat, Nekozawa lifted the Belzenef puppet that moved with his words. "Kanazuki says you stole her soul. She intends to take yours as revenge. Here's proof, It's Kanazuki's eraser, I secretly took it. " Pulling the object out of his cloak, he took off the outer layer of paper surrounding it. "She wrote your name on it, once she uses it up your soul will be hers." Everyone crowded around, peering down at the object. There was the words 'Mitsukuni Haninozuka' with a heart, written in black ink neatly on the white rubber surface.

A moment of silence ensued as Hikaru and Kaoru snatched the eraser out of the dark-cloaked male's hands.

"There is a heart on it... Um... Isn't this..." Their voices trailed off as they laughed uneasily.

"And this is Kanazuki's hand mirror," Nekozawa continued, handing the antique to Tamaki and Miki. "She wrote Haninozuka's name on it using pink nail polish in order to steal his soul." Sure enough, this one had the same words, this time with two hearts instead.

"Her handwriting is quite adorable," Miki giggled as she held the mirror by its handle.

"Um... I think I know what this is." Hikaru's eyebrow twitched slightly as he glanced over the strawberry blonde's shoulder.

"Yeah... The girls used to do this in elementary school..." Karou added, looking equally weary.

"Huh? What is it?" Miki glanced up at the two, a little confused.

Nekozawa hummed."Are you not familiar with it? It's a relatively popular curse." He stated, holding up a reference book that read, 'A Lovey-Dovey Girls Victory in Love: Charm Book.'

Seeing the book, the host club moved back in shock and revelation. "Those aren't curses! They're elementary school love charms!" Hikaru, Kaoru and Tamaki gasped as Miki took the book curiously and began flipping through them.

As the twins stepped back, they bumped lightly into Reiko was on her way out of the classroom. With her monotonous voice, she informed them. "No... They are curses." Then, she noticed Honey. "It's nice to see you, Haninozuka-senpai." She greeted him with no emotion or enthusiasm what-so-ever.

"H-Huh?" Being suddenly called out by a girl he was afraid was going to cook him, Honey stepped back cautiously.

Reiko reached out and plucked a strand of hair off his head with a deadpan expression. "One hair, if you please." She muttered.

"Ow!" Honey cried as Mori hurried to comfort him.

"If I tie this with one of my own, it will bind your soul to mine." She explained as everyone watched her incredulously, not knowing what to say.

At this moment, Miki's eyes skimmed across the pages of the reference book. Finding a section that read, 'Eraser Love Charm! - Write the name of your loved one and use it up, the person will surely fall in love with you as well!'." She blinked slightly before glancing up at Reiko who had completed in attaching the short blond strand to her own raven hair.

"Kanazuki-san," Miki tilted her head. "Are you perhaps in love with Honey-senpai?" She asked bluntly.

Reiko glanced up from the two firmly tied locks with a blank face, almost mirroring Miki's clueless one. "Technically speaking, he stole my soul." She corrected as she pulled out a handkerchief and gingerly placing the combined locks of hair onto it.

"I think you mean he stole your heart..." Tamaki laughed uneasily.

 _Isn't that dangerous? The heart is an essential organ in the body after all._ Holding the reference guide to her chest, Miki wondered. She glanced at Kyoya who lifted his glasses with a brow raise. It was as if she could hear his voice tell her, 'Metaphor, Miki,' as he always did.

"Well, I don't know what it's commonly called." After a moment of silence, Reiko folded up the handkerchief and tucked it into her bag. "But to be specific, Honey-senpai occupies 90% of my thoughts and causes my heart to palpitate. His external appearance satisfies my fetishist tendencies. I have a weakness for pixies. He took my soul, so now I must take his." Turning on her heel, her prim raven hair trailed behind her as she chuckled in an unsettling manner. "Thus, until Honey-senpai's soul is mine, I will continue to curse him."

"So she does love him," Miki gasped as she pounded a fist against an open palm as if it were some kind of major revelation at this point.

"That's what you took away from this?!" The twins shouted.

"Huh? That's not all," Glancing at Reiko's lone figure walk down the halls as people actively attempted to avoid her, Miki giggled. "Even though Tamaki-kun told me to stay away from the members of the black magic club, I think Kanazuki-san is a nice person and quite adorable." Tapping a finger to her chin, Miki chirped happily.

 _Miki-senpai, just what do you find adorable?_ Averting her eyes, Haruhi grumbled as she remembered her attempts to pet the 'adorable alligators' back at the water park.

Honey sat at his chair in a daze three days later, completely drained of energy. He arms slumped loosely around Usa-chan as he absently stabbed his fork into his usual strawberry cake, stuffing it into his mouth. Reiko's love curse attack has been intensifying day by day. First, she wrote their names on a pair of chopsticks to eat soba noodles with. Then she visited his classroom and requested him to write his name for the hundredth time on a piece of paper where she had already written it 99 times. Finally, she got him to untie a ribbon together, claiming it will 'bind their souls for eternity.' The raven-haired girl seemed intent on 'capturing his soul' with one of those curses.

"Honey-senpai looks exhausted," Haruhi pointed out, watching as he ate his cake at an abnormally slow pace. "Is there anything we can do?"

"We could try one of those curses for her," Miki suggested with an airy smile.

"No, I don't think that will help." The brunette instantly denied. "Also, those are clearly 'love charms.'"

"Hm..." Tamaki shuffled close to the two girls, standing next to Haruhi. "We now know they are only love charms, and I can never ignore the feelings of a girl in love-" Glancing down, the two noticed just how close they were and Haruhi immediately shuffled away, placing Miki in between them.

"Hey!" He shouted.

Suddenly, a fit of laughter erupted from the lounge area. Everyone turned to see the twins hovering over the coffee table. Kaoru was snickering into his hand like a child as Hikaru waved them over. "Hey, come here! Take a look at this" He gestured. "We used milord's cards to predict Honey-senpai and Kanazuki-san's love fortune."

"Really?" Bringing her fingers up to her parted lips, Miki gasped. Jogging over with a slight bounce to her step, she asked. "Let me see."

"They came as a perfect match," Kaoru told her as he held up an Ace of Hearts card clipped between his index and middle finger.

"if you think about it, it's rare for someone to seriously fall in love with Honey-senpai." They spoke in unison, glancing over their fortune-telling session. "They're polar opposites, so they must be perfect together."

"You two should take into account Honey-senpai's feelings." Tamaki scolded.

"Eh? What do you mean by seriously?" Miki's brows drew close as she cocked her head to the side. "There are so many girls who like Honey-senpai."

"Most girls tend to feel maternal towards him rather than romantic," Kyoya informed as he glanced towards the lolita who was still eating his cake in contemplation. "What should we do, Honey-senpai? This may interfere with the club's business. If there is anything I can do-"

"No..." Shaking his head, Honey looked down with a hint of sorrow and pity in his big brown eyes. "I've been watching her and..." His voice trailed off, his fork resting on his lips as he spoke. "She doesn't have many friends outside the black magic club. I don't think she can talk to other people that easily. The only way she knows how to communicate is through curses and charms." Letting out a small sigh, he picked up another piece of cake. "Although, it could just be her personality, but-"

"Excuse me, Honey-senpai." Before Honey could finish his sentence, Reiko appeared behind him out of nowhere. "May I borrow your bunny?" She more stated than asked.

"Huh?! Why?"

"If I can cast a spell on something important to you, your soul will be mine." With that, she snatched the pink stuffed animal out of the lolita's arms. "I'll give it back tomorrow."

"No! That's my Usa-chan!" In a fit of worry, Honey jolted up from his seat.

Paying no attention to his protests, Reiko was about to head for the door when Mori pulled Usa-chan out of her thin arms with a stern expression, shocking everyone. He fixed his stare at her, watching as she narrowed her onyx-like eyes in annoyance. "If you want his heart, shouldn't you do something else?" He questioned.

"Hand over the stuffed animal; if you stand in my way, I'll curse you." She spoke in a calm yet defiant tone.

"Being cursed by someone who doesn't consider other people's feelings will have no effect on me at all," Mori replied, his expression still not changing as he paced back to Honey, giving him back his Usa-chan. "You'll never win someone's heart that way, no matter how many charms you use." He told her firmly.

Reiko fell silent as she stood contemplatively. Her hands were resting before her as her eyes averted to the side. "But there's no point in thinking about the feelings of others..." She spoke quietly. "No one tries to understand me, and certainly no one will grow to like me. Talking is a waste of time, so now I use curses right from the start."

"You can't do that, Kanazuki-san." Miki's bell-like voice caught everyone's attention as she stepped closer to the first-year.

"You are... Class 2-A's Aphrodite, Suoh Miki." Reiko named her, her chilling eyes growing weary.

"Aphrodite?" The twins raised an eyebrow each.

"It seems to be a nickname she has gained among the girls of our class," Kyoya explained with his arms crossed.

"Please, just call me Miki." Giggling, she took Reiko's cold hands in her's. "However, Reiko-san, you need to communicate with others to be heard." Her eyes crinkled tenderly at the raven-haired girl. "If you don't say anything, no one will be able to understand your feelings."

Eyes flickering down, the black magician fell silent.

"She's right, Rei-chan." Honey approached her, holding Usa-chan. "If you want me to like you, let's talk more." He offered. "I don't want my feelings to be controlled by curses. I want to know about the things you like, the things you're not good at and what makes you happy. I'd like to hear all of those things." He admitted as a light flush of red to creep up on her pale cheeks. "Rei-chan, I..." Flashing a sincere beam, Honey tilted his head. "I like girls who fight to overcome their weaknesses." He revealed, causing Reiko to blush furiously. Her eyes widened as they began to sparkle in the bright light. She glanced at Miki for a few moments, who returned her look with a radiant beam as she let go of her hands with a nod of reassurance.

"I like... curses." Hands finding each other before her, Reiko admitted. "I'm not good at talking to people. But, a week ago, when you reached out for me when I fell, and you smiled at me... That made me... very happy..."

"Oh, now I remember," Honey muttered. "You're the one who tripped over Usa-chan when I dropped him." He pointed at Reiko with realization.

"Huh?!" Hikaru, Kaoru, Tamaki, Miki and Haruhi all gasped at the reveal of information.

 _So in the end, the perpetrator was Honey-senpai._ Haruhi sweatdropped as she thought to herself.

Seeing the slight shame on her face in her previous actions, Honey chuckled. "So, Rei-chan would you like to eat some cake together?" He offered.

"Y-Yes!"

"Aphrodite?" A few days later, Kyoya raised an eyebrow at Miki as the host club was in session. The two leaned against a wall as the rest of the hosts were busy doing their thing at their stations.

Nodding with a sound 'mhm,' Miki responded all-too-cheerfully. "I think Sora-chan came up with that nickname. Did you know they said my advice on love is super effective? You could consult with me too, Kyoya-kun." She chimed, lifting a finger with that radiant smile of hers.

Readjusting his glasses, Kyoya felt his fingers twitch. "If you are still asking that, that title clearly doesn't suit you very well." He commented, causing Miki's expression to turn into wide-eyed.

"Hm?" Tilting her head to the side, she blinked. "Why is that?"

Not wanting to deal with her denseness at the moment, Kyoya's eyes flickered back down to his notebook. "Nevermind." He sighed with a hint of irritation as his pen moved at a rapid pace, jotting down the calculations for the monthly budget review. He felt his consciousness being distracted as a pair of hazel eyes remained fixed on him. He felt like a statue in a museum, being observed by a curious child from all sorts of angles. "What are you doing?" Finding himself unable to concentrate or simply ignore her, he finally questioned.

"I was just wondering when she'll be here," With an airheaded giggle, Miki bounced her weight between her two feet. "It should be time soon, shouldn't it?"

"The reservation book is that one," Pointing at an identical black book on the table next to them, Kyoya informed her. "But yes, she should be here soon."

"Can I double check?"

"Be my guest."

At that moment, the doors to the clubroom opened as Honey's new customer stepped in. Miki gasped in excitement as she turned on her heel to greet her, her fluffy hair trailing behind from the momentum of her twirl. "Reiko-san, you're here?" She greeted her underclassman enthusiastically, quickly darting away from Kyoya's side.

"Yes, it's almost my appointment time," Reiko replied with her usual emotionless face as she stared blankly at Miki.

"Come on, Honey-senpai should be done soon." Taking the silent girl's hand, Miki tugged gently as she guided her towards the lolita and his giant partner with a bright beam. "I'll get some cake for you guys, alright?"

Almost overwhelmed by her energy, Reiko nodded slowly. "Thank you very much... Miki-san." She called to the strawberry blonde by her name, averting her eyes out of the slight embarrassment that stirred in her chest.

Miki's bright smile, open posture and strawberry blonde hair made her an apparent contrast against Reiko's flat expression, closed-off body language and raven hair. Together they looked like yin and yang, the complete opposites, yet so natural together.

"Ah, Rei-chan!" Greeting the shy girl, Honey waved with a giggle. "Welcome! Come on, let's have some cake!"

This may be the start of a perfect relationship as well as the beginnings of an extraordinary friendship.

A/N: TA-DA! So remember how I was talking about Miki gaining some female friends, but I have other plans for who her ultimate best friend will end up being? Yeah, I meant Reiko! Now, I know this decision may surprise some of you since those two are the complete opposites in terms of personality, but hear me out.

While I did consider for Haruhi and Miki to be best friends for quite some time, I ultimately decided against it for two reasons. One, they would share a similar contrast to Kyoya and Miki, with Haruhi often pointing out the dumb things Miki says, and secondly, because of their emotional maturity. Haruhi is much more seasoned and mature than Miki is despite being younger, and while I can picture those two having a lasting friendship as well as an immense amount of respect for each other, I don't believe they can connect on an emotional level due to the large gap in their emotional intelligence. On the other hand, Reiko is very similar to Miki with her lack of knowledge in emotions, so I believe they can form a better connection and become a very interestingly dynamic duo. (Just imagine Miki helping Reiko out with curses in curiosity, Tamaki would flip out XD)

On another note, I've been sitting on the idea of writing a funny &random one-shot short set in a different universe for a while as the 300 (now 550) favourite special on Quotev, and I've finally arrived at two options. One is an AU set in an RPG-like world with each of the hosts as a special class and going on a quest together to slay the demon lord (Hey, I said it was gonna be random), the second option is set in the universe of a fairy tale, kind of like the Alice in Wonderland special in the original Manga and Anime. Tell me in the comments which do you like better! If you would prefer the second option, be sure to leave your suggestions! Which fairy tale would you like to see? Who would you like to see play certain characters? I'm open to all suggestions. (Take this as your chance to get me to write whatever you want!)

With that, have a great day!

XOXO,

Astra.


	27. 25 Opposite Side on the Test of Coura

_-Chapter 25-_

 **Opposite Side on the Test of Courage!**

Letting out an exasperated sigh, Miki collapsed onto her desk, completely drained of energy. Shifting her head tot he side, she gazed out the window and towards the brilliant blue sky.

"Miki," Spinning around on his chair, Tamaki called out to her in a playful tone. "Don't look so tired; we still have our 'Halloween special week' club activities coming up." He reminded her as he folded his arms on the backrest of his chair, resting his chin on it.

Her hazel eyes lit up slightly as she remembered the special day called 'Halloween' was coming up, her head perked up and she was once again charged with energy. "That's right!" She gasped with excitement as she jolted up. "Halloween, the day where it's okay to demand candy from people, or else you are allowed to play a prank on them right? That sounds so exciting! Maybe if someone refuses to give me candy, I can test out some moves I learned from _Crime? Crime Drama_ ." She sighed dramatically as her hands cupped together, resting next to her face.

"No, Miki." With a wry chuckle in adoration, Tamaki corrected her as he waved his hand. "No violence, okay?" He sweatdropped, trying calm down her wild imagination.

"We are going, you two." Peering at the two blondes, Kyoya said with his bag clipped under his arm.

"Coming!" They chimed after sharing a small grin.

"Miki-san, what are you doing?" As she entered the club, Sumire hovered over the strawberry blonde.

Glancing up from her catalogue, Miki blinked before breaking into a radiant smile. "I'm trying to find a costume to wear to the campus party on Halloween." She explained, slightly confused when Sumire sweatdropped at the magazine she held.

 _'Scariest Beasts on the night of Death.'_

"I think you'd be better off as something cuter, don't you think?" The girl laughed uneasily. "You know, something more playful, like a witch or a fairy?" She suggested.

"But isn't Halloween supposed to be a scary day?" Cocking her head to the side, Miki looked quizzical at Sumire's advice. "Why would I dress up as something cute?"

"Eh? Well..." Placing a hand to her lips, Sumire pursed her lips. "It's pretty common for us girls to dress up as cute things, you know? To look cuter."

Averting her eyes back to the catalogue, Miki gazed blankly at the photos of zombies and frankensteins. All of these foreign words and concepts she has never seen or even contemplated about in her life, it honestly baffled her that people could come up with such absurd ideas. _So it's a gender thing?_ She wondered before opening her mouth and speaking her thoughts. "But if this holiday is supposed to be scary, I experience the full effect by dressing up as something scary." She stated with a small head tilt.

"I guess you are a pretty traditional person, Miki-chan." With a small chuckle, Sumire swept a few strands of her long stray hair behind her ears. "If you need any help, I'll do my best to assist you, alright?"

Nodding, Miki beamed at the brunette who walked away, before shifting her focus to the hosts who were dressed up as vampires. She hummed, remarking how 'vampires' turned out nothing like what she had imagined.

 _They are just humans with sharper teeth and wearing a cloak._ She thought with a hint of disappointment on her face. _They would have been much scarier if they really were bow-tie wearing leeches._

"Tamaki-kun, you're a vampire this year, right?" With a hushed voice, Sora breathed as Tamaki approached her and Tsubaki dressed in his host club costume. They sat at a Transylvania styled room Miki had readied almost weeks in advance. Elegant purple chiffon curtains, candle lights and the spooky sweet setting, Tsubaki turned starry-eyed.

"You look just fantastic." She complimented.

"Can I get a treat from you, in the form of some blood?" Cupping the girl's cheek, Tamaki whispered and leaned in seductively.

Tsubaki froze for a moment before close her eyes in compliance. "I cannot give you any," She denied with flushed cheeks. "So please, play your trick."

"Then, here comes the kiss of death."

"Me, next!" Sora squealed.

"Hey there," The twins greeted as they slid into the clubroom with Haruhi.

"You guys are late," Tamaki scolded, breaking out of character. "Hurry up and get changed."

"Oh, from now until Halloween day..."Hikaru began with his hands on his hip.

"...we're skipping club activities..." Kaoru continued.

"...by your leave," They finished in unison.

"What?!" Tamaki exclaimed.

"How come?" Honey questioned curiously.

"We have a class event until Halloween day, so we're busy getting ready for that," They explained.

"A class-event? We aren't doing anything like that." Miki whined with a small frown.

"It's an optional event," Kyoya informed her. "If it's a class event then it can't be helped."

"That being the case, carry on!" The twins sang, dragging Haruhi away into the darkness.

"Wait, wait, why are you taking Haruhi with you?!" Tamaki reached a hand out with a slightly paled face.

"Well, Haruhi is in our class, after all," Turning around slowly, Hikaru gave a devilish grin.

"We're having a special test-of-courage tournament at the school, at night," Kaoru added, making the same expression.

"The school!?... At night..." Tamaki's knees turned weak as he began to wobble.

"Special test-of-courage!?" Focusing on a different part of the conversation, Miki jumped up from her seat and closing the magazine. "Lucky, I want to play too!"

"Hmm?" Rubbing their chins playfully, the twins leaned in to observe her face. "Test of courage's aren't games, Miki-senpai." They warned her in an ominous tone. "Monsters could be lurking anywhere, ready to jump out and scare you."

"Whatever it is, bring it on!" Clutching her hands in fists, Miki struck a power pose as she stared at the twins with determination. "I'm not afraid of anything." She winked an eye in confidence.

"For some reason, I don't doubt that." Haruhi deadpanned at her claim.

"Haruhi, are you seriously planning to attend such an improper nighttime event?!" Tamaki shouted seemingly repulsed by her unbothered behaviour.

"Well, class camaraderie is important, and all," Haruhi explained.

"Camaraderie? Camaraderie, you say?" Tamaki repeated, his fingers twitching. "What kind of camaraderie is that?! How trampy... Letting his little girl go playing around at night is something that Daddy...Something that Daddy absolutely forbids!"

Noticing Kaoru standing to the side, not joining Hikaru as he placed a hand on Haruhi's shoulder. Miki gazed at him curiously as he seemed lost in thought, she tilted her body to the side, getting into his peripheral vision as she blinked.

"Is there something on my face?" Snapping out of his thoughts, Kaoru raised an eyebrow.

"Kaoru, can I join your test of courage?" After confirming it was him, Miki broke into a mischievous grin.

"It's a class event, Mik-senpai." Chuckling wryly, Kaoru shook his head. "You are a year older than us."

"Awe, that's too bad." Pouting, Miki's shoulders slumped, she turned away as Kaoru placed a hand on his hip.

"Okay, let's go Haruhi." He announced as he returned to Hikaru's side as the two dragged Haruhi away.

"Adieu, sir!" They waved smugly.

"Hey, wait! Include me in your event, too!" Tamaki reached an arm out in an attempt to stop them, but the first-year trio has already left.

"It won't work Tamaki-kun, I asked Kaoru if I could join already." Pacing over, Miki was still frowning in disappointment as she stared in the direction where they had vanished. "It's too bad; I really wanted to participate as well."

Hearing her wish, Tamaki snapped out of his depressed state and turned to Kyoya. "Kyoya, Miki has spoken and it is my job to deliver." Posing confidently, the aura around him sparkled as he lifted a finger and pointed at him. "Find a way where we can participate in this test of courage event immediately." He beamed, clearly not disguising his wish to attend the event under the disguise of helping his sister 'experience new things'.

Suddenly a familiar series of creepy chuckles echoed out of the doors that lead to the black magic club room, disguised as a coffin door. It creaked open slowly to reveal Nekozawa, wearing a knowing smirk as Belzenef twitched in his hand.

Shrivelling at the sight of him, Tamaki's voice turned rasp as he began to back away. "Nekozawa-senpai, when did you..."

"I just heard something quite interesting." The dark cloaked figure hummed. "Is that right? Do you want to participate too, Suoh-kun? Belzenef believes it will be fun too. If it's the unfathomable terror they're after, those of us in the Black Magic Club will have to do our part, as well." With his announcement, the member of the black trickled out of the door from behind him, all dressed in their black cloaks, wearing creepy grins. Miki recognized one of them, as she instantly turned into an energetic puppy. She waved and whispered a greeting to her new friend.

"By all means, let us give the 1st-years a Halloween present they won't forget," Nekozawa suggested with another series of eerie laughter.

As the black magic club began to retreat back into their clubroom with equally creepy laughter, Reiko moved forward and grabbed onto Miki's wrist, causing a slightly confused 'Eh?' to escape the blonde's throat. She tilted her head as she felt a small tug as the raven-haired girl walked off.

"W-Wait! Kanazuki, where are you taking Miki?!" Jumping into defensive mode, Tamaki attempted to stop them only for the coffin door to slam closed. The last thing he saw was Miki's confused hazel eyes, blinking.

There were a few moments of silence when Tamaki's body suddenly crumpled to dust at the shock of having his sister taken from him. He collapsed to the ground as his sparkling aura quickly filled up with mushrooms of sadness. "Miki..." He muttered. "Did Miki just get kidnapped from me? She went with Kanazuki so willingly too..." His hand was grasping his arm as he muttered. "Will she stay down there? Will she convert to the black magic club? She's been becoming less afraid of black magic with every passing day thanks to Kanazuki..." Eyes shooting up, he stared at the remaining hosts seriously. "Do you think she's going to replace me as a sibling with Kanazuki?"

"There, there, Tama-chan." Rubbing his back with a faint giggle, Honey hemmed. "Miki-chan wouldn't leave you," He reassured. "Not when you have all her precious DVDs, right?" He pointed out as Tamaki's gloomy aura almost immediately dispelled.

"That's right!" Wiping away his comical tears dramatically, he shuddered. "While I still have her collection of DVDs, she wouldn't even think of leaving!"

"Reiko-san, where are you taking me?" Still being taken by the wrist, Miki leaned her body to the side as they descended a very dark set of staircases. The only light source they had were the candles on walls, flicking ominously. She couldn't help but feel her limbs begin to lose energy and her hands trembled in slight agitation at the door that shut behind her. She swallowed hard, hearing no answer from the silent girl as a dark spruce door came into view. Nekozawa, who was leading the pack, threw the doors wide open with a readied grin. Peeking out from behind him, Miki noticed a couple other people sitting, holding skulls and books also dressed in the same black cloak as Nekozawa.

"We are back." He chuckled darkly, sending a slight shiver down Miki's spine, but the uneasiness vanished once she noticed just how detailedly decorated the place was. She gasped at the carefully carved wood, the dimly lit candles, the golden designs on the chairs. The placement, the layout, the attention to detail, everything promoted the spooky yet elegant atmosphere. It put her production upstairs that she spent weeks working on to shame.

"Wow, so this is the black magic club..." With a hand to her lips, Miki's eyes brightened in the candlelight.

"Woah Kanazuki, is this a new member?" One of the students who wore a black cloak jumped up from his seat with excitement.

Hearing that question, Miki snapped around, a little confused. "Eh?"

"That's Kanazuki for you!" Another cheered as a crowd slowly gathered around them. "What sort of hexes are you into?" He asked.

"Sorry, but I'm already part of the ho-" She was about to explain the situation to the eager cloak-wearers when she heard the doors slamming closed behind. Letting out a gasp in shock as her shoulders spikes, she turned around sheepishly.

"Now, Now, settle down." In his choppy yet creepy tone, Nekozawa broke up the small crowd that began to form around a panicking Miki and an emotionless Reiko. "She is part of the host club, and is Kanazuki's guest, be nice to her." He scolded, watching with a grin as the members dissolved in slight disappointment.

Reiko shifted her gaze to look at Miki; her arm was trembling in her grip. "Miki-san, are you afraid of this room?" She inquired in her monotonous voice.

"Huh? Oh no, that's not the case." Immediately shaking her head, Miki wore her pleasant smile again. "In fact, I absolutely love the architectural designs of this room. It's just..." She averted her eyes uneasily to the door that slammed closed. "I don't like the feeling of being... trapped like this." Choosing her words carefully, she rubbed her forearm with her free hand.

There was a short moment of silence between the two as the members of the black magic club were discussing their favourite charms, curses and hexes. Suddenly, Reiko's grip loosened around her wrist and she waltzed towards a desk that leaned to the corner of the room. Her movements were fluid, graceful, almost like a ghost. Miki watched in interest as the raven-haired girl picked up a feather pen and began writing something down on a piece of aged paper.

"What are you doing, Reiko-san?" Caving into her curiosity, Miki asked.

Reiko didn't respond. Instead, she continued to focus on writing on the piece of paper. It didn't take long until she picked it up and faced Miki. Without a change in expression, she extended the piece of aged paper with a strange character write on it.

"What is it?" Observing the character written in jet black ink, she followed up.

"It's a hex," Reiko explained with a quiet voice as her eyes flickered down to the talisman. "It's specially designed to countering the fear of being trapped."

"Really?!" Miki's eyes widened with awe, her lips parts as she gawked at the emotionless girl. "You're giving something like this to me?"

"Yes, it is my apologies for bringing you down here."

Holding the piece of paper with both hands close to her chest, careful not to crinkle it. "Thank you! I'll treat it with much care." Miki beamed sincerely. "By the way, why did you bring me down here?"

Reiko's onyx-like eyes shot up in surprise at the genuine recognition of gratitude, her gaze lingered for a moment before she moved out of the way, revealing a black dress arranged neatly on a mannequin. It was a Wa-Lolita gothic styled dress with golden skull designs on the skirt. Two prop crows rested on the shoulders, making it look even creepier. "I overheard you were looking for a scary costume, this is a 'Jiangshi', a Chinese hopping vampire that walks around with their arms outstretched and kills others by absorbing their 'qi'. It's a costume of mine, so... I figured..." Her eyes formed a downcast as her hands cupping before her legs, her voice trailed off.

"You brought this over for me?!" Hazel eyes were glimmering like the stars, Miki jumped forth. Shifting the talisman to one hand, she grabbed Reiko's with the other. "Oh my goodness, it's perfect!"

Reiko's dull eyes widened as a flicker of candlelight reflected into her soul. "Truly?" She whispered.

"Mhm!" With a bounce to her step, Miki observed the dress with sparkling eyes her hands glazed across the material. "This is perfect! It retains the idea of being scary for Halloween; the skull designs are gorgeous and, best of all, it's made out of chiffon." As she finished, she clapped her hands together happily. "Thank you very much!" She chirped.

Seeing that she had made a person so happy, let alone her new friend, a flush of pride crept into Reiko's pale cheeks. She averted her eyes shyly before helping Miki take the outfit off the stand. As well as stuffing a pumpkin head into Miki's hands.

"Please give this to Honey-senpai; it has a curse on it to make him appear scarier to the souls who will be in the grace of his presence on Halloween night." She explained as the two head for the doors of the clubroom. "And, remember to place the talisman on your forehead to help complete the costume."

"I will." Before the black magician could reach out for the golden vintage doorknob, Miki jumped forward. Holding her the costumes and talisman in one arm, she hugged Reiko with the other causing the raven-haired girl to flinch by the sudden affection. "Once again, thank you so much for the costume, Reiko-san!" She giggled.

"...Miki-san." Reiko stood still, not moving as her hollow eyes shifted to Miki's strands of strawberry blonde that puffed up from how fluffy it was. "I don't know what to respond with in these circumstances." She admitted.

"Huh? What are you talking about?" Still not letting of her, Miki blinked. "You hug me back, silly. That's what friends do, right?" Nuzzling her head closer to Reiko's, the blonde let out a chuckle in adoration.

Letting out a slight gasp, Reiko allower her face to sink into Miki's wavy hair. Awkwardly, she reached her hand up and curled it around her upperclassman's embrace as a small smile curled at the corner of her lips.

"Are you ready to head back to the world of light?" Interrupting the moment between the two girls, Belzenef on Nekozawa's hand leaned in. "Know that you are always welcome back, especially if you'd like to join..." He began to laugh darkly at the notion.

"No, thank you." Rejecting his offer bluntly, Miki separated from her friend. "I'll be going then." She beamed brightly at Reiko who nodded as her expression reverted to its usually soulless gaze.

As the dark spruce doors opened, Miki found the energy in her feet beginning to drain once again. She stared up at the daunting stairs with a hint of fear across her eyes; the flickering candles seemed like claws that cast upon to the walls. The door on the other end was closed, firmly closed. She bit her bottom lips, trying to suppress her imagination on what would happen if that door remained shut even if she reached out to open it.

"Worry not." Reiko's monotonous voice tore through her thoughts as she kept a hand on the doorknob. "I will keep this door open until you reach that one." She explained expressionlessly.

Miki blinked at her offer before breaking into a radiant smile. "Okay!" She nodded, suddenly feeling ten pounds lighter. Giving an energetic wave, Miki spun on her heels and began to make her way up the stairs.

True to her word, Reiko didn't close the doors until the one to the host club opened.

"So let's go over the plan once again," Placing a finger to her lip while her other hand raised the talisman stuck to her forehead, Miki suggested. It was Halloween night and the first-years were going to begin their test of courage any second. She was gathered with Tamaki, Honey, Mori, and Nekozawa as they took over the east wing of the school, while Reiko and the other black magic club members had the west. Kyoya was present as well, but he looked rather uninterested to be participating in such events as he leaned against the wall with a flashlight, looking over his book report notes.

"Suoh-kun will be in charge of scattering the four," Nekozawa grinned excitely as Belzenef twitched in his hands from what he claimed was 'excitement.' "Once they begin running separate ways, Kanazuki and the others will capture those in the west while you three preoccupy the three science rooms. Then, I will lock them up in the Science Lab. Finally, we will meet in the indoor garden for the finale!"

"We'll be sure to give them a big scare!" Honey cheered as he jumped up with his pumpkin head. "Speaking of which, Miki-chan," Looking up, he called out to the girl. "Did Rei-chan tell you what this costume was?" He tilted his head curiously.

"I don't think so," Tapping her chin, Miki hummed. "In the pamphlet, I was reading, there is this thing called a werewolf, I didn't see any pictures, but I could only assume it would be that." Leaning down, she deduced seriously. "Werewolf, where wolf, where do wolves go? To the Pumpkin farm to eat!" She concluded, sending a small sweatdrop down Honey's head.

"Any objections?" Nekozawa readied smirk; even Belzenef looked pumped.

"Not at all!" Miki and Honey cheered with a rallying fist pump while Mori raised his hand, careful not to let his sleeve smudge the Frankenstein makeup already present on his face.

"Grr... Daddy is going to get revenge on those shady twins..." Tamaki grumbled as he squeezed the 'clocktower witch' mask in his hands.

As the clock struck 9 p.m., the four first-years who were supposed to be in Team B let out a loud shriek as they scattered at the sight of the 'clocktower witch,' and as Nekozawa predicted, scattered into two different groups. Haruhi and Hikaru dashed west and were instantly caught up in the trap the black magic club members set as it snatched them up as if some sort of wild prey, while Kazukiyo, the class president and Kaoru dashed towards the east.

Utterly frightened out of his mind, Kazukiyo opened the doors to Science Room #1. He felt sweat form on his back as he glanced up cautiously. "Who's there?" His voice trembled as he spotted a giant figure standing in the room, as still as a rock. To his absolute horror, the figure who was actually Mori moved and turned around, revealing a giant man with pale green skin, stitches on his face and bolts on the sides of his head.

"Nnngh..." It groaned. "Frankenstein..."

Kazukiyo began to sweat profusely. Letting out another scream for help, he abandoned that room and dashed down to the next. Slamming open the doors to Science Room #2, he breathed heavily, hoping to find shelter, only...

"The werewolf!" A little boy wearing a pumpkin mask jumped towards him, scaring the lights out of him. If he weren't so afraid for his life, he would've fainted despite how incorrectly that costume and that line matched up. Yelping, he bolted down the halls to Science Room #3.

Throwing open the doors, he leaned against it to breathe out as he prayed there would be no monsters only to look up and see a girl wearing a black dress, a talisman on her forehead and crows on her shoulders turn around. Her arms stretched out stiffly before her as she stared at him with hollowed hazel eyes. "Give me... your 'qi'..." She grumbled as she began hopping towards him limply.

Ditching that room faster than the speed of light, Kazukiyo turned on his heel and bolted out of the room with another loud cry for relief.

Seeing their plan as a big success, Miki broke character as she saw Kaoru running after the terrified class president. Peeking out into the halls she noticed they were already down the hallways and around the corner. She tittered into her hands as she turned to see Honey and Mori also stepping out of their stations.

"Where is Kyoya-kun by the way?" Eyes darting around curiously, Miki asked the two as she approached them.

Tapping the chin of his pumpkin mask, Honey hummed. "I think Kyo-chan is around the corner where Kao-chan ran towards." He informed her with a bright grin. "Why don't you go get him? Takashi and I will meet you in the indoor garden." Climbing onto the silent giant's shoulders, he suggested.

"Okay, I'll meet you there!" With a bell-like giggle, Miki spun on her heel. And ran down the hall as she hummed an energetic tune, faintly, she could hear Nekozawa speaking.

"Kyoya-kun, you're not joining in?"

"No, I'm not," Kyoya replied flatly, still not lifting his eyes from his notebook.

"Yahoo~" Peeking around the corner, Miki greeted the two with her energetic smile. Noticing the pile of military sandbags that blocked the door, she shivered, feeling bad for Kaoru and the club president. She peered up at Kyoya who was fixated on his book before turning to Nekozawa. "Honey-senpai and Mori-senpai are already waiting in the inner gardens," She informed him. "Let's go and get this grand finale on its way."

"Yes, let us get going then." Nodding with an eerie sense of glee, Nekozawa began to float forward and around the corner. Miki was about to follow him, only to notice Kyoya was not moving from his spot at all. She leaned her body sideways and into his vision, staring curiously at him.

Sensing her gaze, Kyoya questioned, still not looking up from his notes. "What is it?" He asked.

"What are you doing, Kyoya-kun?" Standing on her tiptoes, Miki straightened her body as she tried to sneak a glance into his notebook.

"In case you have forgotten, we have a symbolism analysis due in three weeks," He reminded her, moving the flashlight slightly as he turned the pages. "Instead of playing around like this, shouldn't you be working on it as well?"

"But we have three weeks left to do it." Lifting the talisman, Miki reasoned. "Come on, Halloween only comes once a year. Let's go have some fun." Placing a hand on his arm, she pushed it down slightly as she peeked over with a cheerful smile. "Please?"

"Why do you insist on me going along?" Closing his eyes as he switched off the flashlight, Kyoya sighed.

Hearing his proposal Miki averted her eyes down the hallway, a small pout curled on her lips. "Because I want you to come as well," She confessed as her vision flickered down, a slightly dejected smile forming. "Of course, if grandmother goes on another long trip, I will do my best to sneak out. However, this may be my first and last Halloween in the outside world. I want to do everything while I still can." Breaking into a bright beam, she tilted her head. "And I want to do it with the people I care for the most, that is why I want you to join us, Kyoya-kun. "

Kyoya froze for a moment as he observed her body language. Despite how grave the idea of once again, being locked up alone was. She showed no signs of fear or anguish, facing everything with an open-minded attitude and a cheerful smile.

"Very well then," Letting out another sigh in defeat, he clipped his notes under his arms and placed his flashlight in his pocket as he began walking forward. "Let us get going; once Hikaru breaks out of that trap in the west wing, he will no doubt bolt in this direction."

"So you were listening to our plan." Miki giggled as she jogged to catch up with a slight bounce to her step.

"More or else." Seeing such a lively flush return to her cheek, he couldn't help but smirk. Even more so when she let go of the talisman, she kept holding up, as it fluttered down to her chin once again. "Nice costume," He commented.

"Thank you," Making a small twirl as she continued to skip next to him, Miki chirped happily. "Reiko-san gave it to me, doesn't it look scary?"

"With that smile of yours, not quite."

"Eh? What is that supposed to mean?" Hearing his remark, he watched as she turned to him quizzically. Her hazel eyes blinking cluelessly behind the piece of paper in the darkness of the Halloween night. His smug smirk couldn't help but deepen into adoration.

"They are here," Honey gave a thumbs up as he and Mori came back from making sure all the first years were gathered in the garden.

"Alright then," Having Belzenef rub his hands together, Nekozawa's grin widened as he positioned the cat in front of a giant spotlight. "Suoh-kun, Miki-kun, if you will please." He instructed the two as they each stood in front of a giant switch.

"Okay! Leave it to me!" Miki winked as she flipped her lever.

"Damn those shady twins; this is their divine retribution!" Tamaki grumbled with comical tears as he pulled his switch.

Haruhi, Hikaru, Kaoru, Renge, Kazukiyo, Momoka and the remaining students of class 1-A all glanced up to see a giant shadow looming over the dome window above them, instantly they all turned pale and let out a loud shriek in abject horror.

"AHHHHH!"

"I'm beat..." Tamaki yawned as the black limo pulled into the Suoh Second Estate driveway. He leaned his head back on the headrest of his seat as his arms and legs crossed before him.

"It is already past 10 p.m," Miki chided as she tilted her head with an airy laugh. "You should be heading to sleep should you not?"

"Yeah," Rolling his neck to the side, he glanced over at Miki, who stared out with window with what seemed like a permanent smile etched onto her cheeks. "Did you have fun today, Miki?" He asked as his ocean coloured eyes crinkled and turned soft and tender.

Nodding curtly, she gave a sound 'mhm.' "I never knew being the person scaring others in the test of courage was so exciting!"

Tamaki let out a huffed chuckle as the vehicle came to a stop. "We have arrived Master Tamaki, Miss Miki." It didn't take long before Koganei; the family driver opened the car door with a deep bow as he addressed the two.

"Oh, thank you." Grabbing his bag, Tamaki stepped out of the car first as Miki shuffled towards the door when her phone began to ring in her bag. Noticing this, Tamaki let out a stretch and a yawn. "I'm going to head up to my room. First, tomorrow is Friday, get some rest." He spoke as his sister began fishing through her school bag for her phone.

Finally finding the metallic object, Miki nodded at the blond. "Okay, good night Tamaki-kun."

"Sleep tight," With a weary wave, Tamaki turned around and headed up for the grand set of double doors.

Peering down at the caller ID, Miki quickly opened her flip phone and pressed it up against her ear. "Hello?" She responded routinely as Tamaki's back turned into a shadow as he opened the doors to the mansion.

As the person on the opposite end continued to speak, Miki's eyes widened, and her fingers turned stiff in the chilly autumn night. Her hazel pupils shrank as she sucked in a sharp breath.

"Eh?"

The next morning, after checking out the morning new article, featuring them specifically. Haruhi, Hikaru and Kaoru waltzed into the club room for a sudden Friday morning meeting Tamaki has called. As the two former conversed with each other while Kaoru followed behind with a contemplative expression, their chatter quickly died down as a solemn mood washed over their joyful conversation.

Tamaki, Kyoya, Honey and Mori were already present in the room, sitting at the head of their usual meeting table with an unusually severe aura around him. His eyes were covered by the shadow of his bangs, as his forehead rested on his hands that were propped up on the table. The remaining three turned to glance at them. Though Kyoya and Mori seemed rather calm and collected, Honey had his brows furrowed as he clutched onto Usa-chan tightly in his arms.

As the first-year trio shuffled into their seats in the eerily quiet atmosphere, Haruhi couldn't help but break the silence first. "Tamaki-senpai, did something happen?" She asked, glancing around trying to spot his strawberry blonde sister. "Did Miki-senpai get sick again?"

"Miki..." Tamaki muttered under his breath before bursting out shouting. "Miki disappeared last night!"

"What?!" The twins almost jumped out of their seats.

"According to Tamaki, she vanished from her room when he went to wake her up," Kyoya informed them, seeming oddly calm.

"Maybe she just woke up early" Hikaru suggested.

"Yeah, maybe she went off somewhere for the morning," Kaoru added, trying to ease the situation.

"No!" Snapping around and pointing at the twins dramatically, the blond instantly denied their idea. "Everything in her room, clothes, books, art references..." His voice trailed off as he lifted an all-knowing finger, tears still brimming his eyes. "Even her favourite DVDs are all gone!"

"What?!" The entire host club, par Kyoya stepped back in shock by that compelling argument. "Even her DVDs?!"

Suddenly, there was a series of gentle knocking on the door. Everyone's eyes shot over, Haruhi held her breath, wondering if it was the blonde as the handle turned and the door creaked open. However, instead of the usually cheerful girl, it was a young man in his mid-to-late-twenties. He had ruffled, slightly messy light brown hair and emerald green eyes. Judging by his attire, he was a butler. However, his clothing was in a slight disarray. His tie was off center and his collar needed to be adjusted. Dark circles were present under his eyes, suggesting he hadn't slept the night before.

"Apologies for my early morning visit," He bowed his head with a hand before his chest, speaking in a formal voice yet laced with a hint of desperation. "Are you perhaps, the Host Club?" He questioned, readjusting his black suit jacket and sleeves hurriedly.

"Yes, we are." Observing the young man, Kyoya replied in a relaxed yet cautious tone. "And who might you be?"

Hearing that confirmation, the man bowed once again, this time his head dipped deeper as a signal of sincerity. "My name is Arden and I have come to request your aid." He spoke in a grave tone as everyone in the club tensed up.

"Please, come to Spain and rescue milady!"

A/N: You see that my friends? I see a crap storm coming on the horizon and it's crashing closer and closer. A quick announcement, starting next chapter, updates are going to slow down to about once a week for previously mentioned reasons. Chapters are going to get much longer, so look forward to those!

Have a great day everyone!

XOXO,

Astra.

P.S. I think I'll start leaving these for all the original chapters from now on, just to give you guys a little teaser.

Hikaru: "Where is Miki-senpai?"

Kaoru: "And who the hell is this man that knocked on the door of our club room?"

Tamaki: "It doesn't matter, from the moment he stepped in, he is our client and we are required to help him to our full extent! Men, start packing up because we are heading to Spain!"

Haruhi: "Wait... We are?! Don't we have school?!"

 **Next time, "Off to Spain with the Host Club!"**

 **Ouran High School Host Club will be waiting for you!**

Haruhi: "So we really are going..."


	28. 26 Off to Spain with the Host Club!

A/N: _Italic words_ are either thoughts, flashbacks or spoken in Spanish

 _-Chapter 26-_

 **Off to Spain with the Host Club!**

Haruhi sweatdropped. One moment, they were in the clubroom worrying about the disappearance of their production designer, the next moment they were not only skipping school for the day but sitting on a private jet on their way to Madrid, Spain with Kyoya's bodyguards in charge of bringing their bags. All because a butler showed up at their door. Worst of all, she seems to be the only one exceptionally baffled by these extreme developments. She peered out the window with a deadpanned expression as they jetted across the clouds beneath them. She then turned back into the vehicle. Full leather-cushioned seats, all-inclusive food and drinks, enough room for each of them to lay down and take a nap. She had never been on a plane, much less out of the country before, however, she was pretty sure it wasn't this luxurious and extravagant.

"Worry not, Miss Fujioka." Arden comforted the brunette with a gleam in his emerald eyes. "You wouldn't require a passport to enter the country as we are travelling via a private jet. Nevertheless, if the situation were to arise, I will have you covered." He explained with a serious expression as he held up a fake passport, already printed with Haruhi's name and photo.

"No, I'm pretty sure that is illegal..." Haruhi averted her eyes, already finding this butler as intolerable as the host club.

"So, Ar-chan." Honey sat in his seat next to the butler with a head tilt. "Why did you want us to fly all the way out to Madrid?"

"Yeah, what did you mean by rescue 'milady'?" The twins chimed, each sipping on a cup of ice tea as they sat comfortably in their leather seats. "Who are you to begin with?"

"I suppose I should formally introduce myself, shouldn't I?" Closing his eyes, Arden spoke slowly. "Though I am sure a few of you are already aware of my status."

"If memory serves me, you are Miki's butler, correct?" Kyoya glanced over from the seat across the aisle. Tamaki was originally sitting next to him, but he was currently at the back of the plane on the phone with presumably the chairman. "She speaks very highly of you."

"I am honoured, it is a pleasure to finally meet you all." A small smile formed on the young man's face as he nodded his head. "My name is Arden Mederos; I come from a long line of servants that served the Fernández family for generations."

"Fernández family?" Haruhi repeated, a little puzzled by all this information. "I'm sorry, I never meant to pry, but I'd really like to know what is going on here. Just how are Tamaki-senpai and Miki-senpai related anyway?" She averted her eyes. "This feels like a real-life soap opera unfolding..."

"Soap Opera?" The hosts' tilted their heads.

"I believe those are the sappy romance dramas aired midday for common housewives to watch," Kyoya explained.

"Oh, their family is a drama alright." Hikaru agreed as his eyes flickered up to the ceiling.

Nodding in agreement, Kaoru began to elaborate to Haruhi who had been kept in the dark about the Suoh family's elaborate past. "Twenty-something years ago, the previous head of the Suoh family died young; the chairman immediately married the first daughter of the Fernández family, a woman his mother chose for political reasons to assume the role of the head of the family."

"However, a few years later, he fell in love with the daughter of a French aristocrat while on a business trip to France," Honey followed up as he began eating away at a piece of cake one of the private jet staff had brought him. "That was how Tama-chan was born."

"The chairman divorced his lawful wife, and both families announced to the world that there was no fruit of their wedlock." Kaoru continued as he placed his cup down onto the table. "However, there was, and that was Miki-senpai."

"Why did they have to keep her a secret like that?" Haruhi's brows knitted together in confusion.

"The Fernández family has a high social standing worldwide, being known as one of the most prestigious in Spain," Kyoya replied. "Their house leads and maintains International Trade relations between Spain and Asia, Japan to be specific. Meaning they have ties to the Spanish Royal Family for generations. They are well known for their spotless ancestry, so having a sudden child born out a divorced marriage was unacceptable on their lineage."

"Milady was born after the divorce had happened, giving the Fernández family full custody over her. " Arden's jewel-like eyes flickered down to his white-gloved hands as he continued to explain. "Once she was at the age of three, they sent her to Japan to decrease the chanced of the public eye finding her. And left strict instructions that she was to be raised in complete secrecy." He closed his eyes with a pained expression. "So Milady was locked up, for thirteen years, confined in an inaccessible room in the Suoh Main Estate."

"That's cruel!" Haruhi immediately protested.

"The Fernández family holds high power," The butler sighed. "If they wanted something to be hidden, it would be lost in history forever."

Hearing that definitive answer, Haruhi's large brown eyes widened. She suddenly remembered all of Miki's actions. From her straightforward attitude to her recklessness. Her claims of going to even the most basic of places for the first time, they all resembled one of a child's first experiences.

Because they were.

"So..." Honey piped up; his silver fork lingered in his mouth as he listened to the story. "Why would Miki-chan be heading back to Spain right now? Did they want to accept her back into the family?" He asked, tilting his head.

"I'm afraid it's not that easy, is it?" Lifting his glasses, Kyoya pointed out. "From my understanding, the Fernández went bankrupt."

Arden swallowed hard.

At the back of the plane, Tamaki paced in circles impatiently in the cramped space, his finger tapping his forearm as he mumbled into the phone that continued to ring on the other end. It was cold, freezing in that narrow space. However, he could feel none of the chilling breeze thanks to the blood pumping through his veins at an alarming rate. There was a muffled sound, followed by his father's voice. The adrenaline level in the blond spiked to new levels as he heard the playful 'Hello?'.

"Dad!"

"Tamaki! I was just about to call you, I will be heading to an emergency business trip to Spain tomorrow, you and your friends are to accompany-"

"Dad! Forget about that!" Holding the phone with both hands, Tamaki shouted desperately. His eyes widened as he realized his mannerism was off and becoming ungentlemanly. Clearing his throat, he composed himself quickly. "Father, Miki has been taken to Spain, did you know of this?" He asked calmly.

There was an agonizing silence on the opposite end as time ticked away. After what seemed like years, Tamaki broke the worrying stillness. "Dad!" He pled. "Please tell me what is going on."

After a few more moments, Yuzuru spoke again. "That is what I was planning to talk to you about." His voice was stern, yet laced with a hint of sadness and regret. "I want you and your friends to accompany me to Spain, as we will be attending Miki's wedding on Sunday."

"Wedding?!" The twins, Haruhi and Honey all jolted out of their comfortable leather seats as they heard that estranged word. Kyoya's eyes flickered over while Mori's expression turned attentive.

"It was foolish of me to believe that the Master would leave things like this," Arden lowered his head once again as if he were apologizing to the hosts. Clearly, the guilt of making a wrong estimation had been eating away at him, as he had rushed over from Spain right after hearing the news of the engagement. "The conditions of milady's deal with Master Yuzuru was that I had to stay in Spain as she attended Ouran Academy, to scout out and prevent any information on her activities from leaking to the Fernández family ." He explained. "However, I found that they intended to marry milady off to another powerful duke in Spain, under the guise of an adopted heiress in an attempt to save their family fortune and honour."

"That's just downright ruthless!" Hikaru protested. "They want to use Miki-senpai just to save their own butts?"

"And not just that, but they still refuse to announce her true identity and make her marry the guy under an adoption disguise?"Kaoru snapped. "What the hell is wrong with them?"

"Settle down," Kyoya, on the other hand, was relatively calm compared to the tense atmosphere that lingered in the plane.

"Kyoya-senpai, are you not riled up about this?" Hikaru accused.

"They are taking advantage of Miki-senpai!" Kaoru agreed.

Ignoring the two, Kyoya's brownish-green eyes turned to the butler. "Arden-san, I understand your intentions. However, I doubt there will be anything we can do." He spoke without a hint of hesitation in his voice. "As you should know, arrange marriages such as these are not uncommon among wealthy families. How would you like us to 'rescue her'?"

"While I say that, I merely would like you all to speak with her," Arden confessed. "I apologize, but I had selfishly entered you all as guests of Master Yuzuru's as he was present on the guest list." His emerald eyes glued to the ground, Arden begged. "Please prevent her from going through with this marriage as I do not believe this union will be beneficial towards milady's mental health or physical health." As he spoke, he head lowered further and further until his stomach was practically pressed against his legs. "If you cannot do that, please at the very least attend the wedding. I'm sure milady will be more than glad to have her friends with her for the last time."

"Don't say last time," Hikaru replied as he propped an arm up against the armrest of the seat. "We will definitely get her back." He declared with a wide grin.

"So Ar-chan, don't worry too much about it." Honey beamed, tilting his head at the butler who slowly rose his head.

"Mhm." Mori nodded.

 _Should we be making such irresponsible promises?_ Haruhi wondered as her eyes stayed glued to the young man. _It is an arranged marriage, after all, it's not something that we can just take her out of that easily._

However, before she could think too much about it, Arden's voice spoke. "Thank you all very much." He bowed his head once again before remembering something and glancing up. "There is something I'd like to remind you all of," His emerald eyes swept across the hosts. "While we are present as guests, please remember not to act too familiar with milady. Her appearance in Ouran Academy has yet to reach the Fernández family ear. I will do everything within my power to give you all opportunities to speak with her, however, please remain on guard of your mannerisms." When the host club nodded back in understanding, the young man's lips finally curled into a satisfied smile. "Well then, we will be landing in Madrid in an estimation of six hours. Milady is currently riding a public aircraft, so hopefully, we will arrive around the same time as she does. As it will be around midday, I suggest you all get some rest."

"That is great..." Letting out a small yawn, Hikaru threw his arms up behind his head as his body slumped over. "I was getting pretty sleepy anyways."

"Why are you so tired, Hika-chan?" Honey blinked as he finished up the last bit of his strawberry cake.

"Because," Kaoru waved his hand with narrowed eyes in an aloof manner. "We were too shaken up last night from the Test of Courage to actually sleep."

"With that, good night." They chided.

As the twins began to doze off, Honey's caramel brown eyes darted towards Kyoya who gazed out the other end of the window with slightly dazed eyes. The lolita and the silent giant got off their seats and approached the second-year.

"Kyo-chan, are you alright?" He asked as he tilted his body into his peripheral vision.

"Of course I am," Not missing a beat, Kyoya quickly whipped his head around and he had his usual unbalanced smile curled upon his lips. "Is something the matter, Honey-senpai?"

"Are you worried about Miki-chan?"

There was a small moment of silence as Kyoya's eyes seemed to haze up for a moment, but he swiftly masked it with a close-eyed laugh and a push on his glasses. "In some aspects, yes." He admitted. "After all, if she quits the host club we will have to rebalance our budget and once again hire professional productions designers. And that will be a huge deplete in our profits."

Hearing his response, Honey and Mori exchanged a concerned glance.

Not long after the twins have decided to doze off, Tamaki returned to his seat looking slightly dejected and worn out. Though he whole-heartedly agreed with going to Spain and see Miki, Haruhi noticed he seemed a little, out of it.

Currently, the blinds of the jet were closed, making the space much dimmer. Honey, clutching his pink stuffed rabbit, was leaned up against Mori's arm wrapped in one of the provided blankets each as the lolita snoozed away. Hikaru and Kaoru, true to their words were as still as rocks as they leaned against each other. Tamaki was flipping through a few magazines of Madrid, while Kyoya sat next to him, reading.

Haruhi was curled up in a blanket of her own, trying to stay warm in the air-conditioned private jet. The high altitude and lightning speed probably didn't help with the temperature either. She tried falling asleep, but couldn't find it in herself. Instead, she glanced up, noticing the butler was still awake across from her. He had an arm leaned against the armrest, staring at the blinds absently. He looked rather troubled.

"Arden-san, it'll be alright." Haruhi comforted him. "Miki-senpai is the type of person to fight for what she wants; if she doesn't want this marriage, I'm sure she'll hold out until we get there."

"Miss Fujioka..." Arden muttered as he snapped out of his train of thought. He huffed out a small breath before picking up the already cold tea on the bolted-in table. "You know, milady always spoke of you in high regards." He commented as he wiped the base of the teacup on its plate before taking a sip.

"Huh?"

"She and I remained in contact via letters." As he informed the brunette, his gloved hand reached into the inner pocket of his coat, and he began fishing for something. "She has written many regarding this 'Host Club,' she and Master Tamaki were apart of, and how she managed to get close to him through it." Pulling out a white envelope, he handed them to Haruhi with crinkled eyes. "This is one of the most detailed letters about the host club. I brought it with me to aid in my search for you all. You may read it if you'd like."

"Would that be okay?" Taking the letter with both hands, Haruhi looked to him for confirmation.

"Of course, please do."

"Pardon me, then." Reluctantly, Haruhi reopened the seal and pulled out the three-page letter.

 _Dear Arden,_

_In this past two weeks, I began my adventures in Ouran Academy. While at first, it was quite overwhelming to be in the presence of so many others at a time, I found myself adapting rather quickly. My classmates are all very kind people who have helped me navigate in my journey so far._

 _I was originally quite troubled with my strategy to locate and get close to Tamaki-kun. However, the opportunity arose on the very first day. You see, Tamaki-kun is the president of this very peculiar club located at the end of the northern hallway and on the top floor of the south wing. It is a club called the 'Host Club' where he describes as a playground for the rich, though I am still quite confused by that description as there are no slides, swings or any other contraptions I'd imagine I would find at a proper park's playground. Instead, it is more of a club where the boys entertain the girls of the school with tea and their words. And I have been invited to join as their very own production designer! I accepted their request in a heartbeat, of course as it would bring me even closer to Tamaki-kun. And together, we have already been on so many strange yet exciting adventures. Some including a water park, as well as a real beach!_

 _The members of the host club include First-years Hitachiin Hikaru and Kaoru and Fujioka Haruhi, Third-years Haninozuka Mitsukuni whom we call Honey-senpai and Morinozuka Takeshi whom we call Mori-senpai, a fellow second-year Ootori Kyoya as well as Tamaki-kun._

 _Hikaru and Kaoru are actually twins. I was super excited to meet them as it was my first time actually meeting twin siblings. Many people, including me, are unable to tell them apart. The only thing that helps me differentiate them is their voices. However, when they speak together, as they often do, it becomes quite impossible. They look so much alike; I wonder if they ever feel like they are staring into a mirror when they look at each other? They are both very mischevious and enjoy teasing Tamaki-kun as far as I can tell, I believe they could make wonderful friends. Though I cannot tell them apart through their appearances and vibes just yet, I hope to one day be able to understand them to a point where I can achieve that!_

 _Haruhi is an honour roll student. Can you believe it, Arden? The first month hasn't even passed and I have already met an honour roll student! I wonder if she is the same one in the photo? If that is the case, then our meeting here much be fate. Believe it or not, she is actually a girl. Apparently, due to some circumstances, she is now hiding her gender and working in the host club to pay off a huge debt. I wasn't actually supposed to figure out her true gender, rather it was an accident I stumbled upon quite literally. Haruhi is a very smart and straightforward person. However, she can be quite stubborn and overly-independent in certain situations. Like when we went to the beach, she caused us quite the hassle and worry by getting herself pushed into the ocean by a few men. No matter what though, she is empathetic and a very sweet girl. The aura around her is almost as captivating as Tamaki's in a very different way. I believe we could make wonderful friends._

 _According to the twins and Tamaki-kun, Honey-senpai and Mori-senpai are cousins despite their Servant-Master relationship for generations. That kind of resembles us, does it not? Do you think there will eventually be a time where we become cousins as well? Honey-senpai is rather small for the third-year while Mori-senpai is huge! I've never met people with such extreme height differences in a room before. Honey-senpai is child-like and is beaming with positivity. He always manages to bring a smile to my face just by speaking with him. Just a week ago, when we headed to a water park, he and I swung off the vines of a tree like those secret agents in Crime? Crime Drama ! Though it was super exciting, I had a little trouble getting off. Worry not though, Mori-senpai helped by catching before I swung too far away. He is super kind and always looking out for the club in one way or another, though he doesn't speak much. For example, when we were at the beach and I was attacked, both Honey and Mori insisted on me drinking some honey lemon water to calm down from the incident. Their dynamic the uttermost interesting, and always leave me smiling._

 _Tamaki-kun is much more energetic than I've heard from father. His piano skills are extraordinary as father described and he is rather charming, I can see why they call him 'king' of the Host Club. His aura is so radiating and brimming with so much positivity, it's difficult to even think of unhappy thoughts around him. Thanks to a little advice from Kaoru, I was finally able to formally introduce myself to him. Though it was rather nerve-wracking at first, due to my own fears and insecurities of whether he will accept me or not. Nonetheless, things went smoothly thanks to his opened-mindedness and accepting spirit. He quickly welcomed me into the family and made me feel right at home, even going as far as to helping me unpack and waking me up for school. It's because of him, I was able to make so many memories in the mere first two weeks of my time in Ouran Academy, more than I've made my whole life in fact. However, I still can't somehow find the courage and will in me to formally call him 'brother' just yet. The guilt and my confinement make it difficult for me to utter those words, out of my own doubts and lingering fears. Nevertheless, I very much enjoy being in his company and I hope I will remain by his side for my time here._

 _Finally, there is Kyoya-kun. He was the very person who invited me to join the host club. He is the vice-president of the Host Club and to my understanding Tamaki-kun's best friend. I found him to be very intelligent and logical, as he was the first and only to point out my absence on the world's database. However, despite what others may say, Kyoya-kun is a very nice person. He has been the most of assistance when it comes to adjusting to my new life outside. Whenever I have a word or phrase I do not understand, I always go to him as he teaches me it's meanings and hidden metaphor. I really do enjoy being by his side as I always find myself smiling even more than usual if that were even possible. Despite his stand-off and cool exterior, I believe Kyoya-kun is shimmering with possibility and passion. Watching him from the sidelines, I can't help but want to assist and become a source of strength to him. I truly hope we can become even closer in the future._

 _I'd also like to thank you again for going along with this plan and making the sacrifice to be in Spain for me; I hope I am fulfilling my promise as to living every day to my fullest. Leaving no hesitation behind when my time does eventually run out. So please, do not worry about me and take care of yourself._

_With lots of love,_

 _Miki._

 _P.S. I am still smiling, as I've promised._

After reading the long letter, Haruhi's brown eyes flickered up to see the man place his teacup down onto the table between them. "Arden-san," She spoke in a lower voice as to not wake up the twins next to her. "If you don't mind me asking, what was your relationship to Miki-senpai?"

"Hm?"

"Well, you don't seem to be just any normal butler. You must place her in high regards if you address her as milady while calling the chairman by name." Glancing back down at the letters, the brunette shuffled through them absently. "Besides, you must mean a lot to her to be receiving such long and detailed letters." She theorized.

Humming the light brown haired man looked rather impressed, his lips curled into a fascinated smirk as eyed the letters in her hands. "To be frank, Milady is my liege, not Master Yuzuru. That is why I address her in a higher regard than her father." He explained. "It's a butler's pride to serve a master for a lifetime after all."

 _A lifetime?_ Haruhi repeated in her mind as she studied the young man who wore a proud grin on his lips. "Arden-san," She blinked. "How long have you known Miki-senpai?"

"Well, I've been accompanying her ever since she was born." Eyes flickering into a downcast of nostalgia, Arden breathed out a long sigh. "As I've mentioned, the Mederos family has been in the service of the Fernándezs' for generations. More often than not, one of us is appointed to be in service to their children for what's usually a lifetime." He spoke, tapping his chin thoughtfully. "Let's see; I believe I had just turned ten when milady was born.

"Eh?" Haruhi gasped. "But wouldn't that mean, you were barely thirteen when you came to Japan?"

"Indeed," Arden shrugged indifferently. "I had to complete my formal training before I could accompany her." Glancing out the window, his posture straightened as a serious glisten flashed in his emerald eyes. "At any rate, milady has the elegance, grace, good looks and ability to be expected of the heiress of any high-status family. She always held such innocent curiosities toward the world and faced any challenges or feelings of loneliness with the most positive of attitudes. Even when she was young, she had such adorable habits. So much so that if she weren't hidden away, she'd have many suitors flocking to her door-"

"You sure like her, don't you..." Haruhi mumbled under her breath, sweatdropping at the butler's enthusiasm as she handed back the letter.

Taking the piece of paper with both hands, Arden held it as if it were some priceless piece of gold. "I knew of her fate even before her birth and resigned myself to accompanying her in eternal confinement, yet when she wrote me such long and elaborate letters that were filled to the brim with excitement and happiness." A tender smile appeared on his face as his white-gloved hand glazed across the ink writing in adoration. "I want to give you all my thanks." He looked up with a gentle beam of gratitude. "For enabling milady to experience such joy and friendship, and for allowing her to smile so radiantly."

"I see..." Chocolate coloured eyes averting downwards, Haruhi fell into a contemplative state.

"Well then," Standing up from his seat, Arden bowed his head slightly. "As much as I enjoyed this conversation of ours, I must go have a word with the captain. Please get some rest, Miss Fujioka, we'll be busy once we land." He proposed.

"Oh, okay." Haruhi nodded as she watched the man take his leave. She glanced over at the closed blinds of the private jet as her eyes slowly grew heavier. Miki's cheerful smile and sparkling hazel eyes came into mind. Letting out a small sigh as she leaned back and brought the blanket further over herself, revisiting their conversation from earlier.

 _If I were in Miki-senpai's place..._ She wondered. _Would I still be able to smile like that, even after everything I've been through?_

Haruhi gawked at the cathedral styled building that towered over them with wide-eyes and a tense figure. They landed in Madrid, Spain not too long ago, and they were immediately escorted into a limo and driven off to this insane building that was supposedly the hotel that the guests of the wedding were staying at. Arden was off checking them in and registering them as guests, as the hosts were exploring the streets of Spain.

"It seems like that bit is more complete than it was the last time we were here. Right, Takashi?" Honey asked as he clung to Mori's back, pointing at the tip of one of the towers.

"Yeah." Mori agreed, staring up at the giant structure.

"All of you have been here before, right?" Haruhi smiled as he glanced at the duo.

Honey giggled, peering down at the brunette. "Takashi and I came here once on a school trip and once on vacation with our families!" He explained.

"It's our fifth or sixth time." The twins chided as they lifted a hand each.

"You've been here so many times?" Raising an eyebrow, she asked incredulously.

Together, the twins laughed. "Why deny it?" They grin. "We adore Spain." Exclaiming dramatically, they embraced each other in a pointless hug.

"We are not here to be tourists, you know..." Sweatdropping, Haruhi gave the twins a deadpan before turning to study Tamaki by her side. One would assume that the blond would go off, monologuing about Spain's beauty and culture flamboyantly, describing every inch of their architectural design down to the very detail of the carvings, however, he was eerily silent.

 _He must be worried._ Haruhi examined. _His precious sister that was taken away from him after all._

His lilac blue eyes darted around as if staying hypervigilant for something or someone, as he continued o glance around, Tamaki noticed Haruhi's stare. "Is something wrong Haruhi? You are staring." Offering a charming smile, he asked.

"Huh? Oh, it's nothing, senpai." Shaking her head, Haruhi averted her eyes.

"Everyone," Arden bowed his head as he exited the sliding doors of the building. "Please come in; there will be wristlets for the guests attending."

"Okay!" Honey and the twins cheered as they strode into the hotel, almost in a carefree manner.

"Oh, let's go, let's go." Tamaki grinned as he followed them.

 _Or... not._ Haruhi sweatdropped comically as she followed behind, once again becoming completely astounded by the interior of the building. For a second, she didn't know where to look, as the beauty of the architectural design overwhelmed her. Rather than a hotel, the place looked more like a storybook castle. As they approached the front desk, she noticed something out of the corner of her vision.

Miki.

The strawberry blonde upperclassman stepped into the hotel as the glass doors slid open, clothed in one of her usual navy chiffon dresses. Despite that faint smile still hung on her lips, there was the lack of a bounce to her step.

Instinctively, Haruhi opened her mouth. "Miki-sen-mph!" Her voice was quickly muffled as a hand slapped over her mouth. With a quizzical brow raise, her eyes shot up to see Kyoya wearing a stern expression. His eyes were also glued in the direction of Miki as she walked in further with a dazed expression.

"Be quiet," He hushed. "It'd be a pain if they saw you treating her so familiarly."

Curious as to what Kyoya could be talking about, Haruhi glanced back to notice three men dressed in black suits entering the building right after her. They followed her every step, almost encasing her in the three-way wall, either looking like escorts, or correctional officers. "Kyoya-senpai," She muttered. "What should we do?"

"I believe it is best to notify Arden that Miki has arrived." Kyoya theorized as he removed his hand from Haruhi's mouth.

However, Arden had already noticed his mistress's entrance as he guided Tamaki, Honey, Mori and the twins to the front desk to receive their wristbands, he quickly exchanged glances with Kyoya. Excusing himself, he approached the three guards.

Miki's eyes widened with glee at the sight of Arden. Despite being brought here, she had been super excited to at least see Arden once again. "Arden!" She greeted him as her hands clenched before her chest. "It's good to see you again." Refraining from jumping forth and capturing the young man in a hug, she opted to give him a wide grin. She then spotted the host club who were crowded at the front desk, Kyoya and Haruhi, in particular, staring right at her. Her smile brightened even more.

"Halt." The man to her left raised an arm out, forming a solid wall before her. "Who are you?" He asked accusingly.

"I am the butler of this young lady you are contracted to escort.." Routinely bowing his head, Arden glared his emerald green eyes at the guards. "I have come to pick her up, you all may be relieved of your duties now."

"Nonsense." The guard on her right spoke this time, shaking his head firmly. "We have been given strict instructions to escort her to the Vairmount Cathedral Hotel."

"And here she is, safely at the hotel." Not wasting another second, Arden retorted. "I believe your contract has been fulfilled now."

"Hold on," The final guard standing behind Miki, presumably the captain, intervened as he stepped out. He narrowed his wrinkled eyes at the young man as he studied him. "Our contract to take this woman to Spain was a confidential mission, how would you in any way know of this?"

"Didn't he just tell you though?" Leaning her body out sideways, Miki stated in an obvious tone with her usual confused yet blank eyes. "He's my personal butler, of course, he would know of my whereabouts." Standing up straight, she recomposed herself as the bodyguards stared at her with cautious eyes. "Besides, you guys took me here without explaining anything." Lifting a finger, she furrowed her brows with a small pout. "If it weren't for Arden giving me a heads-up, I would've thought you guys kidnapping or sexually harassing me." She said all too casually, causing the three bodyguards to sweatdrop. The tension in the air vanished as Arden's eyebrow twitched. He knew where Miki learnt the word 'kidnapping', there was an episode on, _Crime? Crime Drama_ , about a kitten that was kidnapped. But he never recalled teaching her the meaning of 'sexual harassment'.

"V-Very well then..." Getting uncomfortably by Miki's unintentional comment, the captain of the guards yielded. "We will report back to our employer, good-bye."

"Bye-Bye!" Miki waved joyfully as the guards walked past her and further into the hotel lobby, she then turned back to Arden opening her mouth, about to speak, when suddenly...

"I apologize, Milady." His head was bowing deep in regret, Arden confessed in a low voice. "Because of my incompetence and rushed judgment, I gave you false hope on the development."

"Eh?" Gasping at the sudden sincere apology, Miki waved her hands frantically. "It's not your fault Arden. You're not a fortune teller like Tamaki-kun, you can't predict the future." She laughed wryly before striking a power pose and winking. "Besides, I need to thank you," Her voice trailed off as she glanced towards the host club, who were now all glancing at her from the front desk. Honey waved merrily as he held Usa-chan in one arm, Mori nodded in acknowledgement at her, Tamaki looked like he was about to leap over and wrap his arms around her in adoration, Hikaru and Kaoru winked with a salute, Haruhi gave a small smile and a wave while Kyoya, he simply readjusted his glasses with an unbalanced smile. "You brought them over just for me?" She whispered to him, her voice growing bubbly.

"Of course. Anything for you, milady." Arden's response was snappy. "However, I do not believe this is a good place to talk. Let us head somewhere more private first," He suggested.

"I will report to the Fernández family as if I've just arrived with you," Arden informed as he began waltzing towards the exit of the meeting room he managed to snag the host club. "If I have anything to report I will be back as soon as possible." Then, he exited the room.

Once the doors clicked close, Tamaki, who had been trailing comical tears all the way to the room was the first to spring into action, raising his arms he enveloped Miki into a big hug. "Miki!" He wailed, clenching the poor girl's neck. "Are you okay? I was so worried! Don't you do that to me again!"

"Tamaki-kun..." Despite being choked, a smile was still curled on Miki's lips. "You are choking me..." She groaned with an eye closed, struggling to wrap an arm around the blond as well since her arms were practically pinned to her sides.

"We were all super worried." Honey giggled.

Stepping in to help her upperclassman, Haruhi pried a crying Tamaki off of her. "Senpai, give her some space. We are all pretty tired from that long flight."

"Thank you all so much for coming," Miki beamed. "I really appreciate you being here-"

"Yeah, yeah, spare the details Miki-senpai," Hikaru grinned as he grabbed the startled girl in one arm while his twin grabbed the other.

"Let's break you outta here first." Kaoru agreed.

Miki blinked awkwardly as her eyes darted between the twins. "Huh?" She cocked her head to the side. "What do you mean?"

"As we said, we are leaving." The twins chimed as they began dragging her towards the door. "Let's go back to Japan now; we should be able to get back by Saturday morning."

Realizing what the two were doing, the girl quickly broke free of their grasps. "W-Wait, please!" She protested as she backed up, holding her hands in a panic as everyone stared at her in slight disbelief.

"Miki-senpai," Haruhi tilted her head. "Perhaps are you planning on accepting the arranged marriage?" She theorized.

"You can't!" The twins yelled in desperation.

Immediately denying the assumption, Miki quickly shook her head with a dry laugh. "No, of course, I don't plan on doing that. I'm only sixteen years old; I'm far too young to be married."

"So, then why?" Honey asked in concern.

"Because," Miki winked. "This would be a perfect opportunity for me to meet my family, would it not?" She reasoned excitedly. "Everything will be fine; I'm sure I'll be able to work things out with them regarding the marriage ceremony. Besides, I might be able to work something out about my circumstances."

"Miki-senpai, we doubt anything you say will actually change their mind at this point.." Hikaru and Kaoru protested. "They have already planned your ceremony and reception date; it's pretty clear that they do not ca-"

"Hikaru! Kaoru! Stop!" To everyone's surprise, Tamaki's expression turned serious as he called out to the twins who were on the verge of losing their cool.

"But Milord!"

Ignoring the two, Tamaki once again faced Miki. Peering down at her face, he offered her a tender smile. "I see, if you want to see your family, I won't stop you." He spoke patiently as his hands gently cupped her cheeks. "But make sure you do what you want to do, and not what others force you into, okay?" He advised.

Miki gazed up into her brother's ocean blue eyes. They stared right back at her with a look of adoration and doting love. Her lips curled upwards as her eyes crinkled. "I will!" She cheered.

"Kyoya-senpai, what should we do?" Haruhi turned to the final second-year to see what he thought of the situation, only to see him pushing up his glasses

The glare of his glasses hid his expression, but Haruhi once again saw that unsymmetrical, unbalanced smirk on his face. "It's Miki's decision; we can't do anything about it." He stated simply.

Just as it looked like things were finally simmer down, mainly from the twins part, the door opened gently to reveal Arden.

"Milady," He addressed the blonde with a slightly stern expression. "You are summoned to meet the Fernández family." He announced.

Miki's eyes practically lit up at the news. She nodded enthusiastically before stepping out of Tamaki's reach. The blond's ocean eyes watched her back become further out of reach as he opened his mouth once again.

"Miki,"

She turned around.

Flashing a reassuring smile, Tamaki gave one curt nod. "Go see your mother," He winked.

Eyes widening, Miki smiled with a waved. "I'll be right back," She chided. "Meanwhile, why don't you all go explore Madrid? I would love to hear about it when I get back." With that recommendation, the door closed, clicking behind her.

For some reason, Haruhi couldn't shake an uneasy feeling that was brought by the closing of that door.

"Pardon me," Arden knocked on the door. "I have brought her."

Behind that door, her mother's side of the family awaited her. She felt her heart hammer against her chest out of the sheer excitement and anxiety she was experiencing, it was the moment she had been looking forward to ever since she was old enough to comprehend her odd circumstances. However, despite the conditions, she was still eager to finally meet them.

Closing her eyes, she remembered the gentle hand that caressed her head whenever she was sick. The face was still blurry, but she could clearly remember the soft and loving touch, accompanied by the sweetest voice.

 _Mother._

 _I finally get to meet you._

Taking a deep breath, Miki pushed the door open with a readied smile on her lips.

A small meeting room, one much like the one she and the host club were in came into view. Three caucasian people were sitting in the room. An older man at the head of the table which she presumed was her maternal grandfather, an older woman next to him who she assumed was her grandmother, a young woman in her early forties sat on the other side of the old man.

Miki felt like the gaze of the old man like lasers, burning her skin and casting the harshest of judgment upon her. "Hm..." He narrowed his eyes at Miki, spending an unpleasant chill up her spine. "How do you feel Elisa? He turned to the younger woman to his left. "Reuniting with your daughter after almost fourteen years?"

Gasping, Miki quickly turned to observe the younger woman. No doubt this, 'Elisa' was her mother. She eagerly glanced over, only to feel a shiver crawl through her skin as her blood ran cold from the icy gaze she received in return.

Elisa had dirty blonde hair, which she kept in a voluminous style just at her shoulders. She was pale, thin with the blue undertone in her skin that complimented her blue-toned red lipstick. She wore a long-sleeved navy blue bodycon dress, almost matching in the shade to Miki's flowy chiffon one. She accessorized with a white fur drape that rested on her shoulders like a scarf wrap. Most chilling of all, were her eyes. They were a sharp hazel shade that was only a few shades deeper than Miki's. However, unlike Miki, hers weren't filled with hopes and dreams. Hers were soulless, unfeeling and devoid of any kindness or warmth. They were so vacant and held no life, staring back at Miki.

Miki gazed at Elisa in a mixture of daze and disbelief. _This woman is... my mother? The owner of that kind, gentle hand in my memories that brushed against my forehead, when I was ill?_ Without Arden or the host club by her side, she felt somewhat anxious. However, she quickly swallowed down the bulge that formed at her throat when the old man spoke again.

"Take a seat." He gestured the chair directly across the long meeting table, the seat furthest away from himself.

"Oh, okay!" Nodding curtly, Miki sat down with a compliant smile as a small silence loomed out between them. Her heart was pounding against her chest despite the earlier blunder, she peered up with a small awestruck look. " _Hola!_ "She greeted in Spanish. "You are my grandparents, right?" With head tilt, she chirped. "It's a pleasure to meet you, or _Encantado de conocerlos a todos._ "

"In a few moments, the Duke and his son, the heir the House of Santiago will be here to meet you. He is your suitor, so be on your best behaviour." Ignoring her words, the old man interlaced his fingers like a bridge as he rested his elbows on the table. His grayed hair almost looked white against the Spain sun that shone in from behind. "You will be wedded to him under the alias of the adopted heiress of our family." He spoke in fluent Japanese. "Under no circumstances are you ever to reveal your true lineage, is that clear?"

Eyes turning confused, Miki cocked her head to the side. "Well, I wanted to talk to you about that." With a wistful smile, in an airy voice as her head bowed down slightly. "I apologize, but I don't plan on getting married, I am only sixteen years old. It's far too early for me to be accepting such a proposal."

"Is that so..." The older woman to his right, muttered as she shuffled in her seat. She huffed into a stern frown at Miki's innocent smile from across the room. "Very well, we don't plan on forcing you into this union. However, are you sure you should be thinking that way?" She hummed as a sly smirk danced across her lips. Despite being a grandmother, her appearance was still rather youthful, as if she were in her mid to late forties.

"Huh?" Miki blinked at her question.

"You don't want to return to confinement, do you?" Tilting her head back as she rested her cheek against her fist, her grandmother inquired. "If you were to accept this, you realize, you would be given that freedom you so desire?"

"Eh?" Gasping, her hazel eyes widened in the light.

"I wonder if Miki-senpai is alright..." Haruhi wondered out loud as she sat in one of the chairs of the meeting room.

Despite Miki's suggestion to experience Madrid, the host club agreed that they couldn't just run off, exploring the city without her. So instead they opted to wait patiently in the meeting room for her to return. Tamaki was staring out the windows of the meeting room, watching as the people pass and go with an elated expression. Kyoya sat across from her, writing in his notebook as usual. Hikaru was seated at the far end of the table, clicking away at a video game as Kaoru watched over his shoulder. Honey was fiddling with Usa-chan in his hands while Mori stood behind him, studying the books on the shelves of the room.

"I think she'll be just fine." Honey chided with a beam. "This is Miki-chan we are talking about. If she wanted something, she would charge straight for it without looking back."

 _Still..._ Haruhi's gaze lowered. _It must be difficult, meeting your own family for the first time in over a decade._

Suddenly, there was a faint commotion at the other end of the door as it drew closer. Like a bulldozer, the door rumbled as it flung open, revealing a caucasian woman in her late thirties. She had long wavy dirty blonde hair and wore a satin black dress as well as a white fur scar around her arms like a drape. Slamming the door open, she breathed heavily as her dark yellowish-green eyes darted around the door. She looked an awful lot like Miki if not for the shade differences in her hair and eyes. "Mira!" She breathed. "Is Mira here?" She asked in Japanese.

"Mira?" The twins repeated as they glanced at each other with an aloof shrug.

"There's no one here named Mira." Honey pointed out with a smile.

"Ha?" The woman gasped before whipping her head around and yelling at a formally dressed man with glasses, who followed her. "Agustin!" She frowned as he approached her with a neutral expression. "You said Mira would be here!"

"Pardon my insolence." Bowing slightly, the man named Agustin with the ash brown hair leaned in closer to the woman and stared into her eyes from a close distance. "Milady, are you perhaps deaf in one ear?" He asked bluntly.

His words caused an air of silence to loom over the meeting room. Everyone stared speechlessly at the duo. Haruhi, in particular, sweatdropped as the man leaned back. Judging by how Agustin was dressed, he was a butler, not much older than the woman herself. Remembering Arden's little lesson from the plane, she blinked. _What did I just get myself into?_ She sat, flabbergasted and left wondering what the woman would do next.

The hosts couldn't see the woman's eyes through the shadow of her bangs. However, they could see her body become stiff and her fists clench. After a few seconds of the tense atmosphere, she raised her finger and pointed at the butler with a growl from her tensed jaw. "Fired! Fired! I am definitely firing you! Fired! Fired! Fired! Fired! Fired! Fired! Fired! Fired! FIRED!" She shouted in a childish manner, her words seemed to have transformed into physical objects as they were thrown at the man. Agustin however, looked unfazed as he calmly dodged those hurtful words in a routine manner, leaving the host club completely dumbfounded on what was happening.

"Um..."

"Pardon me, but I distinctively recall telling you Lady Mira **was** present in the meeting room." Agustin shrugged almost in a teasing manner. "Milady, you were the one who ran out your bedroom in excitement." Bowing his head, he watched in amusement as the woman turned red from both anger and embarrassment. "That being said, it's been an honour serving you, now if you will excuse me-" He began to make his way towards the door when the woman called out to him.

"Wait!" Puffing out her cheeks, she gritted her teeth. "Where is Mira?"

"Now that I'm fired, you no longer need to know from me where she is." Smirking, Agustin glanced over his shoulder with a smug expression.

 _This butler,_ The host club thought as they watched this interaction with lightning bolts of revelation crashing down upon them. _He's a sharp-tongued butler!_

The woman, who supposedly was his liege, bit her bottom lip as her pride as a lady diminished. Pursing her lips together, she straightened her posture and bowed forward, looking more like the servant between the two. "Would you please... tell me?" She grumbled, wholly drained of self-esteem and surrendering in this argument.

 _What kind of dynamic is this?_ Haruhi wondered with a brow raise.

Smirk deepening, Agustin bowed his head back at his lady in a respectful manner as he reverted to his butler-like mannerism. "As you wish, milady." He addressed her casually, watching as she remained in her dazed defeated state. "However, I believe these young people may have the answer for you."

"Huh?" The woman turned around to greet the host club, who have watched that awkward but comedic banter occur between the two. "Oh, that's right, you kids speak Japanese." Bringing a hand to her lips, the woman gasped. "Say, do you know where Mira is?"

Tamaki was the first to snap out of the perplexed state as he jumped into his flirtatious mode. "I apologize but," Taking the woman's hand, his aura grew roses and began to sparkle. "I'm afraid we do not know anyone by the name of Mira."

"Oh my," The woman began to flush slightly at how affectionate Tamaki was being.

Swishing his hair, the blond then leaned in closer in a dramatic tone. "However, can we help you with anything else?"

"Why, aren't you just the sweetest little thing." Cupping her cheek with her free hand, the woman giggled before casting a side glance at the brown-haired butler behind her. "You could learn a few things from him, Agustin." She remarked.

"I'll keep that in mind milady," Going along with her sarcasm, the man bowed. "However, if you are going to continue to refer to Lady Mira by her given name, I may have to retract my statement of you being deaf into you being daft." He suggested with a straight face, leaving Tamaki stiff and slightly pale.

"Pfff!" The twins were trying to stifle their laughter. "This butler is amazing!" They snickered.

"Is that even allowed?" Haruhi mumbled.

"I apologize for him; he can be quite uncute at times." Ignoring his teasing remarks to preserve her dignity, the woman smiled sweetly. "Miki, my dears. Do you happen to know a girl that goes by Miki?"

"Huh?!" Everyone gasped.

"Do you know Miki-senpai?" Hikaru jumped up with furrowed brows.

"Are you Miki-chan's mom?" Honey asked innocently.

"Mother? Oh heavens, no." Crouching down, the woman ruffled his hair. "I am-"

"Elena Valentina Fernández." Kyoya finished her sentence as his eyes remained glued to his notebook with an emotionless expression. "The second daughter of the Fernández house, daughter of Duke Alejandro and Rita Fernández." Vision flickering up, he closed his book. "That would make you Miki's aunt, wouldn't it?"

"Now that you mention it, she looks a lot like Miki-chan." Honey commented as he flashed a soft smile.

"Well, aren't you a knowledgeable one?" Standing up, Elena studied the boy. "Yes, I am Miki's aunt, Elena Fernández. Just call me Elena if you'd prefer. Are you all Miki's friends?"

The host club tensed up at her question. When they were debating on how to answer, Elena noticed their silence before waving her hand with a wry smile. "Don't worry, I already knew about Miki's appearance at Ouran Academy." She chuckled gracefully. "I've had Agustin keeping an eye on her movements ever since she was sent to Japan. Arden was so focused on keeping us from finding information about her from Spain, that he didn't even notice us getting intel from Japan ourselves. Though I never imagined for our next meeting to be under these circumstances..." With a slightly troubled expression, she covered her lips.

"Elena-san, do you know about Miki-senpai's marriage?" Haruhi asked.

Hearing this, the woman's bright eyes turned slightly dulled.

There was a slight silence in the meeting room as two others joined them, much like Alejandro had warned. Miki sat at the edge of the table, seats away from her family as she lowered her head to a small bow. Wearing a small smile, she lifted her head with a slight head tilt.

"Nice to meet you, my fiancee."

Hikaru&Kaoru: Miki-senpai actually chose to get married!

Haruhi: What? I thought she said she didn't want to.

Hikaru&Kaoru: Her stupid hag of a mother probably convinced her to.

Elena: Fufufu, I wouldn't say that about Elisa.

Tamaki: The Secrets of Miki's birth is being untangled in Spain!

 **Next time, "Operation Take Back our Designer!"**

 **Ouran High School Host Club will be waiting for you!**


	29. 27 Operation Take Back our Designer!

A/N: _Italic words_ are either thoughts, flashbacks or spoken in Spanish

 _-Chapter 27-_

Operation Take Back out Designer! 

"You'll have to excuse me for my earlier blunder," Picking up the cup of tea that Agustin had brought into the meeting room, Elena smiled sweetly at the hosts that all gathered around the table. "You see, Miki, as you know her, her birth name is Mira Luz Fernández. However, if Miki is the name she prefers to be called, I'll do my best to change this habit."

"You said you've been watching Miki-senpai before she was sent away..." Hikaru muttered.

"...why is that?" Kaoru asked.

"What do you mean why?" Elena blinked as she took a small sip of her herbal tea. "I'm her aunt, and I care for her, it's that simple." She smiled.

"Then why would you want to send her off to be married?" Hikaru accused. "That's just cruel!"

"Hikaru!" Haruhi hushed, trying to ease her friend who was clearly riled up.

Hearing the boy's accusation, Elena's eyes turned solemn. "I never wanted to." She confessed quietly as she stared into her orange drink. "I never agreed to this plan to establish our financial stability." She spoke a little louder this time as she placed her cup down. "When Mir-Miki was born, my sister, Elisa, under the orders of my parents, was never once allowed to touch or even see her. " Letting out a sigh, she leaned back as her hazel eyes darted up to the ceiling. "And Miki, she cried very often, to the point where even the maids couldn't handle her tantrums. Of course, she would be distressed though; a newborn needed a mother's love more than anything after all." Eyes turning soft, Elena continued. "The child hasn't done anything wrong, yet she had to repent for the mistakes her parents have committed. So in place of, I visited her occasionally, to at least provide some family warmth." Realizing something, her eyes lit up for a moment before darting her eyes up. "Please do not think ill of Elisa," She desperately corrected. "She's had a... rough time. Being the elder one, she was forced into an arranged marriage with Yuzuru-san." Letting out a sigh, she looked down once again as she recalled the day Elisa got married. "They were joined together only due to political reasons, lacking in chemistry and passion. It was an unfaithful relationship, Elisa had a string of lovers while Yuzuru-san had his own. However, both sides of the family pressured for an heir. The Suoh family wanted to ensure the survival of their name and bloodline while my parents... well..." Elena averted her eyes as she pressed a hand against her chest. "They... They wanted an heir in order to trap the Suohs' into a union with us for years to come." She admitted sorrowfully with furrowed brows. Letting out another sigh, she leaned back in her chair. "Though in the end, they couldn't even use Miki to fulfill that purpose due to the divorce and being born later than the mistress's son. This lead to her being branded as a complete failure by my father and sent away to Japan."

Tamaki's eyes widened.

"A month ago, our house went bankrupt due to the crash in the international trade market." Closing her darkened eyes, the woman's shoulders slumped, and her voice took a serious turn. "My father and mother worried for days and nights on what to do..."

The host club listened intently as the woman continued to speak. "I protested, of course." Elena mustered a dry laugh. "After the way we have treated her, it would be inappropriate for us to send her off into an arranged marriage for our family's benefit. However..." Biting her bottom lip, Elena's brows knitted together. "My parents arranged her off to the House of Santiago without warning my sister or I, and dragged her here two days before the wedding."

"Elena-san..." Tamaki muttered, vision hazing as his mother flashed across his mind.

"You are Tamaki, correct?" Elena smiled at the blond who nodded immediately. "I was the one who added Yuzuru-san to the guest list. I never expected Arden to add the rest of you all onto the list as well though." She revealed, giggling into her hands. "That boy really was the best companion for Miki, huh?"

"Of course," Agustin lifted his glasses. "He's the successor I've chosen."

"So why were you looking for her, Elena-san?" Haruhi asked, watching as the woman turn around curiously. "Well, you came in here looking for Miki-senpai, right? Did you want to speak with her?"

"Ah, yes. I suppose I should also extend this message to you all as well," Recomposing her body, Elena cleared her throat. "Please hold out for these two days; I'll try and work something out with my parents. And once she has been freed from this arranged marriage, please take her and go back to Japan." She requested.

"Elena-san, you do understand what that means for you, correct?" Narrowing his eyes, Kyoya crossed his arms. "Your family is already facing bankruptcy; this union has the potential to save your family wealth and fortune. If you do not take this opportunity, you could end up having to go into hiding."

"Kyoya-senpai, what are you saying?" Hikaru whipped his head around in disbelief.

"Are you suggesting that Miki-senpai should accept this arrange marriage?" Kaoru added on.

Brushing off the twins accusation, Kyoya kept his gaze focused on Elena. "I'm merely pointing out the truth," He stated indifferently.

"As I have said, the children have done nothing wrong." Elena's eyes flickered down to the tea. "It's not fair for a child to repent for their parent's mistake. I don't mind if I must go into hiding, it wouldn't be correct."

"Elena-san," Tamaki offered flashed a soft smile at the woman. "We will wait here and watch her from afar, however, I have already told Miki. This is her choice, and what happens from here on out will be decided by her. And no matter what happens, I will support her."

Hearing his response, Elena's eyes widened before crinkling with relief. "I see..." She glanced down and studied her reflection in the tea. "You must have been a good brother; I'm sure she was more than apperciative to have you with her." Her voice trailed off as the doors to the meeting room opened slowly, cutting their conversation short.

"Excuse me," Blinking, Miki poked her head in curiously. "Arden told me you all were still in here..." She fell silent as she observed the room, spotting another woman who looked just like the one in her memories. Her eyes rounded as her arms fell limp by her side. Who was this woman?

"Miki!" Elena exclaimed as she rushed forth to envelop her in a hug, tears of joy from seeing the girl brimmed her eyes. "Miki, it's so great to see you again."

"Um... I apologize." Staring awkwardly at the stranger who was embracing her, Miki cocked her head. "But who are you?" She asked bluntly.

"Huh? You don't recognize me?" Pulling away, Elena gasped before letting out a small sigh. "Well, I suppose it's been so long..."

"This is your aunt, Miki." Crossing his arms, Kyoya stepped forward to explain the situation. "She is most likely the woman who in your memories, patted your head when you were ill." He informed her.

Hearing this, Miki's eye line snapped to Elena who blinked quizzically. Staying still, she shivered slightly as the woman approached her with an extended hand. Her warm touch brushing against her cheek that were chilled by the air conditioning in the previous meeting room. "You are sixteen now, right? You've grown into such a beautiful young lady." She whispered in adoration as the light caught the tears in the corner of her eyes.

A bright beam spread across Miki's face as she placed a hand over Elena's. "Nice to meet you," Tilting her head in the direction she let out a soft sigh. Her gentle touch, her loving eyes... they were warm and safe. Much like the one she remembered. "Aunt Elena." She twinkled.

"It's nice to meet you too," Elena replied.

Their moment, however, didn't last long as the twins began to sneeze into the handkerchieves that appeared out of nowhere. "Such a touching reunion!" They sobbed dramatically.

Haruhi sweatdropped before approaching the strawberry blonde who chuckled at the twins' display. "How did that meeting go, senpai?" She peered up.

"Oh, it went great." Lips curling, she beamed. "I finally got to meet my mother and my grandparents; it was super exciting!"

Haruhi flinched as she stared at Miki's expression.

"And what were the results of the meeting?" Lifting his glasses, Kyoya pursued.

Miki froze at his question. She felt a slight sense of heat creep upon her cheeks; her heart rate spiked as she averted her eyes from Kyoya's gaze. Faintly, she could feel her chest tighten in wrenching pain.

"Well?" Her thought process was quickly disturbed by the boy as he narrowed his eyes at her. "We're waiting." He tilted his head back.

Swallowing hard, Miki tilted her head as her cheeks shimmered. "I accepted the marriage arrangement." She announced in an overly cheerful manner. "The wedding will be on Sunday, though because-."

"WHAT?!" Everyone, par Kyoya and Mori, let out a screech in disbelief.

"Why, Miki-chan?" Honey was the first to ask. "Didn't you say you didn't want to accept the engagement?"

"You've got to be kidding!" Hikaru immediately spat, grabbing Miki by the shoulders. "Did they threaten you? Why would you accept something like that?"

"Hikaru, calm down!" Kaoru eased his brother, though his own hands were trembling.

Haruhi approached her friend, trying to read her expression, only to find nothing but a smile. "Miki-senpai, what happened?" She asked gingerly.

Tilting her head, Miki beamed. "Don't worry," Her voice was as airheaded and optimistic as always. As clear as a bell, she spoke. "They didn't threaten me; I simply accepted their engagement. Would you all support me?" She requested.

The host club and Elena fell silent at her words. She didn't look scared, or under pressure and it didn't seem like she was lying either. Tamaki approached her. And with his eyes hidden under the shadow of his bangs, he asked sternly. "Is this what you want?"

With a sound 'mhm,' Miki nodded.

"I see, then I will support you."

"Miguel Juan Santiago, First Son of the Santiago House, who works alongside the Fernández house in the international trade department. He is currently a third-year at Complutense University of Madrid, studying to take over as the next Duke." Closing his notebook, Kyoya finished up his analysis as he glanced over at the hosts. "So, what are you doing?"

Despite being at the dinner table and presented with an assortment of food, Tamaki kept his focus behind, narrowing his ocean eyes at the newly engaged couple who sat across the hotel restaurant. Haruhi, on the other hand, was gorging on the delicious gourmet food with sparkling eyes.

"Even after he said all of that, he is still so worried about Miki-senpai." Hikaru shrugged, taking a bit of the beef.

"Though he really looks like he's about to snap," Kaoru added nonchalantly.

Sure enough, the blond looked like he was on the verge of crumbling the extravagant dinner chair he sat on by his clenching hands alone. He gritted his teeth, almost clawing at his the backboard of his chair with a mixture of anger, worry and sadness.

"Tama-chan..." Honey furrowed his brows.

Across the luxury restaurant, Miki sat next to Miguel, the man she was set to marry in a mere two days. He had bleached blonde hair slicked back, as well as dark brown eyes. She dug her fork into the piece of beef and brought it to her lips in a daze, absently staring at the host club's table out of the corner of her eye, only to drop it back onto the plate due to her lack of focus. She blinked at the piece of meat that splatted back, scattering juice everywhere.

"Are you alright? You seem to be staring at those people over there." Miguel noticed the clumsiness and asked her in a hushed voice as to not alert their families who sat with them at a rounded table. His Japanese wasn't perfect, and he spoke with a bit of an accent, but it was understandable enough. "Do you know them?"

"Huh? Oh, I'm fine." Shooting a soft smile at the young man, Miki waved a hand. "Just a little tired from everything."

Miguel's eyes widened, a little taken aback by that sparkling expression of hers. "I suppose it's quite a bit to take in," He chuckled, eating a piece of his food. "Meeting your fiancee for the first time, it's a bit nerve-wracking, isn't it?"

 _Fiancee..._

"Yeah, it was." Giggling, Miki picked up the food again. "Miguel-san, what about you? Were you anxious when you first met me?" She questioned curiously as she stuffed the piece into her mouth.

Miguel's brown eyes wandered off as he hummed. "Well, I was quite shocked if I am being frank." He muttered.

"Why is that?" Tilting her head, Miki pursued curiously with her fork still lingering in her mouth.

Smirking, Miguel lifted his free hand and pressed it against Miki's cheek. With his thumb, he gently glazed away a bit of juice from the steak. "I was taken off guard by how beautiful you were, Mira." He whispered.

Miki felt her body stiffen under the touch. It didn't set off red alarms like before when other men touched her, but it just felt... cold. She remembered a different touch, and her body was subconsciously reacting to it as her limbs stiffened. She peered up blankly at Miguel's gentle expression as he continued to speak. "I know these circumstances are not ideal for us to meet," He murmured. "But let us make the best of the situation."

"Best of the situation?" Miki repeated his words with a puzzled voice.

"Meaning, let's get along, shall we?" Slightly perplexed yet intrigued by her clueless nature, Miguel clarified as he removed his hand.

After half a beat, Miki broke into a bright smile. "Alright." She complied.

"Aghh, she's flashing that sweet smile of hers again..." Hikaru reported under his breath. "Look at that, that Miguel guy is totally falling for her."

"Why does she have to be so cheerful all the time?" Kaoru complained, glancing over this shoulder. "Milord, are you sure we aren't going to do anything..?" His voice trailed off, seeing the blond scowl like a puppy seeing its owner getting along with another.

"It's fine..." He mumbled, though his hands that trembled as he clenched onto the chair begged to differ. The gloomy aura around him seemed to have sprouted mushrooms on the back of his head. "I promised her that I would support her decision all the way, as long as that's what she wants."

"Saying that doesn't really help prove your case, senpai," Haruhi commented at the dramatic tears in the blonde's eyes as she turned to look at Miki, who was getting up from her seat. She then noticed Elisa avert her eyes towards her and the host club, gazing at them for a moment as Miki exchanged a few words with her grandparents and Miguel's parents. She felt a shiver run down her spine. The brunette still couldn't believe that unfeeling woman was Miki's mother, they looked so... different. Even throughout the dinner, she noticed the mother and daughter rarely interacted. She couldn't help but remember her own mother, and how she was. The way she'd smile and say she'd do her best, the way she'd look when she was tackling a problematic case, it all brought a sense of warmth to her heart. Yet...

 _Elisa, under the orders of my parents, was never once allowed to even touch or see her._

 _No matter what, how can a mother do that to her own daughter?_ Haruhi wondered with her brows knitted slightly. However, her train of thought was quickly broken when Kyoya, who sat across from her, stood up from his seat.

"Kyo-chan?" Honey blinked, watching as he tucked his hands into his pockets.

"I'm heading back to my room." Stating simply, he turned and headed towards the exit of the restaurant.

"Ah..." Groaning, Hikaru sunk into his chair with his hands behind his head. "So I guess this is affecting Kyoya-senpai, after all."

"Huh?"

"Of course it will," Kaoru sighed as he rested an elbow on the table. "Not just Kyoya-senpai, milord will be affected as well." He hushed, casting a side glance at Tamaki who watched Miki speaking intently.

"Both Tama-chan and Kyo-chan care so much about Miki-chan, She is precious to both of them in different ways," Honey stated with a wry smile as he stared down at his food. "I'm just worried about what we'll do if she actually leaves."

"Yeah." Mori nodded.

Honey's caramel eyes darted up at Mori's notion, observing the silent giant. He blinked a few times before calling out to him. "What about you, Takashi?" He questioned with an inconspicuous beam. "How do you feel about this?"

Mori peered down at his cousin, unmoving.

"Nothing." He averted his eyes back to Miki's compliant smile.

Miki walked down eerily darkened empty halls in a carefree manner. Her hazel eyes were constantly flickering to the woman named Selene, who was her mother's attendant, walked by her side. She had excused herself from the dinner table to get some sleep in, when her grandparents suggested for Selene to take her back to her room, despite Arden's protests. "Selene-san," She called out, earning a silent glance in reply. "You are my mother's attendant, right?"

"Yes," Selene replied simply.

"You are both so quiet," Tilting her head to the side, Miki commented. "Even though she is my mother, she hasn't said a single word to me this entire time." She gave a wistful smile.

"I see."

Figuring she must not be the type to make conversation, Miki pressed her lips into a line as she began to brainstorm topic ideas to speak with the woman about when...

"Aunt Selene." Arden's voice rang behind them as the two turned around, finding him standing at the entrance of the restaurant. "May we speak for a moment?" Tilting his head, he questioned.

"Very well." Nodding hesitantly, Selene bowed to Miki. "If you will excuse me, Lady Mira. I will return shortly. Please do not move from this spot."

"Sure." Miki nodded obediently. She watched with a slight beam as Selene floated gracefully over to Arden, disappearing into the light of the restaurant and leaving her alone.

Leaning her back against the walls of the corridor, Miki let out a small sigh as her eyes stayed fixed on the moonlight that inked into the ground. She tilted her head, studying the designs on the carpeted ground with the dim light when she heard a familiar voice speak.

"So this is what he meant," Darting her eyes up, she gasped in joy when she saw Kyoya approaching her from the direction of the restaurant. He watched her with a stern expression, and his hands shoved into his shirt pockets casually.

"Kyoya-kun," Miki whispered in a hushed voice. "What are you doing here?" Despite the confusion in her voice, there was a delighted smile plastered onto her cheeks. She felt a rock land it's ground in her chest as a wave of relief washed over her.

"I was going back to my room when Arden pulled me aside and told me to wait," Shrugging, that naturally smug smirk curled on his lips when he saw her sparkling eyes. It was a welcomed sight. "I'm guessing this was what he meant by, creating opportunities."

Miki's eyes darted towards the light in the restaurant. They couldn't be seen being friendly in there; it is only cloaked in the darkness could they speak like this. She felt her chest tighten a little before breaking into a beam. "Arden must agree with me too then," She giggled.

"Hm?" Kyoya shot her a weird look.

Tilting her head with a closed-eye twinkle, Miki hid her hands behind her back. "Kyoya-kun, you really are a nice person." She stated with her usual radiant smile.

"What a simple-minded woman." Seeing such a cheerful look on her, Kyoya couldn't help but let out a sigh. "You are engaged to someone," He reminded. "You shouldn't be saying that about other men."

"Huh? Why not?" Eyes rounding, Miki pouted. "I can say what I want about people, no matter what marital status I have." She reasoned.

"You clearly don't deserve that title 'Aphrodite.'" Eyebrow twitching at her response, Kyoya grumbled. He reached a hand forward, about to ruffle her hair only to pause for a few moments. For the first time, Miki noticed the tension that loomed between them. She watched as he retracted his hand, spinning on his heel and turned to walk away.

"Kyoya-kun, where are you going?" Cocking her head to the side, Miki questioned.

"Back to my room, it'd be bad if that maid came back and saw us interacting, wouldn't it?" He replied indifferently before stopping in his tracks for a moment. "Miki," He called out to her. "What's your room number?" He asked, glancing over his shoulders.

Tapping her chin, her lips formed a line as she tried to remember. "I think it was on the top floor, 3512 I believe." She informed him, raising an all-knowing finger.

"I see, good night." And with that, he was off.

Miki stared at the direction where Kyoya disappeared, replaying their brief rendezvous in her mind. A hand gently pressed against her cheek where Miguel had touched earlier that evening as she remembered Kyoya's reluctance as he was about to thread a hand through her hair as he usually did. She felt her heart rate begin to pick up. She furrowed her brows as she allowed her own finger to mimic his usual actions. She couldn't understand why, but...

She felt disappointed.

Once Selene returned with her unchanging face, Miki was brought to her room immediately. Selene opened the door with the keycard and pushed down on the handle. "Your stuff has already been brought over by us." The maid explained as Miki stepped in, in slight awe at her first time being in a hotel room. Her eyes twinkled in amazement, and her mouth gaped open. As Selene had said, all her stuff, dresses, sketch references, books, DVDs from the Second Suoh Estate had been transferred over to this hotel room.

"Someone will be by early to take you to meet your wedding guests, so please head to bed early. Good Night, Lady Mira." Then with that, the door slammed closed, startling Miki who snapped her head around. The wonder in her eyes turned to panic as she heard the sound of a mechanic locking on the doors. She gasped.

"Selene?" Hurrying back the entrance of the room, Miki attempted to twist the doorknob, with no avail. She sucked in a harsh breath and tried again. "Selene?" She knocked on the door lightly as the hair on her back stood up. "Selene, are you there? The door locked for some reason."

No answer.

"Selene" As the realization set into, Miki felt a strange feeling began to crawl on her skin. Her hands began to tremble lightly as they were brought to her lips, a wave of panic crashing over her.

She was locked in.

Her pulse rate began to increase as all she could hear was how loud her heart was pounding in her chest. She was trapped, locked in, unable to escape. Grabbing onto her wrist, she bent her body forward as her eyes widened. Never had she felt so afraid in her life. Sweat began to gather at her forehead from the panic she felt internally. _I need to escape._ She thought. _I don't want to stay trapped here; it's scary — someone help._

 _It's a hex. It's specially designed to countering the fear of being trapped._

Remembering Reiko'a talisman, her eyes darting around desperately, she hurried to find her school bag, the last place she left the charm in. Spotting it, lying near the desk in the room, she scrambled to grab it with shaking hands as her knees gave out and she collapsed to the ground. Throwing her notebooks and tablet to the ground as she fished out the carefully folded aged paper to her chest. Holding it close to her chest with two hands, she prayed.

 _Talisman, help me..._

As she whispered for help while holding the hex, the room phone suddenly began to ring, startling Miki. She gasped and whipped her head in the direction of the sound, staring at it as the ringing filled the room. Her heavy breathing was calming down momentarily. Clutching the talisman with one hand, she crawled over to the phone and picked it up.

"Hello?" She answered, her lips still quaking.

"Good evening." Kyoya's voice poured in through the speaker as the knot in her heart loosened.

Letting out a breath she didn't even realize she was holding, Miki felt her shoulders slump. "Kyoya...kun?" She muttered.

There was a slight pause on his end before he spoke again. "Is everything alright? You sound like you are under distress." He pointed out.

"Well..." Miki's voice trailed off as it wandered to the firmly shut door in her room.

"If everything is alright," Sitting on the bed of his hotel room, Kyoya smirked smugly as he glanced out the night skyline of Madrid. "Should I hang up?"

"No!" Quickly snapping, Miki pled, taking Kyoya by surprise. "Please don't go!" She cried, turning away from the firmly shut door as to not remind herself of the current predicament she was in.

There was another pause, then Kyoya let out a small sigh. "Do you have cleithrophobia?" He questioned with a brow raise.

"Cleaveland-Phobia?" Miki repeated, tilting her head. "What is that?" She blinked curiously.

Feeling his eye twitch, Kyoya repositioned the room phone on his ear as he leaned back on his bed. How could this girl not know the phrase for her own phobia? "Not 'Cleaveland-Phobia,' cleithrophobia." He corrected her. "It's when you have a fear of being trapped."

"Oh," Tapping her chin and thinking about it, Miki giggled. "Then I guess I do have Cleaveland-Phobia." She stated with a smile returning to her lips. "It's a little strange, isn't it? Having a fear of being trapped after being trapped for so long." Her heart was feeling much lighter now that someone was figuratively by her side, she felt as if she could finally breathe.

"Cleithrophobia." Kyoya reminded with a sigh in irritation as he averted his eyes. Though he wouldn't be surprised if she had the phobia, it would most likely be classified as a post-traumatic side effect.

"Say Kyoya-kun," Completely ignoring his corrections, Miki laid down on her bed with a hum. "How do you like Madrid so far?" She chirped curiously. "Have you been to any of the beaches yet?"

Standing up from his bed, Kyoya moved to the sizeable body-length window that stared out into the glowing city. "Madrid doesn't have any beaches, Miki." He told her.

"Ehh?!" Covering her lips with her fingers, Miki let out a shriek as she jolted up from the bed.

"You were born in this city." He pointed out flatly.

"But I've never been outside before." Miki justified as her mouth remained gaped. "There are no beaches here?" She repeated, still in shock.

"If you want to go to a beach, go to Barcelona." Shrugging, Kyoya sat down at his chair that looked out into the city. "They have quite a few there."

"I hope I could in the near future." Miki giggled as she sighed dreamily. "I had so much fun last time at the beach in Okinawa; I would love to go to another one!"

Kyoya didn't reply. Instead, he leaned an arm on the armrest of his velvet chair, watching as the cars drove by on the streets beneath them. "Miki," His voice turned to his usual serious one.

"Hm?"

"Why did you accept engagement?" He asked, eyes flickering down to the people bustling by on the streets. They were so small, so little, like ants crawling below.

"Well..." Miki hummed as she rolled onto her side, placing the talisman onto her bedside table for safekeeping. "I took your advice and considered things from a point that would benefit me." She explained as she stared at her fluffy strawberry blonde hair that scattered all over the white sheets of the bed, smoothing it out with her free hand as the hotel phone was clipped between her ear and the mattress. "Grandmother explained that if I were to accept this engagement, I would live my life under a new alias. I'd be known as Mira Luz Fernández Santiago, and I'd be able to go anywhere, anytime." She informed him. "Of course, I feel bad for using Miguel-san like this. But it's what I've always dreamed of." Swallowing the lump that formed in her throat, Miki mustered a soft smile. "My freedom." As she continued to thread her fingers through her locks, she noticed her hands were trembling.

 _Why are they shaking?_ Her brows knitted together.

"I see," Hearing her answer, Kyoya's eyes flickered up towards the velvety night sky, littered with little stars. "Mira Luz Fernández, huh...?" He muttered. After learning of that name from Elena, the second-year immediately took to the Ootori Database to search for a record of her. As expected, none came up. The Fernández family really did a number to make sure she remained hidden, though it probably wasn't difficult. Having ties to the Spanish Royal Family was definitely an advantage one couldn't scoff at.

"Yes, that's supposedly my birth name and the alias I'm under right now." Flipping onto her stomach, Miki giggled as she brushed away the tension in her chest. "What about you, Kyoya-kun?" Her voice turned bubbly as she kicked her legs like a child reading a book. "Is Ootori Kyoya your full name?" She asked curiously.

As the night continued and the two respectively got ready for bed, the conversation between them ensued. Though admittedly it was more Miki asking dumb questions or sprouting strange things while Kyoya either debunked or confirmed them, more former than the latter.

Letting out a small yawn, Miki curled up in her blanket as she leaned against the phone next to her ear. "Kyoya-kun, what are you doing right now?" She rubbed her eyes, feeling them grow heavier and heavier due to the darkness of the room. Though with the faint sound of a keyboard typing on the other end of the phone, she felt somewhat relaxed.

"Some club budgeting for the new month," He replied indifferently, setting the phone down next to his laptop.

"Your panda eyes are going to get worse, you know?" Miki commented playfully.

"The School Festival is this month, and once you leave the budget will be tight again." He shrugged.

Miki's eyes widened slightly as the hazy realization sunk in. Once she marries Miguel, she would remain Spain while the Host Club returns to Japan. She'd be separated from her father, the host club, Tamaki, Kyoya and all her friends she made at Ouran Academy. Her chest tightened again at the thought of that until the sound of keyboard tapping tuned into her mind, drawing her anxiety away.

"You're such a nice person, Kyoya-kun..." Rubbing her eyes, Miki let out a sigh as her eyelids began to weigh down.

Raising an eyebrow, the boy peered at the phone. "Where is this coming from?" He questioned as his fingers continued to type away, unintentionally lulling Miki further into her drowsy state.

"Because..." Taking a deep breath, Miki snuggled further into her pillow. "You got my room number, just to call me and make sure I was alright." She chuckled tiredly as her eyes fluttered closed. "It makes me a bit sad, knowing... I may not see you guys again... I wish... even after this... I can stay in contact... with youall..." She managed. "Not as Mira... but as... Miki..."

Kyoya's typing stopped once he heard that. He was about to respond only to notice the soft, rhythmic breathing coming from the speaker. _Did she seriously fall asleep in the middle of talking?_ His eyebrow twitched irritably at that thought, only to relax when he remembered what she said before dozing off.

With a small, wry smile, he picked up the phone and stared at the dial pad. Opening he mouth, he spoke softly into the speaker.

"Good Night... Miki."

Then, he hung up.

Saturday afternoon, Miki was extremely busy as she accompanied Miguel as they welcomed guests to the wedding in one of the ballrooms of the hotel lobby. She wore a butter yellow ballgown with white flower designers and a silver headband in her hair. She smiled gracefully as she bowed her head at all the greetings and compliments she has received as the guests entered the hotel. Arden stood by her side, announcing the status and identity of each guest as they came. Supposedly, according to her grandparents, they were going to have a small scale wedding as not to make a big deal of this union. However, Miki felt as if she had greeted more people than the host club did in a week.

" _Gracias por asistir a nuestra boda_. _Thank you for attending our wedding._ " Giving her hand to the gentleman of the couple that came to greet her, Miki routinely expressed her gratitude.

 _"¡Por supuesto! Of course, we would!"_ The young man kissed her gloved hand.

 _"Such a pretty young lady, Miguel."_ The woman of the couple complimented. _"You two would make a fabulous couple."_

 _"Oh, stop. Mrs. Rodríguez,"_ Miguel laughed. _"You're embarrassing her."_

 _"But it's true. She's a stunning bride. I bet she'll make a wonderful wife as well."_

 _"Gracias señorita."_ Miki lowered her head in thanks as the couple walked away. Letting out a small sigh, her shoulders slumped in exhaustion.

"Holding up alright?" Miguel grinned as his eyes softened. "You are doing great right now." He reassured her.

"Yes, I'm fine. I'm just thinking about when I can change out of this ballgown into my chiffon dress." Bringing her fingers to her lips, Miki chuckled.

"Chiffon dresses?" Raising an eyebrow, Miguel laughed. "Don't girls usually want to change out of dresses to wear pants? Why would you want to wear another dress?"

"I like chiffon dresses." Miki reasoned, looking a little puzzled. "They are comfortable, easy to get into and don't restrict your movement." Lifting an all-knowing finger, she explained.

"I see," Humming, Miguel peered down at the strawberry blonde. "You are a strange girl; you know that?"

Across the ballroom, the host club watched the couple. They were dressed up in suits and ties while Haruhi wore a flowy pink dress as the twins claimed that 'no one would know her here.' Though the only thing it did so far, was it made Tamaki even more insufferable as he immediately began doting on how cute the dress looked on her.

"Miki-chan said that?" Honey's eyes were filled with worry as he clung to Mori's back.

Kyoya had just got done telling them about her confession last night, regarding why she accepted the engagement. He looked rather calm and collected as he leaned up against the walls of the ballroom. "Yes, she mentioned that her freedom has always been something she wanted."

"So in the end, she was threatened!" Hikaru was on the verge of snapping, looking like he was about to stomp over and punch the lights out of the Fernández family. "Milord, we have to do something!"

"Hikaru, stop." Tamaki, on the other hand, seemed quite calm as well. His hands were in his pockets while his eyes were hidden in the shadow of his bangs. "I already said, if it's what she wants. We as the host club will support her, every step of the way."

"Tama-chan, Kyo-chan, are you both alright with that?" Honey furrowed his brows as his lips pressed into a pout.

"Why wouldn't be we be?" Pushing up his glasses, Kyoya stood up straighter.

"It's our job to make the woman we meet happy, after all." Tamaki flashed a charming smile. Despite his words and calm facade, however, Haruhi noticed his arms that were stiffly shoved into his pant pockets were quaking ever so slightly.

"Senpai..." She muttered, wondering how the blond could be feeling.

"But Milord, we can't just let Miki-senpai follow them into this." Kaoru reasoned, rubbing his twin's back. "I don't think she'll be happy like this"

Haruhi's brown eyes flickered over to Miki as she observed her expression as she spoke to a new guest that entered the ballroom. Her eyes widened when she noticed who the freshly arrived man was. "Senpai!" She tapped Tamaki on the shoulder, eagerly pointing in that direction.

"Master Suoh Yuzuru, from the Suoh Cooperation in Japan," Arden announced without a hint of recognition in his voice.

"Ah, Suoh-san, it's a pleasure to see you again." Miguel offered a reserved smile as he shook hands with the man.

Yuzuru nodded in return, firmly grasping the young man's hand. "It's wonderful to see you too Miguel. When was the last time we met? When you were twelve?" He made small talk as he approached Miki who was beaming tenderly at him.

"I believe so sir." Miguel nodded curtly as he introduced Miki. "This is my bride-to-be, Mira. Mira, this is Suoh Yuzuru of the Suoh Cooperation."

"It's a pleasure to meet you," Twinking brightly, Miki chirped as she curtsied. Peering up, she flashed him the most sincere of smiles she could offer.

"My goodness, aren't you adorable?" Dotingly, Yuzuru chuckled as he poked at Miki's cheek. Then, his eyes crinkled into a benevolent smile. "You look absolutely beautiful." Despite his compliment, the tone of his voice seemed a little dry.

"Thank you very much," Miki bowed her head deeply.

"Miguel, you found a good woman. Take good care of her." Patting the young man on the shoulder, Yuzuru excused himself as he paced in the direction of Tamaki and the rest of the host club.

Noticing that Miki hadn't raised her head yet, Miguel knelt. "Hey, are you alright?" He asked caringly. Lifting her face by the chin, he cupped her cheeks."I know Yuzuru-san can be a bit much to handle, but-"

"No, no, not at all." Snapping out of her daze, Miki shook her head as she backed away from his grip around her face. "Yuzuru-san seems like a very nice man." Tilting her head, she smiled.

"Father."

"Chairman."

"Oh, hello everyone." Grinning, Yuzuru greeted the host club as he raised a champagne class he pucked off a server's tray along the way. "Wonderful party, huh?"

"It's a surprise to see you here, Chairman," Kyoya commented. "Weren't you on a business trip around Europe?"

"Nothing wrong with stopping over in Spain for a wedding I was invited for." Shrugging with closed eyes, Yuzuru then addressed everyone else present. "So have you all decided on what to give as a wedding gift?" He asked.

 _Even the chairman doesn't look worried._ Averting her eyes away, Haruhi stared down at the orange juice in her hands. "Oh, that's right." Snapping up, she asked. "What time is it right now?"

"Hm? It should be about 2:30 right now." Honey replied, sliding down from Mori's back. "Is something wrong Haru-chan?"

"I promised Dad I would call him before he heads to bed," Panicking, Haruhi shuffled towards the door. "Excuse me; I'll be right back."

"Have a safe trip," The twins waved, calling after her in unison.

"Yes Dad, I'll call you tomorrow." With a deadpan, Haruhi grumbled as her father went on about safety in a foreign country for the tenth time in thirty minutes. She stood on the bridge in the garden of the luxury hotel, still a little confused why a hotel needed a central garden. "Well then, I'm hanging up."

"Hold on Haruhi." Ranka's voice took to a more serious tone as he called out to his daughter. "Is it something that talking to your dad won't help?"

Hearing her father's words, Haruhi froze up for a moment before chuckling awkwardly. "What are you talking about, dad? Everything is fine."

Ranka fell silent on the other end. "Listen, Haruhi," He said after a moment. "There are certainly a lot of things in this world that you can't do anything about, try though you might. That is why you can't hesitate when it's time to stick things out." With a wise voice, he comforted his daughter. "Be safe; I love you."

Haruhi's eyes flickered down to the pond beneath the bridge, gazing at her reflection, thinking over her father's words. "Yeah, I love you too dad." Hanging up the phone, she watched the figure that stared back with reprimanding eyes. Her brows knitted closer together as she thought over everything. Sighing, she turned around and walked down the bridge as she headed for the exit, pausing when she saw a familiar figure standing among the yellow roses.

"Elisa-san?" She muttered under her breath, seeing the dirty blonde woman holding a watering can, standing over the yellow rose bushes with her emotionless face. Despite standing in the midst of beauty, her expression showed no appreciation for it. Her shoulder length dirty blonde hair was a lot less wavy than her daughter's, and her eyes were a darker shade. Her hands moved fluidly as it swept across the flowers, making sure every one of them received enough care. Noticing the brunette gawking, her dark hazel eyes flickered up to meet her brown ones. "Oh, I'm sorry." Realizing that she was caught staring, Haruhi made a swift bow. "I'll leave now." She spun on her heel, about to leave when she heard the woman speak.

"Leave my daughter alone," Elisa spoke without a tone.

"Huh?" Haruhi slowly turned her head, wide-eyed.

This was the first time she heard the woman speak. Her voice was similar to Miki's; there was no question that she was her mother. It was as clear as a bell and as fluid as the wind, yet unlike her daughter, her voice didn't hold any hint of any joy or enthusiasm.

"She will be living in Spain with Miguel from now on, and she will be happy with time." Holding the watering can straight, Elise didn't bat an eye at the brunette. "Continuously spending time with her will only result in more heartbreak once you leave."

"Why do you say that?" Turning her body to face the woman fully, Haruhi retorted. She watched as the woman floated through the roses elegantly as if she were a ghost.

Reaching down, Elisa's fingers swept across the yellow roses as her thumb brushed away the water droplets her watering can have left. "I am her mother." She replied, standing up straight, alloing a shoulder to brush past Haruhi's. "It's as simple as that."

Hearing the woman say that, Haruhi's eyes widened. Spinning around on her the ball of her foot, she spoke. "Have you ever seen Miki-senpai's smile?" She questioned bluntly, causing the woman to stop in her steps. Haruhi couldn't see her face. However, that didn't hold her back from saying her piece. "Miki-senpai's smile is radiant, cheerful and warm. It brings light and positivity to a dark room, and it's stunning. If you don't even know something as simple as that about her," Pausing, Haruhi swallowed hard as he hands balled into fists. "Then I don't believe you meet the qualifications to call yourself her mother." With a straight face, Haruhi declared her message loud and clear to Elisa.

Lingering for a moment, Elisa's voided eyes were glued ahead towards the greenery hazily. Then without saying a word, she walked across the bridge and disappeared further into the garden.

"So this is it?" That evening, Hikaru protested as the host club, par Tamaki, Kyoya and Miki, gathered in Honey and Mori's room. "The wedding is tomorrow, and Miki-senpai is leaving us for good?"

"Hikaru..." Haruhi's gaze softened as she watched his shoulders dart up from the stress.

"Hika-chan, we all understand how you feel." Honey attempted to justify. "But that was Miki-chan's decision, and Tama-chan promised to respect it. We don't have any say in this, because we are simply guests."

"The only person who can object tomorrow, " Mori spoke sternly. "Is Miki."

The ginger clenched his fists. "But how can we let her just go through with it? This is a big mistake! Milord won't even leave his room, and Kyoya-senpai just upped and left during dinner again!"

Casting a worried glance at his twin who was practically trembling in anger, Kaoru muttered his name under his breath. He agreed wholeheartedly that this was a terrible idea, for both Tamaki and Miki. They were just starting to get close and develop true sibling bonds, ones that they missed out on for years due to their unfortunate circumstances. However, due to those very circumstances, all of that time spent together was about to be torn apart once again.

"Why don't we start thinking about what we can give to Miki-chan as a wedding gift?" Honey suggested with a wry smile. "Maybe we can try and talk to her when we present it tomorrow, right?" Lifting an all-knowing finger, he giggled.

Clicking his tongue, Hikaru could do nothing but avert his eyes in pent-up frustration.

"Well, what should we give her?" Honey tapped his chin. "Cake?"

"No, she'll have plenty of that tomorrow." Haruhi pointed out with a sweatdrop.

"How about more drawing supplies?" Kaoru proposed with a wistful smile.

"She uses a tablet," Mori stated in a deep voice.

As everyone continued to sprout ideas on what they should be giving to the strawberry blonde for her wedding, Haruhi stood on the side, lost in thought. Suddenly, something Miki said in the past crossed her mind as her eyes widened.

"I know what to give her." Brown eyes darting up, she announced.

A/N: That confrontation between Haruhi and Elisa though! Wah, I felt so tense just reading over it. You'll notice a lot of this arc is told from Haruhi's perspective because fundamentally, she is still the main character of the story, and the one impacting many people's lives through her words and actions. Now, now, before you all raise your pitchforks at me for not resolving this arc in this chapter, the next chapter will be the end of this arc, I promise! Though it is like 11000+ words, sooo... Be Prepared?

For those of you wondering why I wrote Hikaru out to be so pissed off about Miki's engagement. I'll leave you with this, what if instead of Tamaki and Miki, it was him and Kaoru?

There is something I wanted to ask you all about for the future chapters. Since we are diving further into the manga, I wanted to talk about future the arcs. For those of you who have read the manga, you know that route splits will happen. There will be several plot points happening at the same time and points will be told from different perspectives. Would you like me to do a full retelling of the Manga? Or would it be alright if I simply sick to Miki's perspective and give a quick explanation for what transpired on the other end? She will be involved in one of the plot points, but not all of them. I think personally, I may just stick to the latter option since number one, this is not a manga retelling and number two, I'm lazy. But I still wanted to bring it to the table and see what you all think.

With that, have a great day!

XOXO,

Astra.

Haruhi: To be honest, when I first met Miki-senpai, I found her a little bothersome. She was a doe-eyed child trapped in a sixteen-year-old body with an endless amount of questions and enthusiasm. But when I think about her warmth and smile being permanently gone from the Host Club...

Next time, "The Final Wedding Bells, Miki's Decision!"

We will be waiting for you!


	30. 28 The Final Wedding Bells, Miki's De

A/N: _Italic words_ are either thoughts, flashbacks or spoken in Spanish (Cause I don't speak Spanish)

 _-Chapter 28-_

The Final Wedding Bells, Miki's Decision! 

Sunday morning, the day of the wedding. Miki sat silently in the dressing room, staring at her reflection in the mirror. Her fluffy hair was done up in an elegant bun, and she was wearing a white wedding gown.

The late fall morning in Spain was misty, almost hazy. It was eleven o'clock in the morning. The makeup artist and stylist have already left. The ceremony was set to begin in two hours, and she has been receiving wedding gifts in the meantime. Unlike those weddings she's seen on TV, she will be walking down the aisle with her groom. Her grandparents didn't want to go with the idea of a family member 'giving her away,' after all, there was nothing to give away. Despite the quelling pain in her chest, she had managed to convince herself it was all the excitement suppressed excitement to be attending a wedding for the first time.

Taking a deep breath, sucked in a quick breath and rested her chin on her fists merrily. "What should I do after this?" She wondered out loud, eyes trailing up to the concrete ceiling with her legs swinging around like a child's. "Maybe I could start applying for jobs at production companies, or should I finish high school? Now that I will be taking a different name, I could go to any school in Madrid."

"Milady, what are you doing?" Her dressing room door opened as Arden stepped in with a questioning brow raise. He was dressed in his usual butler uniform, looking prim and proper.

"Arden!" Jolting from the shock of being caught talking to herself, Miki's eyes rounded. "When did you get in here? Why didn't you knock?"

"I've told you multiple times milady; a butler doesn't need to knock when he's entering his master's room. It's common knowledge." He sighed, still holding on the doorknob. "Why, am I interrupting something?" Smirking, he teased.

"It's called positive self-reinforcement, Arden." Sticking her tongue out playfully, Miki giggled.

"No, that is called talking to yourself." Letting out a sigh, the light brown-haired butler corrected. "Besides, you have visitors." Stepping out of the way, he revealed most of the host club dressed in formal attire.

"Yo!" The twins greeted her with a nonchalant salute.

"Miki-chan, we came to see you." Honey waved with a bright beam as he slung over Mori's back.

"How are you doing, Miki-senpai?" Haruhi greeted her as she walked in along with the host club.

Bouncing up from her chair, Miki's hazel eyes shimmered while Arden closed the dressing room door from the outside. "Everyone!" She cheered before taking a step back, studying Haruhi's soft coral gown and sudden long hair. "You look so pretty Haruhi!" Cupping her cheeks, she let out a shriek in delight. "Who picked this dress out for you? It goes perfectly with your skin and hair colour!"

"About that..." Haruhi sweatdropped as she explained to Miki how the twin's twin maids woke her up and dragged her to change into a dress from their mother's latest design as well as placing a long-haired wig on.

"That sounds like an exciting morning." Covering her lips, Miki tittered. "Thank you for coming to my wedding! I'm glad you all could make it."

With her words, the formerly cheerful dressing room took a solemn turn.

"Miki-senpai, are you really planning on getting married?" Kaoru asked gingerly.

"Mhm!" With a curt nod and a big smile, Miki sounded. "I've never been to a wedding before; it's a little exciting. Though I never imagined that the first wedding ceremony I'd ever attend would be my own." The host club shuffled uncomfortably at her light-hearted nature as she rambled on. "But after this, I can finally-"

"Achieve your freedom; we get it!" Hikaru snapped, his hands clenching into fists as he shouted over Miki. It took the strawberry blonde by shock as she gazed at him with a puzzled expression.

"Hika-chan..."

"Hikaru, are you angry?" Tilting her head, she blinked. "Why?"

"Of course I am!" Gritting his teeth, Hikaru shouted as his shoulders tensed up. No one in the room bothered to stop him, as he poured his thoughts out. "I thought I could wish you congratulations, but I can't! What about us? Have you ever thought about us, and how we feel about all this? You dropped into our lives, became our friend, and now you're just going to marry some guy in Spain while we go back to Japan?" Arms trembling, he glared at Miki. "Like hell, I'll let it end like this!" With that shout, Hikaru spun on his heel and ran out of the dressing room, startling Arden as he busted the doors open.

"Hikaru!" Kaoru called after him; he made his way to the door frame before pausing and turning to an awestruck Miki. He's seen the confusion on her before, but that wasn't what was on her face. It was more confliction than confusion. Biting his bottom lip, he decided to speak as well.

"What about Milord?" He questioned as his eyes shot to the ground.

"Tamaki-kun?" Miki repeated snapping slightly out of her daze. "What about him?"

"He just got his sister back, how do you think he feels about her leaving him like this?" Kaoru continued, his voice growing louder than he expected. "Miki-senpai, reconsider this. In these past six months, you both worked hard to created a sibling bond with each other. You can't just let it things end like this." As soon as he said that, he pushed off his feet and bolted after Hikaru.

Miki's eyes fell into a downcast as she pursed her lips, her mind slipped into another fit of chaos at what the twins said.

"Miki-senpai," Haruhi spoke up this time as she approached the upperclassman who glanced up at her. Furrowing her brows slightly, she stated. "I don't think we can tell you what to do, but I do think you should think about whether this is the kind of freedom you really want." Then, her expression softened a little as she held up a little brown envelope Miki didn't realize she had. "That being said," She smiled wryly. "Congratulations on your wedding."

Peering down at the envelope, Miki took it with both hands. "May I open it?" Lips curling slightly, she asked the brunette who nodded in return. With clammy hands, she flipped open the flap and pulled something out that surprised her. It was a photo. A photograph of entire host club including her they had taken a while ago. Miki's eyes grew wide.

"You said you never had anyone to put in those photo frames," Haruhi explained, surprised when Miki got up and threw her arms around the brunette.

"Thank you very much," Miki whispered with her eyes squeezed shut, a mixture of emotions bubbling inside of her. "I'll cherish this photo for the rest of my life."

Gently, Haruhi patted the strawberry blonde's lacy veil, shuffling uncomfortably as the reality of the circumstances set in once she made contact with the silky material of her dress. "I'll be off then," Separating herself from her, she bowed. "I need to go look for Hikaru and Kaoru. We'll see you at the ceremony." Opening the white double doors, she left. Leaving Miki with Honey and Mori in the dressing room as she turned to them with a sorrowful smile.

"Honey-senpai, Mori-senpai," She muttered as her head tilted slightly, wondering if they were going to say something.

Exchanging a concerned look with Honey, Mori was the first to speak, surprisingly. "If it's not right, don't do it. If it's not true, don't say it." He advised in a low voice.

"We can't make that decision for you, Miki-chan." Honey smiled as he approached her. "But I think you should rethink this; this is your decision to make."

"My... Decision..." Touching her chest with her free hand, Miki repeated Honey's words.

"Mhm! Think long and hard about it, alright?" Honey nodded with an encouraging close-eyed grin. "By the way," Opening his caramel eyes, Honey gave her a tender expression. "You look really pretty." He complimented in a genuine voice. "Like a princess."

Miki's hazel eyes widened, twinkling in the brilliant morning sun.

Giving her a faint smile, Mori placed his large hand on her head, avoiding the tiara as not to mess up her hair. "Very." He told her.

Miki's lips curled up into a beam. "Thank you very much."

Once Honey and Mori left, she turned her attention to the photo she held in her right hand.

She was so sure about this marriage, and how she was going to be free once she went through with it. But was this really the type of freedom she wanted? At the cost of marrying someone? Would she feel comfortable knowing that she would be known as Mira Luz Fernández Santiago and not Suoh Miki, for the rest of her life? It was just a name, right? It wouldn't matter, right?

Her own words came flooding back to her when she first entered Ouran Academy.

 _Suoh Miki._

 _It may just be a common name._

"Is it really just... a common name?" Miki whispered to herself as her fingers grazed across the satin surface of the photograph. "If it's so common, why do I want it so much?"

Suddenly, the door opened once again. Fearing that it was either her family or Miguel, Miki quickly hid the photo back in it's envelop before glancing up.

"Milady," Arden bowed as he moved out of the way. "You have another visitor." He announced as another familiar figure walked into the room. She felt her heart thump against her chest at the sight of him, becoming hyper-aware of her limbs and appearance.

"Kyoya-kun!" She gasped as Arden closed the doors. Her cheeks almost immediately gleaming with joy, momentarily casting aside all her worries, she greeted him. "What are you doing here?"

"To deliver your wedding gift." Holding out a white paper bag with a yellow rose on it, Kyoya offered it to the strawberry blonde. "Congratulations." He uttered.

Taking the bag with both hands, Miki's eyes shimmered. "Thank you very much," She flashed a close-eyed twinkle. "May I open it?" She asked airily.

"Go ahead."

Placing the bag on the vanity table next to the bouquet, Miki eagerly reached into the bag with both hands like a child about to tear into her birthday present. She blinked curiously as she pulled out a thin hardcovered brown book with shiny golden designs on the corners. The title was printed across the front cover, much clearer than the copy she owned.

 _Rapunzel by Brothers Grimm_

"Yours looked worn out by age," Kyoya explained, crossing his arms.

"How did you find this?" With a delighted beam, Miki snapped her head to him. "I received this exact book as a gift many years ago; it must've been tough to find it."

"Tachibana found it in an antique store in Japan." Shrugging indifferently, he peered at her awestruck expression with a smirk of pride. "Do you like it?"

"Yes!" Nodding definitely, Miki chimed. "I absolutely love it, thank you Kyoya-kun." With her sweet smile, Miki hugged the book close to her chest with her gloved hands. Kyoya stared at her radiantly blissful expression before huffing out a breath. Turning on his heel, he headed for the door.

"I'll excuse myself then-"

"Ah, wait!" Out of instinct, Miki called out the greenish-black haired boy, grabbing the hem of his sleeve in the process. "Wait." She repeated, locking her round beady eyes with his surprised ones.

Kyoya found himself unable to continue staring at her, so he turned away. "What is it?" He inquired, noticing that she still hasn't let go of his sleeve.

"Kyoya-kun, what do you think I should do about this arranged marriage?" She asked, her eyes flickering down her snow-white wedding gown.

"As I always tell you," Gently tugging his arm away from her grasp, he took a cautious step away from her. "Consider things from a perspective that would benefit yourself." Placing a hand in his pocket, he spoke in a simple tone. "However," Glancing over his shoulder, he met her hazel eyes as they darted up. "I've taken a look at that book, and I think I figured out the theme and moral of the story."

"Eh?"

Closing his eyes, Kyoya pushed up his glasses as he began to explained. "It's about Rapunzel's determination and fight for freedom. She never once gave up escaping the tower," Narrowing his eyes, he turned away. "And never took any shortcuts in pursuing her true freedom, even if it meant being banished. I believe the moral is 'We should never give up on our dreams, no matter how dire the situation.' It's a rather idealistic message, huh?" Pacing towards the door, he took the doorknob in his hand. "I'll see you at the ceremony."

"Yes, I'll see you there." Cradling the book in one hand like a precious jewel, Miki waved with a dazed expression. She peered down at the brown-covered book in her arms. Taking a seat at her vanity, she opened the book as she began to read through the familiar words again. Ever since she left the Main Suoh Mansion, she barely reread the book properly like this. She could practically recite it word for word, after all.

 _Once upon a time,_

 _There was a young maiden with exceptionally long hair, trapped in a tall tower by an evil sorceress due to a sin her parents had committed._

 _The only one who could come and go, was the sorceress herself, chanting,_

 _'Rapunzel, Rapunzel, let down your hair!',_

 _Rapunzel would let her hair down, and up the sorceress would climb._

 _Rapunzel yearned to leave and visit the outside world, to walk on the grass below with her own two feet._

 _Then one day, a prince from the neighbouring kingdom heard a sweet voice as he traversed through the forest._

 _Drawn in by the voice, he was instantly captivated by the beautiful Rapunzel, singing her heart out at the top of a tower._

 _As the prince wondered how he was to get up and meet with the maiden who's voice stole his heart, he saw the sorceress return,_

 _'Rapunzel, Rapunzel, let down your hair!',_

 _He then saw hair, longer than he's ever seen be thrown down from the tall tower and the sorceress began to climb up._

 _The next day, the Prince repeated the same words he heard,_

 _'Rapunzel, Rapunzel, let down your hair!'._

 _Long hair was thrown down from the tower like a rope, and the prince climbed up eagerly._

 _At first, Rapunzel was horrified to see a strange climb up her hair, but the Prince's kind and good nature won her over, and they agreed to wed._

 _To escape the tower, Rapunzel instructed the prince to bring a rope every time he visited, so she could weave her rope ladder to escape._

 _However, the sorceress discovered Rapunzel's secret rendezvous with the prince and grew enraged._

 _As punishment for disobeying her, the sorceress chopped off Rapunzel's beautiful long locks and banished her into the deserts._

 _Then, using Rapunzel's hair, she lured the prince up to the tower._

 _The prince was surprised to find the sorceress at the end of the hair and threw himself off the tower in despair, blinded by the thorn bushes below._

 _Determined to find his love, he wandered the forest searching aimlessly for Rapunzel, who also never abandoned hope as she traversed through the desert every day in hopes of rendezvousing with the prince._

 _Eventually, he heard her familiar lovely voice again, and they were reunited._

 _Rapunzel wept over the prince's eyes, and her tears cured his vision._

 _Together, they ventured for the prince's kingdom and lived happily ever after._

 _Kyoya-kun is right..._ With her hands glazing over the final storybook picture, Miki pressed her lips together. _Rapunzel never gave up on escaping the tower and charged straight towards her true form of freedom without hesitation._ She closed the book, brows knitting together as she made up her mind, suddenly noting how blurry her vision had gotten for some reason.

As she was lost in thoughts there was a slight knock at the door; she glanced up as it clicked open. Arden never knocked, so if he did it must've been a warning as to someone important coming in.

"Mira?" It was Miguel who stepped in, dressed in a tuxedo. Arden stood next to him, in a bowing state. "Are you ready? It's almost time."

"Miguel-san." Finding her voice was a little hoarse, Miki blinked as she felt warmth trace down her right cheek.

Chocolate eyes widening, Miguel rushed to her side. "Mira!? What's the matter? Why are you crying?" His brows knitted as he traced a thumb over her cheek, causing her body to stiffen up as a natural response.

 _Am I crying?_

"It's nothing," Shaking her head and quickly wiping away the tears, Miki flashed him a reassuring smiled. "I'm just reading an old fairy tale; it made me feel nostalgic." She reasoned, closing the book and pressing it protectively against her chest.

 _Why am I crying now?_ She wondered, blinking. _Am I feeling sad?_

"You must've been very invested in the story if you are crying like that," Miguel chuckled. "Tell me, what's the title of this moving tale?"

"It's called Rapunzel."

"Rapunzel?" Miguel looked quite quizzical to that name, causing Miki gasp and her eyes to widen.

"You haven't read this story before?" She was borderline shouting. "That's impossible!"

Laughing uneasily, Miguel scratched the back of his bleached blond hair awkwardly. "I wasn't much of a reader back then." He reasoned.

"Still, this book is a classic. You should at least read it once!"

"If you are so intent on recommending it to me, I suppose I should." Shrugging, Miguel peered down at the brown book. "Would you mind giving me a rundown of the story?"

"Sure!" Eagerly, Miki nodded her head. Lifting a finger, she began talking proudly as if a professor giving her students a serious but brief lecture. "I won't tell you too much because I don't want to spoil it for you, but it's basically a story of a girl who was rescued by a brave prince from a tower she was imprisoned in." She explained. "It's my favourite book ever since I was as young as I could remember."

"Hm... I see..." Rubbing his chin, Miguel eyed the book thoughtfully. "Then why don't we do this?" Taking one of Miki's wrists, Miguel slid it gently down to her hands as he brought it to his lips. "Why don't I... Become your prince?" He asked, kissing the back of her hand gently as his gaze shifted to Miki's blank hazel orbs. "How does that sound?"

"My... Prince?" She repeated with confusion laced in her voice.

"I understand we just met two days ago, and our union was joined for political and financial reasons." Caressing the spot where he kissed her hand with his thumb, Miguel began to explain. "However, I truly see myself getting along with you as husband and wife." Flashing a soft smile, he locked eyes with her. "What I'm saying is, I want to marry you from my heart..."

Lips parting, Miki sucked in a breath. She attempted to find her voice, but it just wouldn't come out. Her hand that was free clenched onto the brown book Kyoya gave her for comfort. She opened her mouth again, attempting to reply when...

"Milady, Master Miguel, it is time to go." Arden's voice interrupted the moment, saving her from having to answer that question just yet. She felt herself let out a breath she didn't even realize she was holding.

"It's alright, why don't you think about it?" Hooking her arm around his, Miguel offered her a gentle beam. "Shall we go then?"

"Yes, just let me..." Putting away the book she held on so tightly and picking up her bouquet, Miki nodded hesitantly. "Let's go." Forcing her lips to curl, she took a deep breath. Her eyes grew a little dull as she thought of the host club.

Of all the people that visited her, Tamaki alone never showed up.

Miki approached the venue with her arms linked with Miguel, Arden walked by her side to open the grand double doors for the couple when they arrive.

As she got closer to the ballroom, she could feel her heart pounding. It felt like every thump it made, every time it beat, an invisible clock was ticking over her head. It made her extremely nervous at what was to come. Yet when it felt like she was about to become overwhelmed by the anxiety that built up within her, a piano tune in the distance began to play as it travelled out of their destination. It was soft, delicate and soothing. Like all her fears and worries were being washed away by those notes, it was lullaby that calmed her heart and transferring the pianist's courage and warmth to her. Her eyes lit up a little as she glanced at the door down the hallway.

"Hm, I didn't know we were going to have a pianist at the wedding," Miguel commented, also looking quite pleased with the melody.

"Yes," Casting a glance at Miki, Arden's eyes crinkled. "I heard that Master Suoh's son had insisted on playing the piano as his wedding gift."

Miki gasped slightly.

"I see, he is very talented." Closing his eyes, Miguel hummed to the rhythm. "It feels as if he is saying a sweet send-off to someone precious to him, it really touches your heart."

Miki huffed out a relaxed breath as a bright beam appeared on her face. "Yes, it really does." She smiled blissfully as her hands squeezed the bouquet in her hand.

When Arden opened the doors, everyone spun around on their seats to look at her. There were some smiles, while others just... stared. She spotted Tamaki, as Arden described, playing the piano with such grace and fluidity to the left of the altar. His ocean eyes flickered up, meeting hers as he offered her his loving smile.

"Miki-chan looks like she's deep in thought," Honey whispered to Mori as the strawberry blonde walked by on the aisle, too focused in her world to notice his little wave. She stared down blankly at the bouquet in her hands, occasionally blinking awkwardly. "She might be thinking hard on what we said to her."

"Yeah," Mori nodded.

When Miki came to, Tamaki's piano had stopped as tension filled the room. She was standing at the altar with Miguel at her side in front of the pastor. Her dress and veil trailed behind her, spreading across the velvety red carpet.

Clearing his throat, the pastor began speaking in Spanish. _"Dearly Beloved,"_ He announced. _"We are gathered here today in the presence of these witnesses, to join Miguel Juan Santiago, and Mira Luz Fernández in matrimony commended to be honourable among all; and therefore is not to be entered into lightly but reverently, passionately, lovingly and solemnly. Into this - these two persons present now come to be joined. If any person can show just cause why they may not be joined together - let them speak now or forever hold their peace."_

A sense of silence filled the room. Most of the hosts couldn't understand Spanish to begin with; they could only guess the quietness signified the chance of objection. All eyes darted to Miki who was faced away from them, grilling into her back as they wondered what she would do. Those three seconds felt as if three eternities have passed, as the clock ticked away at the stillness of the room, their gazes became more intense despite Miki's oblivious nature.

The pastor turned to Miguel and began to speak. _"Do you, Miguel, take you, Mira, to be your wife, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better or for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish; from this day forward until death do you part?"_

The hosts shuffled unnervingly at the proceeding of the ceremony. Kyoya pushed up his glasses, eyes turned to a dull downcast, listening to Miguel say 'I do,' both in Spanish, then Japanese.

Nodding in approval, the pastor turned to Miki who stared blankly at him as her hands tightened around the silk wrap of the bouquet. " _Do you, Mira, take you, Miguel, to be your husband, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better or for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish; from this day forward until death do you part?"_

The hosts held their breaths, anticipating what Miki was going to say next.

"I don't." She followed up bluntly in Japanese without a change of emotion on her face. Then, for good measure, she repeated it in Spanish. _"Yo no."_

A loud gasp echoed through the crowd as whispers and murmurs arose from those defining words. Needless to say, all eyes were on her. The matriarchy of the Fernández family, in particular, looked particularly flustered and angered while the patriarchy narrowed his eyes. Elisa's expression remained neutral, watching intently. Arden grinned with pride, secretly fist pumping as he watched his lady spin on the ball of her heel to face Miguel.

"I'm sorry, Miguel-san." Swiftly bowing, she began to explain in Japanese. "I've meant you to tell you this in the dressing room, but..." She paused, shaking her head softly. "I can't do this to you, and neither can I do this to myself. Living under a name that's not mine, being away from the people who I care for." Biting her bottom lip, Miki whispered under her breath. "I want my freedom, but this is not the manner of how I wish to achieve it." Peering up sheepishly at him, her brows knitted together in an apologetic smile. "While I'm flattered you feel that way about me, I don't reciprocate your feelings. You're a really nice man, Miguel-san, and it's all the more reason I can't allow myself to drag you into a loveless marriage. It would be cruel of me." Glancing down at the bouquet of red roses in her hands, she handed it to him with a compassionate beam. "I heard that those who receive the bride's bouquet are the next to find true love. There is someone out there who is your soulmate, and I want this to be a prayer of good luck from me that you will find them. And I hope you and I could remain friends from here on out." Lips curling, she tilted her head. Stepping back, she then bowed her head low. "I'm terribly sorry." She repeated.

Miguel gazed at the neatly arranged roses that Miki gently placed in his arms. Bringing it up to his nose, he gently inhaled the fresh scent. "I knew this would happen," As he exhaled, he began to respond in Japanese. "No matter what we were doing, whether it'd be greeting guests or eating dinner, your eyes always had that caged, far off look. I knew that if I were to try and win your heart, laying my chance out then and there would've been my best bet." Moving the roses down a little, his eyes crinkled at the corners as Miki raised her head. "From here on, let's remain as friends." He agreed.

Silence loomed over the ballroom as everyone stared astounded at the two who were supposed to be married at this point. Most of the guests didn't understand the bride's long Japanese monologue or the groom's short response, but Miki's Spanish 'I don't' was more than enough for them to know that this union just might be called off. The place was so quiet; you could hear a pin drop. However, the next sound of chiming was something no one could've expected.

Clapping.

It wasn't slow or hesitant. This applause was genuine, heartfelt and encouraging.

Miki turned her head slightly as she tried to locate the source of the sound. It wasn't coming from Miguel, the pastor or even the crowd.

It came from the piano.

Tamaki was applauding with a tender smile as he stood up from the piano bench. Everyone's eyes peeled away from Miki and darted to him, but he never flinched under their questioning gaze. He approached Miguel and Miki, turning to the crowd with spread arms. "Honesty is the most beautiful gift a person can give to another," He announced, gesturing the two. "Please put your hands together for the fruit of today's union, the beginning of a beautiful friendship."

A small silence ensued, but it didn't take long before people followed his suggestion. First was Arden and the Host Club, then Elena and Yuzuru joined, and finally the rest of the guests. Even those who couldn't understand went along with the clapping as the ballroom burst into applause. Feeling overwhelmed with joy and pride, Miki tilted her head and beamed brightly when...

 _"¡Inaceptable!_ Unacceptable!" A woman's shriek pierced through the rumbling of cheers as it quickly died down. "Mira!" Everyone's attention was drawn to Rita as she exclaimed furiously, though her husband's expression remained composed yet equally as aggravated. The previous momentarily peaceful atmosphere vanished as the crowd was thrown into an abuzz of anxiety and curiosity. People were whispering and mumbling, wondering what on earth was going on. Arden entered the ballroom and moved towards the altar, gesturing for the host club to stay put.

"Grandmother?" Miki blinked with knitted brows. "You look so angry, why?" She was a little confused to why the woman looked so enraged. "You said so yourself; you don't plan on forcing me into this. And I'm sorry I changed my mind, but I've come to terms that this is not the freedom I want."

Losing her composure, Rita huffed out a burst of slightly unstable laughter. "Oh, I see," She scowled. "You want this delusion of freedom, is that right? You want us to go into hiding, so you would finally be free of our name!" She chuckled as her hands clenched onto her long velvet black dress. "Mira Luz Fernández!"

Seeing Rita's mental state worsened, Miguel turned to Miki in confusion. "Mira, what is she-"

"Miki." Furrowing her brows, Miki muttered quietly. She paused for a moment, swallowing the lump in her throat before announcing in a loud and clear voice so that everyone would understand. "Please call me by my real name, Suoh Miki." She spoke calmly.

Tamaki whipped his head around, wide-eyed, but it didn't take long for that dumbfounded expression to melt into a proud grin. The murmurs in the crowd grew louder; people began to stand up to get a better look at the situation, wondering what the bride and her grandmother were saying. In the midst of the chaos, the host club stood up among the crowd. The pastor had to wave his arms to calm the ever-rising chatter that only became louder as Rita's breathing grew heavy.

"Nevertheless," Alejandro stood up next to his wife with knitted brows on his aged face. "We have custody over you, you have no choice in this matter but to marry-"

"Stop." Standing up among the confusion behind them, was Elena as she stared down her parents with pitying eyes. "It's over, father. You or mother won't be able to emotionally manipulate us anymore!" She then turned to Elisa who sat next to her with her eyes closed, gesturing for her to stand up. "Come on Elisa, you tell them!"

As if she were in a world of her own, Elisa stood up in one graceful and fluid motion. Holding her hand at her lap, she opened her eyes to reveal dark hazel orbs. They swept across Miki, Tamaki, Miguel, then to her parents who sat in the row before them. Opening her mouth, her bell-like voice chimed. "As of this morning, I have transferred custody of my daughter to the Suoh family." She declared calmly. "We no longer have the rights to this union, if she wishes not to."

"Elisa, what is the meaning of this?" Alejandro narrowed his eyes at his eldest daughter. "This concerns the honour of the House of Fernández!"

Standing up for her elder sister, Elena frowned. "If the House of Fernández's honour involves shunning a child, because of something as simple as a divorce." She bit her bottom lip as she glanced at Miki solemnly. "Then perhaps it is time for this house to be lost in the books of history."

Elisa's dull eyes captured her father's attention. Despite the emptiness and seemingly endless tunnel it reflected, they were strangely compelling. It was as if behind those dark hazel walls, a pleading, sorrowful soul rested.

"Alejandro-san," Mr. Santiago stood up along with his wife, who both wore slightly troubled expressions. "This wedding has been called off." He announced in Japanese. "It seems that before any sort of union can be made with your family, you first must connect as a family." He told them.

Mrs. Santiago then turned to the crowd of people who began to hush down as it looked like they were finally going to get some sort of translation to the events that have transpired. _"Esta boda ha sido cancelada."_ She told everyone softly. "This wedding has been called off."

As the sea of people began to speak loudly, Rita's breathing grew heavy. She spun around, her grayed hair resting on her shoulder as she scanned the room. Her fingernails dug into her palms in frustration as she glared at Miki, Elena then Elisa. Before she could say anything, however, Alejandro turned around and exited the bench.

"There is no point, Rita," The man shook his head with a sense of exhaustion. "We have lost."

Not long after Alejandro made his yield, he and his angry wife set off back to the Fernández manor to get their belongings in order before they are relocated to the outskirts of Madrid. Despite the wedding being cancelled, the money and effort spent on the after-party were still already put down, so it made no sense just to let all that go down the drain. Before anyone could fully process what has happened, the guests were whisked away from the wedding ballroom, into an even bigger ballroom in the Vairmount Cathedral Hotel with food, drinks and desserts already laid out and waiting. Nobles were chatting in Spanish, drinking and dancing as if nothing had happened. This wedding after-party has seemingly transformed into another standard aristocrat's party.

"Miki-chan!" Honey spotted the strawberry blonde speaking with Miguel in the corner of the spacious ballroom, sitting on Mori's shoulders, he waved over the crowd of people.

"Honey-senpai!" Recognizing that voice without even thinking twice, Miki spun around on her heel as her pale white wedding dress trailed behind her movements. Her eyes twinkled as she saw her friends dashing over towards her. "Everyone!" She greeted them.

"Miki!" The loudest and fastest was no doubt, Tamaki, as he bolted over with that big grin and comical tears, tackling his sister into the biggest hug he could muster in his goofy state. "I was so worried!"

"Really?" Feeling the blond's arms tighten around her neck, Miki giggled. "You didn't seem like it; you were amazing Tamaki-kun!" She gasped from the lack of air, still not letting the big grin on her cheeks waver.

Miguel watched in awe as his ex-fiancee interacted with these Japanese students as if it were second nature to her. She looked so relaxed and carefree; it seemed like there was a lot of history behind her friendship with them. He sighed with a wry smile, taking a sip from his wine he left to meet up with a few others in the party, still holding onto the bouquet of hope in his hands.

"We thought you were actually going to get married!" Kaoru let out a relieved sigh as he remembered the tension he felt in those moments.

"Yeah!" Hikaru agreed as he leaned in closer with furrowed brows. "Why didn't you object sooner?"

"Eh?" Miki blinked. "Did I object at the wrong time?"

A silence fell over the host club as they stared at Miki with deadpanned eyes. "I was thinking about it as I was walking down the aisle," She tapped her chin as her eyes flickered up. "I've seen a wedding scene in _Crime? Crime Drama_ , but that scene didn't involve the bride or groom objecting. This is my first time attending a real wedding, so I didn't know what to do."

"But Miki-senpai, the pastor said 'Speak now or forever hold your peace,' didn't he?" Haruhi pointed out. A part of her was a little afraid to know what kind of logic went through the blonde's mind as to why she objected later than most would.

Completely puzzled by what they were talking about, Miki tilted her head to the side. "Doesn't that phrase only apply to the guests?" She questioned. "'Speak now or forever hold your peace' means to stay silent for the remainder of the ceremony, but I remembered from the show that the bride and groom speak and say 'I do,' later on." She explained. "So I thought that was the appropriate time for me to address my objection and say 'I don't.'" Finishing, she rested her hands on her silky white gown with a clueless expression

"So," Honey stared at her with a deadpanned smile. "When you were walking down the aisle, and you looked so deep in thought..."

"I was trying to figure out how to object," Finished his sentence, Miki blinked. "Why? Did I do it wrong?"

At her innocent question and wide-eyed look, the host club let out a collective frustrated sigh.

"At least everything turned out okay," Expression lightening up; Honey chided as he grabbed her by the hand, "Come on, Miki-chan! Let's go try out some cakes here. Since you like coffee so much, I'm sure you'll like Tiramisu too!"

"Yeah, Yeah!" Holding one shoulder each, the twins wore wide grins as they chimed.

"It'd be a shame for all this wedding food to go to waste." Hikaru winked.

"It's still a party in your honour, let's go have some fun!" Kaoru laughed.

"Hey! Where do you think you guys are going with her?" Tamaki protested as he realized Miki was being dragged away. "She's my sister! Keep your hands off her!"

"Uh-oh!" Turning around with wicked smirks across their faces, the twins laughed darkly. "Looks like Milord still has that sister complex of his, better start running!" Pushing Miki along, the four of them ran across the ballroom as Miki giggled brightly.

"I DON'T HAVE A SISTER COMPLEX!"

"Siscon, Siscon, Milord has a Siscon!"

Seeing Tamaki and the twins banter as Honey pulled Miki towards the deserts table with Mori trailing behind silently, Haruhi sweatdropped. It was as if all the tension and worries from mere hours ago have vanished into the late fall air, transforming into a sensation of bliss and happiness. She thought back to Miki's reasoning for not speaking up earlier in the ceremony. _Well, I guess if she could still think like that, it means she is still the same Miki-senpai as always._ She let her cheeks loosen to a weary smile. Hearing the person next to her huff out a breath, she glanced up to see Kyoya, wearing wry yet relieved eyes behind those serious glasses of his.

 _Kyoya-senpai looks happy too._ She remarked to herself.

The party was still booming into the early evening, though admittedly most of the guests were a little tipsy and rowdy from the large selection of Spanish wine that was being offered at the bar. As the night lived on, the staff opened a few sets of glass doors to give the guests access to the outdoor balcony. After trying pretty much every single dish and dessert with Honey and the twins, Miki found herself outside at the balcony, resting her elbows on the cold marble railing as dusk was falling upon Madrid. The last kisses of sunlight were vanishing across the horizon as the city below was cloaked in a shade of gray mixed with a hue of orange. She breathed in the cool breeze that brushed past, lacing through the strands of strawberry blonde hair that weren't contained in the braided bun. Closing her eyes, Miki rested her chin on the base of her palms as she drowned herself in the chatter in the ballroom.

"Miki?"

Hearing her name being called, she jolted up and snapped around. "Father!" Her eyes glistened in the faint rays of sunlight remaining to the day. Standing with his back against the brightly lit ballroom, she could make out the silhouette of Yuzuru standing there with a glass of wine. He approached her with a doting smile.

"Quite a bold move you made back there," Yuzuru commented as he waltzed up to the ledge, standing next to her. Staring up at the sunset, he breathed out a long breath. "Just now, our family lawyer has contacted me about the transfer in custody. You are now free from the Fernández's orders." He declared, gazing down at his daughter, eyes crinkling. "So, what would you like to do? Though you made it clear to both the to both the Fernándezs and Santiagos where your paternal lineage stems from, no one else completely understood what you said. We could give a public statement, so the whole world will recognize who you are." He offered.

Eyes widening, Miki gawked at her father as she sucked in a sharp breath of fresh air. Her eyes averted to the side before flickering down to her hand that rested against the marble railings of the balcony. After a few moments, she began slowly. "I don't think I can do that just yet, announcing myself as a Suoh that is." Smiling wryly, she tilted her head to the side. "I don't think I would allow myself until I gain one more person's approval." She explained.

"Miki, if you want to get your grandmother's approval, that could take-"

Shaking her head, Miki cut off her father's quick conclusion. "Tamaki-kun once told me that he wanted our entire family to eat dinner together, sitting under a kotatsu," She chuckled into her curled fingers before gazing back towards the ballroom, where she spotted Tamaki urging Haruhi to try more gourmet food from the assortment. "I want to help him make that dream a reality," Touching her heart to her chest, she turned back to Yuzuru with determined eyes. "I want to help him achieve that dream; then I want to get Anne-san's approval into the family."

Expression softening, Yuzuru breathed out an unreadable smile. "It's your choice, Miki." Reaching out, he tenderly patted her cheek. "And from now on, it always will be."

"Thank you, father." Lifting her dress, Miki curtsied in the vermillion sunset, gracefully lowering her head.

"Well, should we go back to the party now?" Retracting his hand behind his back, Yuzuru began to make his way towards the glass doors.

"No, I think I'll stay out here for a little longer." Miki chimed. "I want to watch the sunset completely; it feels very peaceful."

"Alright then."

"Also, father?" Seeing as he was about to leave, Miki called out to him, getting a small hum in return. She fell silent for a moment as she tried to form the right words, chuckling lightly she twinkled. "When I truly get married one day, I would like you to walk me down the aisle."

Yuzuru's eyes rounded as he stared at his daughter. It didn't take long before his flabbergasted expression transformed into a doting one. He rushed over and began pinching her cheeks with his free hand in adoration. "Awe, aren't you just the sweetest little thing." He cooed playfully. "You don't need to ask me twice, of course, I would walk you down the aisle. Why wouldn't I do that for my beloved daughter?"

Despite the slight pain her father gave by squeezing her cheeks, Miki giggled at the affection she was receiving. "Fawthew, stwap pwinchwing mwy chweek pwease." She mustered.

"Alright, alright." Letting out a laugh, Yuzuru moved back with his hand up. "I'll be over at the second estate for dinner in two weeks, once I finish up my business trip. Don't tell Tamaki though; I want it to be a secret." Placing a finger against his lips, he winked.

"Okay, be safe while travelling." As her father re-entered the ballroom, Miki waved him goodbye before lifting the wedding dress glancing down at her swollen feet. They have been in pain for almost the entire day due to the high heels she was wearing. Sucking in a breath through her teeth, she decided to kick them off as the red marks remained at the heels and her toes.

"It's not very smart to be kicking them off right now, you know?" Another voice chimed, catching her attention as she glanced up hopefully. As expected, Kyoya approached her from the light of the ballroom with crossed arms and his signature smirk.

"Kyoya-kun!" Feeling a small tingling sensation in her chest begin to flutter, Miki beamed.

Facing her, he leaned his head back slightly. "You seem quite happy to see me." He commented.

"Of course I am," Hands finding themselves behind her back, she sang. "I'm always happy to see you." She admitted.

Huffed out a laugh, Kyoya studied her radiant smile. It felt calming to know that she would remain in Ouran Academy, perhaps he just got used to her presence. Closing his eyes, he turned to gaze out into the dusk sky. "I overheard your conversation with the chairman." He revealed. "Gaining Tamaki's mother's approval, now that's an interesting decision. You could've easily agreed to be publicized as the daughter of Suoh Corp."

"That... wouldn't feel right to me." Miki chuckled in a wry manner as she leaned over the railing. "Being apart of the Suoh family is a huge deal, it means I would finally be able to call Tamaki-kun my brother. However, I wouldn't feel right to do that without paying my respects to Anne-san." Pressing a hand against her chest, her eyes flickered to a downcast.

 _I see..._ Lifting his glasses, Kyoya rested his palms against the cold marble. _It's more guilt that anything._ He thought to himself as he cast a glance at her thoughtful expression. _From what I saw when we met Princess Michelle, she still blames herself for what happened to Tamaki and his mother. So, she is delaying her reward of proclaiming her identity until she faces that guilt head-on._ Huffing out a soft breath, he turned his attention back to the horizon. "That's an intriguing concept." He stated with a crooked smirk.

Hearing him say this, Miki cocked her head at him with a sweet smile. "It is, isn't it?" She chided.

For a little while, the two of them stood in comfortable silence, watching as the sun completely vanished on the horizon, and Madrid was cast in soft darkness. The lights from the street lamps below as well as the lights from windows of the building illuminated the streets, reflecting the faint spots of stars that were starting to appear in the skies above.

"Kyoya-kun," Miki broke the silence by turning to him with her eyes in a downcast, catching his attention as he cast a side glance. "Could you hold onto my wrist again please?" She requested, looking a little lost in thought.

A little taken off guard by her strange demand, Kyoya raised an eyebrow. "If I recall correctly, the last time I did that, you complained that it was going to leave a bruise." He reminded her. "Why do you want me to hold your wrist again?"

"When we were in the dressing room, Miguel-san held my wrist then kissed the back of my hand," Miki explained as her brows knitted together. "Miguel-san is a nice person, and I don't understand either, but it felt... unpleasant." Kyoya then felt a light tug at the hem of his sleeve. He peered down to see her gloved hand, clutching gently onto the fabric of his jacket. "I didn't mind it when it was you though, Kyoya-kun."

Breathing out a faint chuckle, Kyoya's brownish-green eyes softened. Gently, he took her hand that clung to his sleeve in his and brought it to his lip, placing a chaste kiss on the back of it. "You've stated on many occasions that you think of me as a nice person as well," Leaning in closer to her, his amused smirk deepened to find that she subconsciously backed her face away slightly, something she's never done before despite their closeness. "So why am I any different?" He narrowed his eyes with an unbalanced simper.

Miki's eyes rounded at his question, blinking curiously as a faint dust of pink surfaced on her cheeks. Kyoya was right. Up until then, she's always seen him as a nice person, but if she was uncomfortable when Miguel held and kissed her hand.

Why was there a joyful fluttering sensation in her chest, when Kyoya did?

The next morning, Miki stood outside of the hotel with her mother and aunt as they saw her off before she and the host club were going to fly back to Japan. Arden stood behind Miki quietly watching as the three nobles bid farewell.

"What will happen to you all now?" With concerned eyes, Miki inquired as her usual comfortable chiffon dress ruffled in the wind. "Will we be able to see each other again?"

Smiling wryly, Elena shook her head sorrowfully. "I'm afraid not for a long time, dear." She spoke slowly. "Elisa and I will most likely go into hiding in the outskirts of Madrid with father and mother. Agustin and Selene's contract will be over, and they will be free to go."

"Eh?" Gasping slightly, Miki covered her mouth with her fingers. "What about Arden?" She panicked, jumping back and immediately wrapped her arms around Arden's. "Is he going to leave me? I don't want that!"

A little confused, Elena raised an eyebrow at the butler who was trying not to grin. "Arden," She sighed. "Did you not tell her?"

"Not quite." Averting his eyes down to his liege who glanced up curiously, he stepped back and out of her grasp. "Milady, I've actually received a new job opportunity-"

"No!"Acting like a child, Miki protested. "You promised to serve me for the rest of your life; I'm not going to let you-"

"Pardon my manners, but would you let me finish Milady?" Chuckling, Arden placed a hand over his chest as he bowed. "I have been offered to work for the Suoh cooperation." He announced with a proud smirk. "To serve their little princess, as her butler."

Hearing this, Miki's eyes began to twinkle under the sunlight. "Really?" Holding her hands before her, she rose to her toes. "So you'll still be serving from now on? And forever?"

"It would be my honour," Arden replied dutifully.

"Alright then, I have my first assignment for you already." Striking a mini power pose, she beamed confidently. "I want you to go with mother and Aunt Elena, assisting them in their relocation to the countryside."

Elena's blinked in surprise at her niece's first orders to her butler while Elisa's lips parted slightly as she observed her daughter. Arden, however, didn't even flinch. He saw this order coming from a mile away.

"I need to return to Japan and continue my studies. However, I also want to make sure you both will be doing alright." Eyes flickering into a downcast, Miki explained with a solemn look as her body began to tremble. "So I want you to go, Arden. You are the only one I can assign this task to. So... Just... promise, you'll come back to me once everything gets settled." She squeaked. "Will you do that?" She peered up sheepishly.

Bowing his head again, Arden spoke devotedly. "As I have said, I will support you even if the world were to end, milady." Before any more could be said a small chime rang from his pocket, glancing down, he pulled out a digital watch. "You and your friends should leave for the airport soon."

Jolting nervously at his reminder, Miki peered up at her aunt and mother. An unexplainable sense of guilt flooded her chest as she shuffled her feet uncomfortably.

With a loving expression, Elena reached out to stroked her long fluffy hair. "Why are you making a face like that?" She questioned with a wry chuckle. "Don't feel guilty about us, we've already put you through enough." Tilting her head, her eyes crinkled softly. "Miki, be free." Glancing to the side, she watched her sister. Elisa's dark hazel eyes were gazing down at the cobblestoned ground and not moving. "Come on, Elisa." Retracting her hand, she nudged the dirty blonde in the arm, she urged. "Say something."

Being put on the spot, Elisa stared at her daughter, studying her wrinkled brows and a small frown that loomed on her lips. Hesitantly, she reached her stiff hand out and brought it near the girl. It recoiled slightly as a sense of doubt struck her before reached forward planting itself softly against her warmer cheek. Miki froze as her eyes flickered up to lock with her mother's, watching as her lips moved and a nostalgic yet unfamiliar voice escaped her vocals.

"Don't make such a face," The corners of Elisa's lips tugged into a modest smile. A little sparkle returned to her voided eyes as her thumb caressed Miki's dry and stiff cheek. "A smile suits you better."

Hearing her mother's first words, she could ever remember, Miki, bit her lips as a small film of moisture cast onto upon her reflective eyes. However, she quickly squeezed them away and tilted her head as her cheeks pulled into a stunning beam. "Yes, mother." She chirped sweetly.

"Miki-senpai!"

Hikaru and Kaoru call her name, the strawberry blonde spun on the ball of her feet. She quickly cleared her blurry vision with a swift swipe to see the rest of the host club standing in front of the limo they were about to take. Honey was waving from Mori's shoulders, Kyoya readjusted his glasses as his bodyguards loaded their luggage into the trunk of the limo, Tamaki wore a goofy expression as he greeted his sister. The twins had a hand each on Haruhi's shoulder, grinning as they gestured a camera she held in her hands.

"That's right!" Miki clapped her hands together.

As the sisters watch the limo drive turn out of the hotel gates and onto the busy streets of Madrid, Elena studied her elder sister's composed expression.

"You didn't want to tell her?" Leaning to the side, she questioned with a playful brow raise.

"It would make no difference," Elisa replied monotonously as she cast a side glance at her carefree little sister.

Tapping her chin, Elena hummed. "I wouldn't say that," She smirked. "If she received another copy of that book from her friends for her wedding gift, it must mean a lot to her. Agustin said they found the original copy of it in her room when they went to gather her stuff in Japan; he mentioned that it was in pretty good condition too, for being a thirteen-year-old book, that is."

Gazing at the black steel gates as they creaked closed, Elise muttered. "She's made some excellent friends." Turning around and walking back into the hotel, she remarked.

"She is the first one to object to an arranged marriage in our long history of them," Following her sister, Elena crossed her arms before her chest. "Father, Mother, and even you. If only you all had friends like those to be there and remind you of what you truly wanted, maybe you all would've had the strength and motivation to object." She peered at her silent sister who was at one point of her life, bursting with as much energy and optimism as her daughter. "Seriously, when you dropped into my room uninvited saying stuff like 'help me transfer Miki's custodianship,' I thought someone had bashed into your head with some common sens-" Her voice came to a halt when she spotted her sister's sharp eyes glaring. "Sorry." Scratching the back of her head, she chuckled lightly. "But seriously, what changed your mind?"

Elisa closed her eyes, recalling what that girl, Fujioka Haruhi said. She breathed out softly, realizing that a mere commoner's words have affected her more than she liked. "Rather than worrying about me, you should prepare to say goodbye to that man you love. He and Selene are set to depart within a week." She pointed out, effectively changing the topic.

Hearing her sister mention him, Elena's eyes dulled as a wistful smile curled softly. "You didn't need to mention that, I know," She muttered before raising her arms and letting out a big stretch. "So this is where our adventure ends, huh?" She chuckled, glancing behind her shoulders at the shut gates. Suddenly remembering something, she turned to peer at the backside of her elder sister. "By the way, something that Ootori boy mentioned puzzled me." Tapping her chin, the younger of the duo gave a cheeky smile. "I don't remember ever visiting her when she was ill."

Elisa's eyes widened a little before falling shut as her short dirty blonde hair flowed in the cool Spain wind behind her.

"Father, Mother, please! Let me see my daughter." Elisa shouted defiantly towards her father in his office. She couldn't believe she was having an argument with her parents about the baby, a mere week after she was born. Patting a hand against her chest, she furrowed her brows as her eyes sparked with anger. "She's my child; I should have the rights to at least see her!"

"She is your daughter, yes," Alejandro responded sternly. "However, she is also the results of your mistakes and incompetence." He roared. "You had a string of lovers even though you were wedded to the only son of the Suoh Corp, resulting in a divorce and a political disadvantage for us. That child is the fruit of a divorced marriage, and not just that, she was born late! After that wretched child of Suoh's lover. So not only was she born out of a broken marriage, she couldn't even fulfill her purpose as a Fernández. She is a failure in every way. You know as well as I do that we do not tolerate failures in our bloodline."

"Her birth order isn't something you can control, father! Besides, if you have a bone to pick, it should be with me. Shun me, punish me, disown me, torture me, do whatever you what. Just don't take it out on my daughter."

"My, Elisa. You used to be so proud and obedient," Rita cooed sarcastically as she sat on the couch of the office. "Having a child certainly made you soft, didn't it?"

"Nevermind that, Rita." Alejandro snapped. "We must contact the local orphanage to sort out the details, get to it. Elisa, return to your room."

"Don't you shout at me, you senile old man," Rita narrowed her eyes sharply, standing up.

Hearing the word 'orphanage,' Elisa gasped. "Absolutely not!" She stood her ground as her long dirty blonde hair swayed in the breeze that poured in through the open window. "She is my daughter; I hold custody over her. You will not put her in an orphanage!"

"This is not up for discussion Elisa-"

"Yes, this is!" Elisa was on the verge of tears. For the first time in her life, she broke out of her goodie-two-shoes self and talked back to her father. To her, it didn't matter that this child was the product of her and a man whom she didn't love. It was her daughter, and she was going to protect her until her dying breath. "Father, you and mother were never given a choice in your marriage. And neither was I, but I will not stand for the fact that you want to send my child, my daughter into an orphanage for a reason as ridiculous as that." She paused, taking a deep breath to recompose herself as she proposed a painful alternative. "If you do not want to see her face or ever let the world hear her name, fine. I'll speak with Yuzuru and work something out. Give me three years. Once Arden completes his butler training, she will be sent to Japan to live, confined in a room by herself, forever." She swallowed hard at the painful words that were sprouting from her mouth. Images of her daughter spending the rest of her life in solitary confinement flashed across her eyes as moisture began to gather in them. "Will that suffice?"

Rita scoffed at her daughter's words, finding it unbelievable. "And how would we know the Suoh family would keep their-"

"Very well," Before she could say more, however, Alejandro relented. A sense of weariness splashed across his aged face as he leaned back in his chair, his hand pinching the bridge in frustration. "You will get this done and organized, all in three years." He pressured. "Make sure not to be seen with her under any circumstances."

"What?" Rita whipped her head around as she glared at Alejandro incredulously. "What is wrong with you, are you demented? There is no way the Suohs' would keep their promise!"

Ignoring her mother, Elisa pressed her lips together and gave one curt nod as her reflective eyes dulled.

"Yes, father."

Three years passed like the breeze and the morning of her daughter's departure day came. Elisa stood at the door of her daughter's room, about to go against her father's orders and see her child once before she leaves. Since that morning when she struck a deal with her parents, they turned cold towards her. Her father didn't speak to her much while her mother tortured her endlessly with snide-remarks and depreciating words. Soon, she found it more and more difficult to laugh or even smile in the least. However, as tired as she was, when she heard from Elena that the girl fell ill a few days ago with a fever, she knew she had to see her. Even if she were sick, she needed to leave for Japan, there was no backing out of this plan. Holding a brown book with golden trims to her chest, Elisa took a deep breath and opened the door.

Inside, Elisa's dark hazel eyes widened as she saw a little girl lying in bed, breathing heavily with flushed cheeks. She looked so different from the alien-like, tiny newborn the last time she saw her. Her hair was a shade of strawberry brown almost close to a blonde, scattered onto her frilly bedding as she clutched onto the comforter with little clammy hands. With how fluffy and long it was getting, no doubt she would grow to resemble her mother sometime in the future. Her little brows were knitted close together as her expression contorted in pain. Elisa approached the bed, floating gracefully to the edge as she leaned down. Extending a stiff hand, she was about to reach out for her sweaty forehead before jolting back in a slight sense of doubt. She could feel her daughter's shallow breaths brushing against her fingertips, causing her to give into her motherly desires and gently laced her fingers through the girl's hair.

"Mm..." In her sleep, the child began to stir at the soothing warmth. Elisa, however, didn't flinch. Part of her consciousness wanted to pull back her hand in case she was to see her. However, the other part of her wanted to remain. She wanted to be seen at least once by her daughter. The corner of her lips curled at the light hazel that greeted her in her daughter's eyes. They sparkled in the morning Madrid, like stars that outshone the sun itself. "Mommy..." She heard a faint whisper escape the little girl's lips as her eyes fluttered shut.

"I'm sorry, my love. Could you ever forgive your mother's selfishness?" Elisa muttered as she let out a shaky breath, tears threatening to fall from her eyes. "I don't want you to grow up in a different household with no clue of your own lineage, as you call someone else 'mother'..." Untangling her arm around the thin brown book, she held it in her arms as she opened the cover. "That's right; you need a Japanese name now that you'll be living in Japan." She muttered as she pulled a pen out of her coat pocket. Tapping her chin, she hummed. "Let's see," Peering down at the blank page, she nodded to no one in particular as her pen began to move across the first page.

"How does the name Miki sound? It means 'beautiful princess.'" Clicking her pen closed and putting it away, she sighed with a hint of satisfaction. She then closed the book and gingerly placed it next to the strawberry blonde's head, careful not to wake her.

"You see, this story I am giving you, it's about a girl who was also locked up in a tower, under solitary confinement also due to her mother's selfishness. However, at the end of the story, she received her freedom after meeting a prince and fighting for it alongside him."

Smiling a self-deprecating smile, she leaned in and touched her forehead to her sleeping daughter's, she whispered.

"I hope one day, you could do the same, my little princess."

For the second time that year, Miki was unpacking her things into her room in the Suoh Second Estate. Shifting her weight from foot to foot, she hummed an upbeat tune as she searched through a few boxes for the specific items she wanted to go on a shelf.

"Miki, it's time for dinner." Tamaki popped his head in, wearing a serene smile.

"Hold on; I'll be right there." Miki nodded compliantly as she continued to search through the box.

Stepping into the room, he let out a wry sigh with his hands on his hip. "Are you sure you don't want me to help? You've been at this for almost an hour, and you are barely half done."

"I suppose I could use some help after dinner." She giggled as she continued to dig through the fragile items wrapped in paper. "I just got a bit distracted when I was putting away the DVDs. There were episodes I found were worthy of a rewatch."

Humming, Tamaki leaned his back against the walls of her room as he glanced at her _Crime? Crime Drama_ DVD collection. "Worthy of a rewatch, huh?" He grinned. "Hey, why don't we watch it together then?" He suggested, crouching down next to her.

Head snapping up, Miki's eyes shimmer excitedly in the warm light. "I would love to," She cheered before peering down as she fished out two occupied photo frames from the boxes. "Ah, there they are." Standing up, she placed both frames onto the shelf gingerly next to one another. "There we go." She sang happily with a proud beam.

"Hmm, it looks great." Rubbing his chin, Tamaki examined the setup with a nod of approval. "Alright, let's go eat dinner. I'm starving." Turning to leave, he gestured for her to follow.

"So am I," Skipping to keep up with him, Miki chuckled. "What's for dinner tonight?"

"I asked them to make Japanese food! You must be sick of Spanish Cuisine after three days straight of it, right?"

"Hurray!"

On a shelf in Miki's room, mirroring the one that held her DVD collection. Three, now occupied, photo frames sat on one of the ledges. One had a photo of the prestigious Ouran Academy; the other had a photo of her beloved friends, the Host Club, and the final was a photo of her with her mother and aunt.

A/N: And that's a wrap on this arc! Whew, this chapter had a lot of words, didn't it? It ended up tallying up to ~11360 words, which is... a lot! I considered splitting this chapter up into two, but I felt it was more complete and satisfying as one chapter, so here it is!

Remember when I was talking about another favourite character, splitting second place with Arden? Yeah, that person is Elisa. I love Elena and Agustin, but for me, Elisa takes second place. She has clearly been through some stuff, as I've teased in her conversation with Elisa, she used to be just like Miki (or Miki was just like her?) However, she suffered through mental abuse and manipulation from her parents to protect her daughter from their line of fire. Some of you actually had some pretty good theories on this matter, namely AlishTheFish4537 on Quotev whom I had a lot of fun discussing with. I had originally planned for her to be just as she is at face value and what others have said of her. Prideful, cruel, emotionless, kinda like what Rita is (though it's pretty clear she's been through some stuff too). However, I thought this take on Elisa may be a little more interesting!

Next chapter will not be an official chapter, rather a side story of a well-loved character ;). #ArdenFansUnite!

Have a great day!

XOXO,

Astra


	31. Side Story The Moment I Decided

_-Side Story-_

The Moment I Decided 

"Master Ootori, please wait a moment," As Kyoya stepped out of the Vairmont Hotel Restaurant, a voice called out to him respectfully. His eyes were in a downcast as he studied the shadow that stretched far on the Spanish tiled ground, elongated by the light beam that shone from the restaurant. Judging by the voice, he had a pretty good idea who it was.

"What is it? Arden-kun?" Turning around with an unbalanced smile on his lips, Kyoya replied, though he really didn't want to be bothered by anyone in his irritation. "Did you need something from me?"

Bowing his head with his hand over his chest, Arden shook his head softly. "I merely noticed you left dinner early," He flashed an equally inconspicuous smile as he lifted his head. "Is something bothering you?"

"Not at all," Averting his eyes slightly, he replied nonchalantly. "So? What are you doing here?" He questioned. "Shouldn't you be accompanying your lady in mistress?"

"I see, so you were concerned about milady." Wearing a close-eyed smile, Arden hummed.

Kyoya felt his eyebrow twitch slightly. For some reason, that off-handed bluntness felt ever so familiar. "Well, yes." He attempted to justify. "Though I am more worried about our club's finances as her contribution as a production designer-"

"I see, so you have feelings for her." Still wearing that unwavering smile, Arden clapped his hands together.

 _He's almost as blunt as Miki, but he's certainly less dense._

Before Kyoya could respond, however, Arden continued. "Well, I can't blame you," He grinned with that proud glisten in his eyes. "Milady is beautiful, kind, hard-working and sincere. I consider her to be the prettiest among her family with her beautiful hair colour passed down from Lady Rita in her younger years." Rubbing a hand against his chin, he nodded enthusiastically. "Though she is clueless on human relations and lacking in general emotional intelligence, I believe those can be adorable charm points. Enough to sweep any man off of their feet." He concluded with a closed fist as if symbolling his victory of raising such an elegant lady.

 _More like a handful to reason with._

Getting tired of his gushing over the very girl he was trying not to think about, Kyoya's smile dropped as he heaved a long sigh. "What was your purpose of coming after me?"

Hearing the hint of agitation laced in his voice, Arden's lips curled slightly. "I said I would try and help out" He offered. "Wouldn't you like to speak with her?"

Standing in the darkness of the extravagant hotel hallway, Kyoya rested his back against the walls as he drew another long breath. He had a theory from seeing the talisman from Miki's costume and he wanted to test if it were true. To do that, he had to get her room number, and taking Arden's offer was the only chance he could get to speak with her. He peered at the butler through half-lidded eyes. The man who watched over her and moulded her into the smiling ball of sunshine that she was today. He had many questions he would've liked to ask. But unlike Miki, he knew when to keep his mouth shut. Instead, he noticed that rather paying attention to the empty halls, the man's emerald eyes were glued to the large panel windows and into the night. Following his gaze, Kyoya found himself staring at the mountain ranges of in the distance rather than the bustling city below. "Is something so interesting about the mountains?" He questioned, noting how his voice echoed in the hotel halls.

"Hm?" Arden glanced back before smiling. "I was merely reminiscing on a few things, don't mind me, Master Ootori."

Kyoya studied his serene face a little more before drawing a quick conclusion. "It's about Miki, isn't it?" He stated more than asked.

Flinching at his observations, Arden snapped his head around before his eyes turned soft. "Indeed," He admitted. "Your reputation suits you, Master Ootori."

Kyoya raised an eyebrow.

"I have conducted full-scale research on the students of the Second-Year Students of Ouran Academy." He elaborated. "I've read about you, Master Ootori." Huffing out a breath, the butler smiled mysteriously. "The third son of the Ootori Group, a highly successful medical and healthcare empire. I had to make sure no one had ties to the Dukes of Spain in case of an information leakage after all." Closing his eyes, he gave a chuckle to meet Kyoya's indifferent eyes. "You are exactly as milady described, I'm glad."

Hearing those words, Kyoya shifted his gaze back out the glass window as he watched the people move below them. They looked so far away, almost like ants. "I wouldn't put too much faith in what she sees of me," He asserted. "She has a pretty optimistic view of the people around her." Eyes in a downcast, he stated solemnly.

"Is that so?" Arden hummed, a little amused. "I would have a little more faith in milady," He replied respectfully. "That simplistic view she has, at times, may just help her see the world a little more clearly." He stated before staring down towards the streets below them. His eyes becoming even more jewel-like with the reflection of the light. "Being this high up..." His arms stiffened, catching Kyoya's attention. "How long has it been? Nearly fourteen years?"

"What are you talking about?" Kyoya's body shifted slightly as he became interested in the topic.

Arden breathed out softly as a wry look formed on his face. His brows furrowed and his eyes drew closed. For some reason, the memory almost looked painful to him."It certainly brings back memories," He muttered. "Back when I, betrayed milady."

"Arden, from this day forward, that girl will be your liege." At the crack of dawn, a man pointed through the thick glass of the hospital nursery, at a little baby girl who was hurriedly brought in by the staff. Watching as the ten-year-old press his palms up to the window curiously, green eyes widening in awe at both the miracle of life and the long-awaited arrival for his master.

"Yes, sir." The little boy's eyes shone with determination and pride. "I promise, I will fulfill your expectations and live up to the Mederos family name I have been bestowed upon." He stated, spinning on his heel towards the man wearing glasses.

"Don't worry, Arden. I'm sure you will be." A female voice rang behind the two as they quickly turned around, bowing to a young woman with long dirty blonde hair as she fanned herself with a lace fan.

"Lady Elena," Arden addressed, lowering his head slightly as he couldn't help but express the awe of beauty at the woman.

Hiding behind the sheer fabric of the fan, Elena chuckled at the adorable expression the boy had. "Besides, I'm sure you already are a better butler than Agustin by a long shot." She hummed, gently petting the boy's chai-brown hair. "He's nothing by a sharp-tongued, demon butler." She jeered, casting an arrogant glance at the man.

"A title I hold with pride," Going along with her, Agustin bowed with a slight smirk.

"AGH! You just never react do you?" Her elegance shattering into a childish tantrum, Elena grumbled as she stomped her feet in frustration. "This is so infuriating!"

"Perhaps you are just too daft to understand milady," Agustin suggested with a straight face.

"WHAT DID YOU JUST CALL ME?"

"Excuse me, miss..." One of the nurses called out to Elena hesitantly, possibly out of fear as she had just witnessed the woman explode. "Please quiet down, this is a hospital." She reminded, causing Elena to gasp as she quickly covered her mouth.

"I-I apologize," Quickly recomposing herself with flushed cheeks, Elena muttered, casting a side glance at the butler was trying to hide the wide grin that was forming on his lips.

"It is alright," Taking a deep breath, possibly out of relief that she did not get torn apart by the woman's words the nurse smiled. "By the way, the patient is available for visiting in her recovering room."

 _In the master-servant contract between the Fernández and Mederos families. A child of the Mederos line was always contracted into the service a newborn Fernández. However, for me, things were a little different._

 _Four years ago, I was found by Lady Elisa. She was on a walk through the city when she spotted me, abandoned by my parents on the streets of Madrid._

 _'Are you alone?'_

 _'Yes.'_

 _'Where are your parents?'_

 _'I don't know.'_

 _'Would you like to come with me?'_

 _'I don't freeload.'_

 _Silence._

 _Before I could close my eyes out of the weariness of crying, a thin hand popped into my vision, followed by a sweet, charming voice._

 _'Staying out here is dangerous. Come, I'm sure we could find something for you to do in compensation for your stay.'_

 _I would never forget that radiant smile I saw that day when I looked up from the grimy dirt that covered my body. Her back was against the glaring sun, casting a goddess-like glow to her body. Like she was an angel sent down by the heavens to help me. And so, I was brought back to the cliffside property in Madrid, where the prestigious Fernández resides and adopted into the Mederos family as the apprentice of Sir Agustin._

 _I loved everyone, Lady Elena, Sir Agustin, and especially Lady Elisa. I prepared strenuously to be a butler worthy of serving her future child. On top of my regular school work, I was required to learn and master basic management, etiquette, housecleaning and much more. Whenever I learned something new, I'd bolt towards her with excitement and show-off my newest skill. It was my way of expressing gratitude towards the woman who rescued me from the streets. I loved watching her eyes crinkle and her head nod before flashing the same tender smile I saw the day we met._

 _I loved her like a mother._

"Sister!" Racing through the doors of the recovery room, Elena beamed brightly. "You did it! How are you feeling? Are you hungry? Would you like some water? Are you bored here? I could bring in a few video games for you."

In the dawn of Madrid, the woman who laid on her hospital bed turned around at the call of her name. Her long fluffy dirty blonde hair was scattered on the hospital bed, though it shifted slightly as she moved to greet her visitors. Arden noted that the large bump in her stomach was gone, now shrunken down to a thin and delicate frame. "I'm alright, Elena." She chuckled softly. "The doctors have provided all the food and drinks I require."

"What about games? Would you like to play some video games?" Elena pursued, eyes shimmering with excitement. "I could bring some for you."

"If this is your ploy to get me to play video games with you, it's not happening. Unlike you, I have mountains of work still waiting to be done." Elisa cleared her throat elegantly, bringing a hand up to cover her lips. "Besides, you already have Agustin to play those with you." She stated rather bluntly.

"Eh?" Elena pouted. "But Agustin is too good at all games! It's almost stupidly unfair, even with handicaps on!" She complained, flailing her arms comedically like a child.

"I apologize that I've caused you such distress milady," Standing behind her, Agustin bowed with a sincere expression. "Next time, I will avoid playing games with you all together to avoid causing you such mental stress-"

"No!" Crossing her arms, Elena pressed her lips together as she turned away bashfully. "I still want you to play with me, if it's not you then it's not fun." She stated, a flush of red dusting across her cheeks as she avoided looking at him.

Agustin's eyes widened slightly at her statement as a hint of pain flashed across his face. His eyes softened. "I see," He muttered before jolting back up with energy. "But that is a very selfish mentality milady; you should fix it in the near future to set as a good role model for your niece."

Whipping her head around as her cheeks grew even redder, turning even the ripest tomatoes to shame. "Agh! Who are you calling selfish you demon, sharp-tongued butler!" She yelled, resting her hands on her hips.

"And they are at it again," Heaving a wry sigh at her sister and butler's daily bickering session, Elisa then noticed Arden still standing at the doors. Eyes crinkling softly, she gestured for the boy to come closer.

Seeing the gentle indication, the ten-year-old shuffled shyly closer to the hospital bed and past the two who were playfully bickering. As he got closer, the woman's delicate hand weaved through his chai-brown hair, soothing him. He stared up at Elisa, taking in weary yet shining hazel eyes. She looked so tired, yet held a sort of tenderness a new mother would have. "A-Are you feeling alright?" He stammered, hands clammily grabbing onto the fabric of his shorts.

"Yes, I am. My legs hurt a little, but that's normal after giving birth." Nodding her head, Elisa hummed as she continued to comb through his hair. "Anyways, did you see her?" She asked with a sense of excitement.

"Huh?"

"My daughter," Elisa clarified with a faint chuckle. "Did you see her?"

Quickly nodding his head, Arden beamed. "Yes, I did!" He nodded respectfully. "A little baby, almost this big." He explained, using his hands to gesture a rough size of what he saw through the glass window. "Her face was a little red, and she had quite a bit of hair compared to other babies, but she's going to super pretty. Like you, Lady Elisa."

"Is that so?" Hand trailing down as she lovingly caressed the child's cheek, Elisa's breathed out. Suddenly, the little Arden noticed a shift in her features. It was subtle but instead of the pride and joy of a mother, her eyes now held a sense of sorrow, dread and worry. Her brows drew closer slightly and her face turned a little dry. The light originally cast into her eyes dulled out slightly as she absently brushed her thumb across Arden's chubby cheeks. "Then," She spoke slowly. "Can I count on you? To look after her?"

Nodding curtly, the little boy agreed with a wide grin. "Yes, you can. I promise I will." He assured, without a full comprehension of the weight of his words at the time.

Feeling a slight sense of relief, Elisa brought her hand back to the boy's head as she ruffled his hair. "I leave her in your heads then." The saddened look in her eyes vanishing, Elisa twinkled.

 _I nodded my head proudly at the faith she had in me, unaware of how that would be the last time I'd see a genuine smile from her ever again._

 _The day after Lady Elisa returned to the mansion, my lessons were intensified and my curriculum altered. I was to completely master the Japanese language and become fluent in 3 years of time. Sir Agustin's lessons became stricter as I was holed up in my room for most of the time, studying, learning, applying. I learned soon enough that I was to be shipped off to Japan with Milady, spending the rest of my life confined with her._

 _At first, I accepted that fate._

 _However..._

Letting out a sigh, Agustin closed his lesson books as he stood up from his seat next to the boy. "You are improving greatly, let's end our lessons early today. Good work." He praised, ruffling the boy's chai brown hair.

"Thank you, sir."

"You call that early?" Lounging around on Agustin's bed, Elena complained as she peered up from her magazine. "It's like 9 p.m." She pointed out nonchalantly.

"May I need to remind you, we are on a time crunch." Spinning on his heel, Agustin raised an eyebrow at her overly casual position as she laid on her stomach, kicking her legs around like a teenager. Averting his eyes, he grumbled. "And how many times have I told you to refrain from visiting the servant's quarters? A person of your status should not be-"

"I can do whatever I want," Turning her nose up, Elena reasoned. "I am the law in this house."

"Thank goodness that only applies to the house. If you were the law on the streets of Madrid, we'd be in for a world of trouble." Closing his eyes with a mischievous grin on his lips, he provoked.

"Agustin! You-!" Elena huffed, sitting up sharply. "You... Devil Butler."

"I am merely being truthful." Fixing his glasses upon his nose bridge, Agustin shrugged.

Pressing his lips together as he attempted to suppress his laughter, Arden listened to their conversation as he quickly organized his things on his mentor's desk. "Sir Agustin, may I visit Lady Elisa?" He requested eagerly. "I haven't seen her in months, and I'm sure she'd love to hear all the new things I've learned."

"Lady Elisa?" Agustin repeated, a little hesitant. "It's rather late in the evening, I don't think she'd be-"

"No, she's most likely up." Swinging her legs over the edge of the bed, Elena stood up. "She's probably still holed in her study, working." Crouching down, she smiled. "Why don't you go to the kitchen to bring her some coffee?"

"Milady, I don't think-"

"Selene is out running errands for her; I'm sure she'd appreciate the company." Cutting him off again, Elena reminded. She then turned to Arden with a small wink. "Right?" She asked.

Quickly nodding, Arden smiled. "Yes!"

 _One thing I never understood as a child, was why Aunt Selene nor Sir Agustin ever married or bore children. I never asked Aunt Selene on the subject, however, Sir Agustin would merely gain this saddened yet far-off look. I noticed his gaze would almost naturally gravitate towards Lasy Elena, and he'd tell me 'It's an adult thing'._

Holding a cup of coffee in his hands, the eleven-year-old paced down the long, spacious halls. His shadow was elongated by the lights on the walls, following him as he raced down the corridor with a small smile as his eyes shone with joy. Ever since Elisa returned home almost a year ago, he rarely had the chance to see her. Either because of her busy work schedule or his intense language and butler lessons. He wanted to tell her all about his interactions with Baby Mira. How her little hand would wrap around his pinkie whenever she could grasp it, how she would laugh and giggle much like her mother. He was so excited to see her and show-off how much he had grown in the span of a year.

As he approached her study at the end of the hall, he picked up a faint voice that only grew louder, the closer he got to the study. It was as if someone was shouting, their pent up anger and frustration building up and erupting like a volcano. Their voice pierced through the dead of night, shattering the little peace the east halls had. Arden blinked. Despite knowing that it was terrible to eavesdrop, curiosity got the better of him as he slowed down his steps and tiptoeing towards the door.

Peeking through a crack in the door, Arden kept an eye closed to focus on the events that transpired in the room. However, he quickly jumped back in shock as Rita's voice exploded out of the usually calm office. "Why don't I put this into terms that even the likes of you could understand, you are utterly incompetent!"

Arden's limbs tensed as his hands clenched onto the plate that held the cup of steaming coffee. Holding his breath as not to make a whimper, he sheepishly extended his neck to get a clearer view of the situation.

Rita, the matriarch of the family, glared down at her daughter, casting a disgusted glance. "Hurry up and send that brat to the orphanage," She growled. "Caring for her is an extra mouth to feed and generally more work for me! Seriously, I regret even giving birth to an ungrateful woman like you!" With scornful eyes, she spat at her daughter who stood frozen before her own desk like a guilty child.

"Mother, please stop it." Arden's eyes grew widened as he realized Elisa's voice was trembling. He's never heard that woman sound so afraid, and devoid of confidence. His thumb and index finger down into the plate as fuel for anger began to boil in his chest. "There is no point in discussing this; father has already-"

A crackling slap resounded in the air, and Arden had to slam his hand over his mouth before he could make a sound. He sucked in a harsh breath through his nose, still trying to balance the coffee in his hand. He watched in a mixture of anger and terror as the head of the woman who he viewed as a mother, was snapped to the side and she was knocked off her feet from the aftershock of the impact. A hand found its way to her cheek, thin fingers trembling as they ghosted over her burning cheek.

Rita threw her head back in a fit of fury as she stared down her daughter. "Do not bring up that senile old man, Elisa." She warned in a threatening manner. "And I am your mother; I say when something is through with discussion or not. If you will not give in, then very well. We will continue this discussion tomorrow." She declared with a small scoff at the weakened frame as she turned to stomp towards the exit, swinging the wooden door open and not aware of Arden who scurried into the shadows with his hand still over his mouth. His breathing grew heavy as he pressed his back against the walls. He glared daggers at the door that swung open next to him, well aware of the hateful woman on the other side.

"You said so yourself, didn't you?" Glancing over her shoulder with half-lidded, prideful eyes, Rita hummed smugly. " _'Shun me, punish me, disown me, torture me, do whatever you what. Just don't take it out on my daughter.'_ " She recited, almost flawlessly from memory. "So you better keep your word and suck this up, I'm actually starting to enjoy our little chats." With a sadistic laugh, she turned down and exited out into the hallway.

Sensing her mother leave, Elisa squeezed her eyes shut as silent tears poured forth, trailing down her burning cheek as her fingers continued to shakily glaze over it. She drew an inconsistent breath at the stinging sensation that lingered when the sound of something sliding against her desk caught her attention. Gasping, she snapped her head around in fear of her mother, only to see the eleven-year-old butler-in-training.

After Rita left, Arden had snuck into the room to finish his job. He was going to leave the coffee and hurry out. However, when Elisa caught him, he found himself unable to move. He watched as the smile he had admired his entire life vanish before his eyes, turning into what seemed like a permanent frown paired with tears that reflected the dim incandescent lights.

"Oh, Arden..." She whispered sadly as she lowered her head, covering her mouth with her hand as she continued to sob silently. "I'm so sorry you had to see that..." She muttered through her fingers.

Lips pressing together, Arden bit his bottom lip as he watched her tremble. _Is she the reason?_ He thought back to the little baby, brows furrowing. _Is she the reason why Lady Elisa has to go through that? Why she is crying like this?_ Lowering his head, the boy's hands balled into a tight fist.

 _That night, Lady Elisa didn't smile. In fact, she hasn't ever since then because of Lady Rita. Every night, at the same time, she'd emotionally and verbally abuse her. And I'd be powerless to do anything._

 _I tried to bring this to Lady Elena and Sir Agustin's attention, yet even they were powerless to do anything. I could only watch from a distance compassion Lady Elisa possessed vanish. I could only watch as she transformed into a woman who's once warm, comforting smile I no longer remembered._

 _And all of this was Milady's fault._

"Arden," A maid knocked on the doors of the bedroom, spotting the twelve-year-old boy sitting on the rocking chair with a Japanese book in hand. The little girl with strawberry blonde hair laid on her stomach in a little playpen, kicking her legs as she focused on drawing with a pin crayon. At the sight of him, she quickly plastered on a smile. "Lady Elena asked me to take Lady Mira outside since Master Alejandro is out for the day, but it seems like I am occupied with some... stuff."

"Sure," Setting the book down next to him, Arden sighed. "Who else will be there?"

"Well," The maid shrank back as her eyes darted around nervously. "We all are pretty busy today, so it'd just be you." She laughed uneasily at the boy's weary eyes. "So could you perhaps let her out? Maybe on a walk?"

Arden raised an eyebrow as the woman quickly left after muttering a word of thanks. His emerald eyes flickered to the toddler, who had sat up from her stomach and holding her masterpiece with both hands.

"Taking her out on a walk..." He repeated as he opened the door of the playpen, trying to his disgusted expression either from the maid of the girl herself. "What is she? A dog?"

His voice caught the attention of the little girl, who snapped up at the familiar figure. "Ar!" She dropped the artwork and gleamed.

"Come on, Milady," Arden's brows drew closer as he knelt down and extended a hand towards the little girl. "Let's go on that walk."

Instead of taking his hands, the toddler clapped her hands together on the boy's cheeks with a fit of childish giggles.

"Milady, please stay where I can see you," Arden called after the strawberry blonde girl as she clumsily ran around the board backyard with doe-eyes and bursting energy. A faint breeze blew by, rustling the grass as Arden let out a sigh. Watching as she curiously poked at the swaying grass, and jumped with joy as it tickled her back. His eyes flickered up to the sun as it vanished behind a few sets of clouds. With furrowed brows, he then peered down at his feet when a series of laughter caught his attention.

He glanced up to see the little girl chase through the grass, after what seemed to be a butterfly toward the bounds of the property. "Milady, please slow down!" He cupped his hand around his mouth, calling out to her as he jogged to catch up. "Please wait milady, that way is-" He watched as she continued to stumble across the green fields after the creature when a cold sweat ran down his back.

The cliff.

One moment she was rushing forward, keeping her large hazel eyes on the prize as her little face alone demonstrated the sheer determination she had to catch that butterfly. The next, she slid down the edge of the cliff with a shift in her weight. Arden bolted forward, grabbing onto her thin wrist just in time before she could plummet down to the lush forest and fancy estates further down the mountain. His other hand gripped onto the rocks next to him desperately as he attempted to pull the girl up. "Hold on tight, Milady!" He shouted urgently.

Gritting his teeth, he pressed his palm into the rocks as he engaged his back, trying to pull her up. "Damn, I'm slipping!" He cursed. "Do not let go, Mi...lady." His voice trailed off as a dark thought crossed his mind.

 _Right now, if I let go of this hand..._

 _That's right, for whose sake is Lady Elisa taking the ruthless emotional and verbal abuse for? For whose sake is she crying for? For whose sake am I about to sacrifice my freedom for? For whose sake am I about to spend the end of my days, not in Spain, but confined in a small room in Japan all because of who?_

 _Lady Elisa will be free of this burden. She can live freely; she can laugh, she can smile. I will be able to stay in Spain with her, Lady Elena and Sir Agustin._

 _All would be better if milady, if Mira were to just... disappear._

He bit his bottom lip as sweat dripped down from his forehead. The idea continued to manifest within him like a parasite, with each passing second he was becoming more and more convinced of that wretched voice in his head. He could hear his heart pounding in his ears as the weight on his arm began to lighten, and he was barely grabbing onto the tips of her fingers, he stared down at the girl with reddened eyes as if he were possessed.

 _If I just let go here, I can end this._

 _We will be free._

Suddenly, something unexpected happened. The little girl, whose life was barely hanging on a thread, by the hand of a boy who had plans to betray her, peered up. She was too young and unable to understand the predicament she was in. She had no idea that if the boy were to let go, she would plunge down and shatter. Her innocent hazel eyes met his darkened green ones, the corners of her lips tugged upwards.

She smiled.

Immediately, the idea of letting go vanished from his mind and his body felt like it was pumping with energy. With one firm tug, he pulled the girl up and fell back to the ground, catching her snug in his chest. He slowly sat up with his eyes squeezed closed, moisture gathering in them. The toddler blinked as her hands gently clutched the boy's clothes, feeling his body tremble against hers. Pressing her further into his arms, Arden began to mutter incoherently as the regret and shame for even considering such an act overwhelmed him.

Kyoya studied the young man's profile carefully as the chatter from the restaurant filled the long halls. The short, eerie silence between them was quickly broken as Arden huffed a chuckle.

"At that moment, milady smiled at me." Shifting his weight between his feet, the butler then turned to him with a nostalgic yet weary smile. "I believe at that moment, I realized that Lady Elisa's spirit would never return to how I once remembered, no matter what I did. She was simply too broken and worn out from the abuse Lady Rita had put her through. However, in exchange for herself, she protected Milady. An innocent child, who would smile at me, a man who was about to betray her." He paused, staring out into the cityscape. "Lady Elena is correct, a child should not need to shoulder the burden of her parents' sins." He said. "That was the day, I swore that I would protect milady for the rest of my life. To remain loyal and support her through everything I can. Both to honour Lady Elisa's sacrifice as well as, to protect that innocent child who smiled so radiantly at me."

Eyes widening for a moment, Arden quickly snapped his head around. "I believe I've been talking about myself for too long, please excuse me." He apologized. "I think I hear them now, wait here for a moment. I can only buy you a few minutes; please keep your conversation brief."

After a few moments, Kyoya averted his eyes, a little weary from Arden's story. "I understand." He replied.

"Milady, what are you doing?" Entering the locked room on the top floor of the main estate, Arden blinked curiously as he watched the five-year-old stand on the edge of the window sill. He had stepped away for a moment to sneak some extra drinks in from the kitchen and the moment her attempting something dangerous. Hurriedly placing the tray of drinks onto the dining table, he paced over to grab the little girl with furrowed brows. "That is dangerous, and you know that. You could've fallen. Did something happen? If you have something you want, I promised I'd get it for you, didn't I?"

"I... I dropped the... paper... paper plane you made me... down there..." Speaking slowly, the little girl's eyes began to water as she pressed her lips to a line."I... I want to get it... but... I'm too short to climb out the window..." She sniffled as large droplets of tears began rolling down her cheeks.

"So you were trying to climb out to get it?" Sweatdropping, Arden pulled out a handkerchief from his uniform and began to wipe at the stick tears that streamed down her flushed cheeks. "You shouldn't do that, it's dangerous. You could've fallen." He scolded gently.

"But...But..." Shoulders jolting as she sucked in breath after breath, the little girl wailed. "But the airplane..."

"It's an airplane milady," Chuckling wryly, Arden folded the handkerchief. "I can always make you another one."

"Really? You'd... do that for me?" Still hiccuping slightly, the child beamed up. "You'd make another one for me?"

"I'll make as many as you'd like," Arden nodded as he slowly backed away, noting that he'll probably regret making that oath later. "However, you need to make me a promise." He winked, lifting a finger.

"What promise?" With rounded hazel eyes, the strawberry blonde tilted her head.

"Whenever you can, I want you to always smile." He explained, tucking a strand of stray hair behind her ear.

"Always... smile?" Repeating his words carefully, the little girl cocked her head to the side. "Why?" She pursued.

Humming, Arden's movements slowed to a languish pace. "Because I believe," He watched her with an unfocused gaze as her hand gently thread through her fluffy hair. "A smile can change your life."

Eyes widening, she gasped. "Okay!" Giving him a close-eyed beam, she curtly nodded. "I promise." She agreed.

"Good girl," Breaking out of his butler character, Arden momentarily allowed himself to sink into somewhat of a parental or brother figure, gently ruffling her hair.

"Say, Arden," Kicking her legs back and forth as she slouched forward, the little girl called out as the boy sat down next to her on the ledge. "Has a smile ever changed your life?" She questioned curiously.

Flinching for a moment, Arden's eyes crinkled. Closing his eyes to more clearly recall those defining moments of his life, Arden huffed out a laugh. Reaching out, he captured the girl into a gentle hug. "Yes, on multiple occasions, Milady. " He admitted. "And despite how painful and stressful those moments were, I am more than glad that I have experienced it."

"Huh?" Wrapping her arm over his, the strawberry blonde blinked rapidly. 

_I will protect you._

 _I will remain with you, wherever you may be._

 _I can't take away your pain, sadness or loneliness, but I will do everything I can to relieve it._

 _If you are in pain, I am here to ease it._

 _If you are sad, I am here to wipe your tears._

 _If you are lonely, I am here for companionship._

 _So please, never stop smiling._

A/N: Happy Chinese New Year everyone! Gong Xi Fa Cai! I hope you all enjoyed this chapter/side story for Arden! It sheds a little light on the origins of Miki's cheerfulness and tells Arden's tale. He has such a special place in my heart because of how his character is. He's funny, loyal and so kind. Before any of you ask, yes this book is still kinda a comedy though his backstory turned out way darker than I expected. Old habits die hard, I guess :3 We will be heading back into the main story by next chapter, and hey, would you look at that? It's festival time! And to those manga readers, you better bet I'm putting that little arc in! ;)

Hey, would you look at that! I'm still open to Q&A questions! So go ahead and ask away if you have anything you like to know about the characters or even creative process of this book!

With that, have a great day!

XOXO,

Astra


	32. Q&A

_-Q &A-_

Happy International Fanwork Day everyone! I was honestly a little caught off guard by this day and Valentines Day because I've been pretty busy with school work lately. So instead of a special chapter, I chose to whip up a quick Q&A with a few questions you guys have asked me now that we are mostly half way through the series. Don't worry, this will not hinder the scheduled post tomorrow, so look forward to that! Now, without furthur delay. Here we go!

 **Original Designs for Miki?**

 _Okay, so I'll be touching on both physical differences, and characteristic differences in this section cause BOY THERE ARE A LOT._

 _Let's go through the physical development in designs for Miki, because that is perhaps the easier one of the two. Miki was always created to be Tamaki's sister. Though at first she was slated to be his blood sister (more on that later), so her concept was the same blonde hair and blue eyes as the man himself. But when I shifted her background into being his half-sister, I wanted her appearance to be different from Tamaki's, so it adds to why those around them do not question or suspect her of being part of THE Suoh family in the first place. For a while, I considered the brown hair brown eyes combo, but I then came across Princess Charlotte from Violet Evergreen, who was perfect for the role of Miki. She had that doe-eyed, curious look, which is perfect for Miki. And let's be honest, Charlotte is gorgeous. I also found the strawberry blonde hair (okay, side note, Miki's hair is actually strawberry brown, but I just went with blonde because of consistency throughout the story) a pretty interesting trait. As we saw in the Spain Arc, Elisa doesn't have the pink tint in her hair, and neither does Yuzuru. It's an Autosomal Recessive Trait from Rita, meaning it's a genetic trait skips a generation (who's hair already greyed due to age and stress, despite being pretty young). I liked that idea, so I ended up rolling with it._

 _Now, for Miki's personality. Oh boy. So, if you look back on the first few chapters and read in between the lines, Miki was meant to be a much more cynical character. She was initially planned to be more mysterious and mischievous than anything, slowly showing her softer more innocent and happy-go-lucky side. In the draft of the first chapter, she made snide remarks about Yuzuru and his mistress, as well as being very formal and distant from Tamaki and the hosts. I know, I know. Lower your pitchforks and hear me out, please. Answer me this, can ANYONE be as joyful and innocent as Miki is when putting through a situation like hers? Remember, she knows the full extent of her position. She knows she is a tool for political benefit, a failure of a person. Can anyone still be as cheerful and sweet as her despite knowing their sole purpose of being born was to become leverage to trap another family into a union? That's why Miki's character was initially written out to be pretty sarcastic._

However, when I eventually decided that I wanted to pair her up Kyoya, I realized that Miki wouldn't be nearly as interesting if she were to be a character like that. There are many times when I read other fanfictions; I found Kyoya to be quite out of character. After a little analyzing and thinking, I found that the reason why Kyoya felt so odd during some fanfictions is that the main OC is usually a cold, witty or emotionless girl. While opposites attract is not a guaranteed match, I believe the two have to at least bring a different view on things to the table, especially with such a cunning character like Kyoya. For their relationship to work and not alter Kyoya's character too much, Miki needed to be the expressive one of the two for the relationship I envision for them to have, to work. So I decided to switch it up a little, both so Kyoya wouldn't be too OOC and to break a stereotype that has been standing for far too long in the OHSHC fan fiction community. Miki's optimism and cheerful nature both intrigues and entertains Kyoya. And while she is expressive and extremely straightforward about how she feels, she doesn't understand how she feels due to her years devoid of parental love and care. On the other _hand, Kyoya is exceptionally analytical and understands others' emotions well, but finds no meaning in expressing them and in turn shuts down emotionally. To each other, they are the key to being a better person, which is what I believe a good relationship should embody. Besides, I've always been a sucker for these kinds of stories. A dark prince and cheerful princess? Sign me up! I especially love it when there is a character who is established to be so logical and analytical but either can't find the heart to crush the ball of sunshine's smiles and dreams or in Kyoya's case, can't argue against her illogical reasoning._

 **How did you come up the concept for Arden?**

 _This follows up with my previous point with how I managed to change Miki's character. You see, Miki was originally meant to grow up alone in her room with the occasional maid to feed her and change her bedsheets and stuff. But when I decided to shift her into a more innocent and joyful character, I realized that I needed to add a character like Arden to balance out her story._

 _Arden's original character concept is based on Finn of Fire Emblem Genealogy of the Holy was as well as Thracia 776. He is loyal, dutiful and kind-hearted. However, unlike Finn, Arden did waver for a moment about his loyalty to Miki as he nearly dropped her to her death when she was young. Arden is the vital reason why Miki didn't fall into such a cynical, hateful way to thinking. He protected her and shielded her from all the pressure and loneliness. He held her hand in the times of loneliness and would genuinely do anything to ensure her safety and happiness. I've always had a soft spot for these types of immensely loyal characters and they undying devotion to their lieges so I felt I had to include this in the story. I decided to make Arden exactly that._

 _A little side note. I don't know if I made this clear, but I wanted to talk about how Arden addresses everyone and the difference in them in case the translation didn't go through during his conversation with Haruhi. He calls Miki and only Miki 'Oujou-sama', which is honestly the highest a servant can address someone. He calls Tamaki, Yuzuru, and everyone else in the Fernández family '-sama'. And everyone else he addresses as '-san'. Though admittedly, if Kyoya and Miki get married, he'd probably only upgrade him to '-sama' because the only one he sees as his liege is Miki._

 **What inspired you to write this story?**

 _Putting this story out was honestly a huge nerve-wracking experience for me. As some of you have mentioned, Tamaki's sister fanfictions are generally negatively received by the community, due to how poorly the chapters are organized and how the main characters have such weak personalities (Not all, I have read some that are pretty good) . Heck, I was surfing on the OHSHC amino the day I put out the first chapter and found multiple posts on how they dislike 'sibling OCs.' It was a little worrisome for me, but I bit my lip and decided to tough it out. And I'm so thankful I did! While I generally don't like to write 'sibling' or 'twin' OCs in any type of fanfiction because of how Mary Sue it can feel as well as ruin some perfectly good canon character developments._

 _Miki was originally going to be Tamaki's blood sister. But I then decided that I wanted to have a little more fun with this premise. I chose Tamaki to centre around mostly because of how interesting his family dynamic is. The drama, the tension everything was just speaking to me. And it is because of his family, I wanted Miki to have an original story of her own rather than just simply being 'another child'. Then, when I was skimming through his background, I noticed that Yuzuru was married prior to meeting Anne through they never mentioned the woman he married and how she was like. In fact, barely any information was given about said woman and her family. So I wondered, what if he and this other woman had a child? What if because of this failed public marriage, both families felt embarrassed and locked said child away? Being a child of divorce myself, I was often teased for being one. So taking such ideas and personal experiences, Miki's Rapunzel-like story was born._

 _Due to the whole premise of this being Miki's first time in the 'outside world' I wanted didn't want this story to only focus on the romantic subplot, but the friendships and most importantly sibling bond Miki can make within a mere year. I wanted to focus on how important the relationship we weave with each other is and how much they can intertwine into something bigger. It was like Elena had said. Miki was the first to object to her arrange marriage. Because unlike Elisa, Rita and those before she had friends that guided her and reminded her on what was important in life and it is because of them, she managed to break a long chain of loveless marriages that had been continuing in their family for generations._

 **How did you make your decisions on the names?**

 _For Miki, I had a huge mental debate with myself over it. For one, because I worried she would be made fun of for sounding too much like Mickey. I honestly wanted to give her a little more of a cooler sounding name like Suzuno (a name which I ended up giving to the maid) or Tsubomi. But in end, I went with a simpler name because it suited her simple-minded personality better and it's easier to remember and pronounce. Besides, it's kinda cute, no?_

 _I have this habit of putting in place holder names for convenience and end up growing attached to it, and I think that's exactly what happened with Arden. It was the first name that came to mind when thinking up a name for a butler. Obviously, I could've went with Finn, the character which he is based on, but I thought Arden sounded cooler. (Besides, in Genealogy of the Holy War, there is a joke character named Arden. That might've influenced my decision a little)_

 _Sora is a similar situation, where I just kinda decided on a whim and went. Meh, let's name her Sora. It's also a little cameo name as in my other story, Fushigi Yuugi Kirin Koka, there is also a character named Sora. However, the two are not related in any way. It just happened to be like that. From now on, I may just add a character named Sora in every one of my stories, just for jokes. Sumire was set in because of Renge's phone calls in Kasanoda's episode. If you rewatch Episode 23, you'll actually hear she does call Sumire while calling people up to come to witness the big confession, so I just took that name and rolled with it. She and Sora are kind of the, Momoka and Kimiko of the second years, which is interesting._

 _Elisa and Elena were also pretty on-a-whim situations. I really like both names too, so I guess that played a deciding factor. I did make sure to give Elisa the more elegant sounding name while giving Elena a more playful one, because… that's how they are._

 _Agustin is an interesting one now. I named him based on Arden, as believe it or not, Agustin was originally slated to be Arden's father. But I ended up dropping that in favour of being Arden's mentor because by the time Miki was born, he was in his mid to late 20s. How in the world could he have a son by then? Also, I really wanted to go through with the Agustin x Elena thing, they are just too perfect for each other. But yeah, because of how he was slated to be Arden's father, I gave him the name Agustin._

 **What does Kyoya think of Miki?**

 _Hmm... That's a very good question. For now, I think Kyoya still keeps his feelings for her on the down low. He isn't sure if he is merely intrigued by her or is he actually in love with her. Since his advances beforehand were um... brutally ignored or... overlooked. Call it revenge or pay-back, but he really enjoys teasing her and getting reactions out of her as of late. Other than that, it's what he has mentioned. He sees her as naive, troublesome and an idiot at best. Yet he also finds her hardworking, sincere and fascinating._

 _I think one of the things he likes the most about her is her unpredictability. Maybe it's because of how simple-minded she is, her thought process never goes as he foresees as she manages to surprise him every time he thinks he has her figured out. In his words, 'it's never boring'. However, that unpredictability also can be annoying as she can ask the most random questions at the most inappropriate times._

 _Another interesting prospect about Miki is that she serves to benefit the Ootori family if the two were to get married, esepcially if Miki were to disclose her identity to the public, so that is definetly a worthy thought._

 **Are any of the original characters based on anyone?**

 _Let's see… Miki's dumber moments are actually based on things and stuff I've actually said and questioned. Of course, I'm no where near as dense and clueless, but many of her more simple minded question like 'Why do people call us chicks?' are ones I've actually asked myself. (Though I still never got a response for that one…) Her cheerfulness and optimism is simply based on a young child, because haha, that's what she really is mentally, isn't it?_

 _Arden, as mentioned above, is based on Finn but with a little more elaboration on his loyalty._

 _Elisa is an original character. I actually had a huge debate with myself over her as part of me wanted to just make her a prideful person as others had described her to be, and treats her daughter like garbage because of how much shame she had brought to her reputation. This means that Elena would have been that compassionate hand Miki knew ever since she was young. However, that version of the story felt incomplete. I felt this version of Elisa helped to elaborate more on Elisa herself, why Yuzuru even agreed to take Miki in, Arden and of course, Miki. Elisa was confident, yes. Competitive, yes. However, she also shouldered a burden she willingly picked up for the sake of changing things and bringing a better life to her daughter. Somewhere down the line, she may get a side story of her own, but i currently have a few AU ideas flying around, so it may be a while._

 _Elena and Agustin's relationship is actually heavily inspired by the main characters of the Japanese TV show, Nazotoki wa Dinner no Ato de. I always found their dynamic hilarious so I added that in as an easter egg to both the characters and a nod to the use of the OST 'Even if…' which is the ending theme of that show._

 _Rita is just… terrible. No other words to describe her. She's technically pretty tragic herself, as she married a man who treated her like garbage. Because of that, she ended up emitting her anger onto Elisa who actually got a divorce, but that doesn't justify how terrible of a mother and human she is. Alejandro is not any better, I always pictured him as a man who viewed men as the superior gender over women. That's why he treats his wife like crap._

 _Sora and Sumire are both original characters. Though admittedly, Sora is based a little on myself. She's is a little shy and anxious at first, but she becomes pretty energetic as Miki got to know her. Sumire is soft-spoken, lady-like and pretty detail-oriented. They both will serve a pretty crucial point in the series somewhere down the line ;)._

 **Is Astra your real name?**

 _Astra… is my pen name. Hehe, sorry guys~ It's a name I came up with as I was creating my wattpad account with a close friend, I saw the name Astra and just went with it. Who knew it'd stick for so long? My real name is… mmm, I'll not say for now. If you guys actually make it to the end of the story, I'll put out another Q &A. If you're really that curious, try again then ;)_

 **Could I draw fanart for your characters?**

 _Of course! I am not very talented in the visual arts department so I am grateful for any forms of fanart or anything in general. Be sure to send them if you'd like! I'd love to feature them in chapters with proper crediting of course!_

 **Who would you choose out of all the hosts?**

 _Oooo, this is a tough one. I love all of them so much as characters! Mmmm, does all of them work? No? Okay. Well if I had to pick a regular host just to visit daily, I'd pick Tamaki. He seems like he'd be a fun guy to hang around. But to be my boyfriend, I'd pick Mori. Mainly because he is such a sweet and loyal guy and one that would treat a girl with care. And I'm not a person for grand gestures, so it's more the little things that people do for each other that(sorry Tamaki). I also find his protective nature super sweet. It's like having a silent guardian angel._

Anddd, that was it! Thank you to everyone who sent in a question. I may host another Q&A at the end of the series just to wrap everything up and answer the lingering questions some of you may have. But other than that, we are done for today.

Now I have a few questions for you guys. Which chapters so far have been your favourite? Which Kyoki moments have you enjoyed? What more would you like to see? I'm always open to suggestions!

With that, have a great day!

XOXO,

Astra

P.S. Happy Valentines Day!


	33. 29 A Mysterious Challenge for the Fes

_-Chapter 29-_

 **A Mysterious Challenge for the Festival Crown!**

"Rich men!" The twins grinned as they high-fived in a mirror image, raising a peace sign each.

"Nobleman!" Honey giggled as he held Usa-chan up in the air.

"Everymen!" Miki chimed as she gestured Mori and herself.

"Poor man..." Tamaki muttered, looking slightly dejected as he ran a hand through his hair.

"Destitude!" Honey, Miki and the twins sounded as they pointed at Haruhi, who dropped her cards in defeat as she lost another round of 'Stinking Rich.'

"Come on Haruhi!" Hikaru let out a sigh as he toyed with his last card between his index and middle fingers. "When we agreed to play by common folks' rules. You might at least try to win."

"Even Miki-senpai, who just learned the game beat you in it," Kaoru commented with a shrug.

Haruhi sweatdropped. "I've never been that into cards, so I've barely played before." She justified nonchalantly.

"Haru-chan! Do you mean..." Honey's voice trailed off as he stared at the brunette with pitying eyes.

"Can you not afford cards?" Miki finished his sentence, cupping her cheek in shock.

Rushing over, Tamaki passed a deck of cards to her not-so-discreetly as Mori and Honey ushered for the twins and Miki to turn away. "Haruhi! Here is my deck of card! No one's watching right now. Quick, take them!" He urged, shoving it towards her.

"I can easily afford that." With deadpanned eyes, Haruhi shot back. "Don't mock me."

Tamaki instantly went into a panic as he cried comical tears. "I wasn't mocking you! Daddy was just trying to make sure you practiced a little more!"

"Alright, everyone, settle down now." Interrupting Tamaki's drama, Kyoya clapped his hands together as he caught the attention of the hosts. The winner of their game of cards, the 'Stinking Rich' man, leaned an arm against his armrest as he grinned in an unreadable manner. "So for the next two weeks, Haruhi is to be my slave?" He questioned.

"That's right; we did set that as the penalty after all." Miki lifted an all-knowing finger, beaming a little too happily.

"Haru-chan, you are going to be Kyo-chan's slave until the school festival!" Honey cheered.

"What?!" Jolting back in shock, Haruhi grew terrified. "Two weeks?! That long? No one told me about that!" She complained. "Besides, I have to help with the school festival and I already have duties for my class!"

"She's right, Kyoya!" Tamaki was quick to jump to her defence as he flailed his arms around. "Before you pick on Haruhi, you must get past me!" He challenged.

"Shut up, poor man. You're my slave too." Kyoya instantly shut the blond down before turning to the twins. "Incidentally, what's class 1-A doing at the school festival?" He questioned.

Hearing this, Hikaru, Kaoru and Miki exchanged a glance and a grin. "Agence de Detectives Prives!" The twins high-fived with a small 'woo-hoo.'

"We'll have mysteries for our customers to solve," Hikaru explained, lifting a notebook with the details of their class event. "There will be perpetrators to apprehend, disposed possessions to descry and fancy prizes!" He announced.

Kaoru continued as he raised a few fashion sketches. "We'll provide a range of costumes. Our customers will experience the life of a real detective." He lifted a finger, smiling widely. "And we will have the best of the best production designer for our agency design, right Miki-senpai?"

"Yes! Leave it to me!" Cupping her hands together, Miki returned his call with a bright beam. "I'll do my best to create a production that would even be worthy to be used in _Crime? Crime Drama_ !" She said happily.

Raising an eyebrow at her, Kyoya fixed his glasses. "How many strings did you have to pull?" He questioned.

"I didn't necessarily pull any strings." Tilting her head to the side, Miki blinked curiously. "I simply recommended Renge-san to watch _Crime? Crime Drama_ and she seemed to have become quite a fan." She giggled, touching a hand to her cheek.

"That is called pulling strings, Miki-senpai." Haruhi's soldiers slumped in defeat as she finally realized with their dirty blonde club manager was so insistent on turning their event into a detective theme.

It was because of Miki's influences.

"Eh? But I didn't pull any strings." Miki furrowed her brows, even more confused. "I'm terrible at puppeteering. I tried it once with Arden, but it ended-"

Eyebrow twitching, Kyoya had finally found the root of the problem. He should've known it was something like this in her ignorant mind. "Pullings strings is a metaphor for manipulating the situation." He corrected her.

"Oh!" Pounding a fist against her palm, her mouth formed an 'o' shape in realization. "Then yes, I did pull some strings." She admitted.

"So yeah," Sighing, Haurhi turned to the rest of the hosts. "That's why I'm busy right now - I'm thinking up the cases and suspects..."

"That sounds like fun!" Honey gasped in excitement.

"Ah, what perfect timing." Rubbing his chin, Kyoya mumbled. "Haruhi, Tamaki," Calling out to his two new slaves, he held a joker card between his index and middle finger with an amused smirk dancing across his lips. "You will aid me in uncovering the true culprit, understood?" He instructed them mercilessly.

It's been exactly a week since the host club returned from Spain after that whirlwind of a weekend, and not giving them a break, the school festival was merely two weeks away as they got themselves busy with preparations both for class and club events. Miki was especially busy during this time, she has been monitoring two separate building projects as well as another two production sketches. Currently, she was overlooking the construction of class 1-A's festival preparations as she eagerly took the position as head production designer the twins offered. Merchants flooded the room, and people were calling for her left and right as they asked for her final approval.

"Miki-chan-senpai, we've chosen this fabric." Momoka gestured a roll of cloth a tailor held. "We've compared it to the sketches, what do you think?"

"Yes, that's perfect!"

"Miki-senpai, how does this sofa look?" Kaoru called out to the strawberry blonde as he pointed at one of the options.

Pacing over, she hummed as she tapped her chin with furrowed brows. "That's a little more Tudor style than the Victorian style we are going for." She then turned to the merchant. "Also, is there an option in spruce wood? The birch will make the velvet we chose seem bland."

"What about this one?" He offered.

With a sweatdrop as she tapped her pen on her desk, Haruhi grumbled. "A school festival is supposed to be an amateur thing, isn't it? I mean aren't we supposed to make everything ourselves to learn self-sufficiency and team-work?" She questioned.

"Oh, not at all." Leaving Miki to discuss things with the merchant, the twins skimmed through their completed production sketch. "The Ouran festival is all about foresight and leadership." They chimed in unison.

"Besides, it's not for us; it's for us, it's for the parents!" Hikaru shrugged casually. "Unlike Halloween or Christmas, this is one event the parents can participate in. And it's a chance for them to check up on their kids." He explains.

"They look at our use of money and manpower, and how smoothly and accurately we carry out our plans to appraise our future potential," Kaoru added.

Humming, Haruhi rubbed her chin thoughtfully. "Come to think of it," She averted her eyes as she watched everyone converse and make deals with the merchants. "All the students are heirs to respectable families who own large conglomerates. I always think of them as easygoing people with too much time to waste" She commented. "That's bothersome." She shrugged with deadpanned eyes. "I'm glad I'm a commoner."

"What are you talking about, Haruhi?" Finished up the deal with the salesman, Miki butt into the conversation as she held the completed deals to her chest. "Isn't so much fun being from a wealthy family? You get to live in big houses, you have pretty clothes, you get all the DVDs and supplies you want." She listed off as she cupped her cheeks dreamily. "Besides, this is a school festival, lighten up a little." Giggling like a bell, she tilted her head. "This is super exciting!"

"You're a little too excited about it." Contrasting to Miki's sparkling demeanour, Haruhi turned her head away. "Let me guess; this is your first school festival too?"

"Mhm!" Nodding curtly, Miki sounded.

Suddenly the doors to the classroom slammed open as one of the students rushed in with a piece of paper. "Hey! They announced the candidates for the central salon!" He shouted as everyone quickly surrounded him.

"Show me! Which group has the lead this year!" Someone urged.

"It looks like the student council wants to be re-elected. The football and basketball clubs are strong contenders."

"Central Salon? What's that about?" Shuffling close to the crowd, Haruhi wondered out loud.

"It's just a matter of positioning." The class-representative, Kazukiyo explained with a small smile. "The more prominent the location, the better, right? Because the grand ballrooms on both floors are used as lounges for visiting family members, the central salon gets the most attention by far. The group who resides in the central salon reigns over the school festival!" He announced. "Only the most talented and confident top-class clubs enter this race. It's regarded as the biggest clandestine events of the festival."

 _That sounds even more bothersome._ As she and the class representative approached the list of candidates, Haruhi thought to herself.

Picking up the paper, Kazukiyo skimmed the list. "Our class considered joining the race, but we decided against it. First-years have no chance of winning anyways."

"I see," Taking a side of the sheet, Haruhi peered down. "That sounds..." Her voice trailed off as she read who was participating.

Race for the Central Salon

Class 3-B

Student Council

Host Club

Basketball Club

Football Club

Ikebana Club

"Of course we are joining the race. What about it?" Kyoya stared at her with an 'obviously' tone in his voice. Tamaki stood beside him, also a little quizzical in terms of why Haruhi was asking.

"Did you not know, Haruhi?" Miki blinked curiously as she clutched her tablet close to her chest. "That's why I'm creating two separate sketches, in case we get the spot for the central salon instead."

Averting her eyes, Haruhi deadpanned at the supposedly 'Talented and Confident Top-Class Club.' "Um... nothing." She grumbled.

"Last year the winner was decided by a chess tournament," Honey explained as he stuffed his face with cake. "We lost to the student council during the finals."

"It's not like I care who wins, but that's a surprise," Haruhi commented.

"The son of a very important Hitachiin business associated was on the student council last year," Kyoya hummed as he dug through his bag nonchalantly. "Still just for PR purposes, we stayed in the race."

"Eh? What's the point of playing if you didn't give it your all!" With her free hand, Miki clenched her fist and struck a power pose. "If you do anything, you need to give it 100%!"

"Don't worry Miki," Placing a hand on his sister's shoulder, Tamaki grinned with a fist pump. "We'll go all out and win this year, right?" He directed at Kyoya who pulled a few letters out of his bag.

"Yes, but we've got a bit of a problem." He shrugged as he dropped piles of letters towards Haruhi who stumbled back from the shock. "It's not a big deal, but every day for a week. We've been receiving somewhat hostile letters."

Curiously, the host club opened the letters to find the five copies of the words 'Withdraw from the saloon race. Or else!' spelled out in magazine bold cut-out letters. Everyone tensed up in shock as they skimmed the threatening message.

"These letters - These are clearly hate mail!" Haruhi panicked. "We talked about finding a culprit, can it be...?"

"Kyoya! Why did you neglect the matter until it went this far?!" Tamaki accused, shouting at the top of his lungs as he dropped his copy of the letter into Miki's hands.

"It could've been a prank of some sort, so I ignored it. After the official announcement today though," Shrugging, Kyoya then took out a new letter as he slid the paper across the coffee table with an untroubled attitude. "We received this."

'Prepare to DIE'

Chills were sent down the host club's spine as they saw the big black word written boldly across the blank sheet of paper.

"The perpetrator appears to be someone who loses his temper easily." Rubbing his hand under his chin, Kyoya began to speak in a relaxed manner. "Maybe he's not taking enough calcium."

"You're the one who made him angry!" Gritting his teeth, Tamaki accused. "How could you-"

Before Tamaki could say any more, however, Kyoya snapped around with a chilling glisten in his eyes. "I already said, I'm sorry." He snapped back at the blond who shrieked in terror, the complete opposite of his sister who was analyzing the threatening letter.

"Alright then!" Miki cheered as she raised an arm into the air enthusiastically. "This looks like a job for Detective Miki." She beamed, striking a dramatic pose as she pointed towards a beam of light that came from god knows where. "I am on the case-"

"You are not going to be handling this." Cutting her off immediately, Kyoya denied.

"Eh?! Why?" Quick to protest, Miki spun on her toes. "I solved the Kuma-chan case; I can solve this one too!" Furrowing her brows, Miki pouted.

"It was less solving the case..."

"...and more stumbling into the culprit." The twins pointed out, despite knowing it would completely go over her head.

"You already have two class events and two factors for the club event to design," Lifting his glasses, Kyoya smirked with amusement at her discontent pout. "The last thing we need is for you to be leading this investigation and getting stressed out."

Hearing his reasoning, Miki's eyes narrowed slightly and averted away.

Thinking that he had won their little argument, Kyoya turned back the rest of the hosts as he held up the now empty envelope between his middle and index fingers. "As I said, we'll have to track down the culprit. By the way, we will never withdraw from the race. We will promptly find the originator of this letter and crush him. We'll teach him what it means to cross us." His eyes narrowed as the aura around him turned scarily dark. "The fool and his descendants will remember it... forever!" He announced as Tamaki and Haruhi jolted back in horror, realizing he also meant the same for them if they wouldn't cooperate. "Haruhi, if you can't find them, your debt will be doubled. And Tamaki, you will become my slave for the rest of your life." He declared as they two let out a small shriek. His blackish-green eyes flickered down to notice Miki now staring at him with slight discontent as her lips were still curled in a pout. "What is it?" He smirked, still feeling triumphant from his most recent victory.

"If I don't get stressed, can I at least help Tamaki-kun and Haruhi?" She argued, seemingly still not admitting defeat. "It's not every day you get these kinds of mysteries."

Feeling his eyebrow twitch at her persistence to participate, Kyoya sighed in frustration. Leaning down, he tapped his index and middle finger against her crinkled forehead. "Don't push yourself." He reminded her softly. "Besides, the symbolism analysis is due in two weeks. Have you even began working on it?"

Taking a hold of his hand that rested against her forehead, Miki blinked as she pushed it down. "Ah!" She gasped in surprise once she realized what he was talking about. "No, in fact, I haven't even thought about it yet." Pursuing her lips, she averted her eyes towards Tamaki and Haruhi who was already scrambling to get the evidence together for the case. "But I'm sure I'll figure it out." Turning back to him, she gave him a bright close-eyed smile. "Everything'll work out."

Seeing that radiant glow on her, Kyoya huffed out a smirk. He couldn't help but feel like he both won and lost at the same time when she makes that radiant expression.

He just never wins against her, can he?

"Listen up! Express your theories and observations regarding this threatening letter!" Eleven days left before the festival and the stakes were high, Tamaki had gathered the hosts together through their busy schedule for a debriefing. However, other than his sister who was helping Haruhi organize the evidence, his rallying words were ignored by the hosts who were each doing their own things. "Hey! The rest of you, listen to me too." Twitching in anger, he called out to them.

"That's the job for the poor and the destitute." The twins shrugged, peering up in annoyance from their sketchbook. "It's not our problem."

"I need to feed Usa-chan some cake, sorry!" Honey chuckled as he held onto a fork and bringing it close to the pink bunny.

Letting out a grunt in dissatisfaction, Tamaki grumbled. "Don't any of you even care that Haruhi, our descendants and I will be cursed forever?! Can you still call yourself a member of the host club?!"

"Tamaki-senpai, calm down." Grabbing the edge of the blond's blazer, Haruhi sighed. "They can't help it. They're already busy preparing for the festival, just be glad Miki-senpai is helping us." Clutching onto his jacket, she tilted her head in an unintentionally adorable manner. "Not that we asked for this, but let's make the best of this partnership, okay?" She proposed.

"H-Haruhi..." Suddenly, Tamaki's face became beet red as he stared down the brunette. His mind began to imagine what Haruhi meant by 'partnership'. Bashfully, he inched back towards the table where Miki blinked questionably at his modest demeanour and flushed cheeks. "You're right, let's be partners and-"

"From the way, the letter is written the culprit is..."

"How about letting a hound smell it?"

"It must be from one of the groups in the race." Finding enjoyment in interfering with Tamaki's happiness, Hikaru, Kaoru, Honey and even Mori budged into the investigation as they crowded over the desk. Leaving Tamaki grumbling in anger in the corner as Haruhi began to explain to the group what they have gotten so far.

"Let' go over some more observations regarding the letters," She pointed at the clue board Miki had insisted on them using as to make it seem more 'detective-like.' "There seem to be two types of letters; seven were made from newspaper clippings, while five are totally blank." She gestured the blank ones Miki was toying within her hands.

"Why blank?" Hikaru wondered as he picked one up.

"Maybe they want us to write our response on this?" Kaoru suggested.

"A considerate criminal!" Honey chimed.

As they finished up with the debriefing, everyone took turns suggesting their theory. Haruhi going first. "The perpetrator must think that his team can win the race as long as the host club is eliminated." She speculated thoughtfully. "Therefore we can safely assume the perpetrator is a strong competitor who regards the host club as a real threat."

"It could just be a personal grudge." Hikaru proposed as he propped an arm against his knee, hunching over.

Kaoru rested his elbow on his brother's shoulder as he elaborated. "It says 'or else,' but it doesn't actually say what they'll do. It sounds like an empty threat to me. Can't they even claim they'll make our family's stock crash or something?" He huffed.

"Perhaps they had a close relation to one of us at some point," Miki hypothesized as she lifted a finger. "Cases like this happen all the time in _Crime? Crime Drama_ , where because of a personal grudge, one turned against their close friend. Yet the feeling of guilty leaves them hesitant to complete the job."

Mori was silent as he brought the papers close to his face. "These reek of citrus." He said.

Honey agreed as he sniffed the threatening letter. "You're right," He nodded. "The perpetrator must love fruit."

"What?" With this new information, Tamaki's brows furrowed as he glanced down at the sheet of paper. "Then can it be...?" With his free hand under his chin, he muttered. "No, that's impossible."

"What is it, senpai?" Haruhi asked only to ; she off when the sound of a loud power motor erupted in the room as the floor began to tremble. A burst of familiar laughter echoed through the room as everyone sweatdropped, knowing what was coming. Renge rose from the ground on her revolving platform and her hands on her hips.

"Seriously, why does she keep doing that..." Haruhi grumbled.

"Of course!" She shouted dramatically, extending her arms out to the onlookers below her. "The perpetrator must be on the student council." She pointed at the hosts with a severe expression, sprouting her otaku theory. "Listen up, everyone! Since ancient times, the hero faces the student council in all school dramas! I've felt something amiss with the host club for a long time. What the host club needs, is a recurring, absolute evil to confront." Striking a dreamy pose, she began to speak at a rapid pace as she mumbled on. "First of all, the student council president is a handsome youth who seems gentle and honest but his true face should be that of an immoral, power-hungry monster. That's how things are!"

"No chance, Kyoya-senpai has already taken that role." Hikaru sighed as he returned to his fashion sketches.

"We already have one enemy in our family, no need for another," Kaoru added.

"Did you say something about me?" Wearing an unbalanced smile, Kyoya caught their attention.

"No... Not a word." They denied, wondering how long has he been there.

As Renge began to write down the student council president as a suspect, Miki tapped her chin thoughtfully. "But Renge-san, we've already met the student council president back when Princess Michelle came to our school remember? He isn't that sort of man." She reminded them as she tapped her cheek. "If I remember correctly..." Suddenly there was a knock at the door as a pair, a male and female student stepped in. "He looks something like that." Miki beamed innocently as she pointed at the slightly scrawny looking man.

"That's because he is the student council president, Miki-chan" Honey giggled.

"Excuse us for intruding on your conversation," The student council president, Matsudaira, smiled sheepishly as he knocked. "We've come to let you know we chose to withdraw from the race this year."

Being reminded of this harsh reality, Renge quickly picked up the eraser and erased her freshly written 'Suspect: S.C. President' off the whiteboard. Then she rushed back onto her platform, and with a swift 'Au Revoir,' she descended back into the ground.

"It's too much of a burden to compete against the great candidates." The president explained as he clutched his stomach in a shudder. "Besides, we heard it won't be a chess tournament this year. What if it requires stamina to win?" He explained.

Matsuyama Kanan, the secretary of the student council, peered down at her notes. "Will the host club also be withdrawing?"

"Not at all," Kyoya replied without missing a beat.

"Okay, good luck then." Matsuyama gave an unreadable smile. "The student council will be neutral and judge the competition."

"Come to think of it, Tamaki-senpai," Haruhi piped up as she turned to the blond. "You were about to say something earlier." She blinked in curiosity.

"Well, about everyone's theories..." Tamaki closed his eyes as he placed a hand under his chin. "There's one person who fits the bill. If we can safely deduce a profile from these theories, then eight or nine times out of ten will be-"

Before Tamaki could finish, however, another voice pierced through the already rowdy Music Room #3. "Hmph, so the student council is turning tail and running." A male student who fits Renge's description of a 'handsome youth who seems gentle and honest but his true face should be that of an immoral, power-hungry monster' walked in with two others behind him. He toyed with an orange in his hand, throwing it up in the air then catching it. "But I say it's a wise decision. The race this year will be a one-on-one duel between the football club and the host club." He snickered pridefully, taking a chomp out of the orange in his hand.

"I don't know what to say..." Haruhi muttered with a sweatdrop. "And why is he eating the orange with the rind still on? Does he think it's cool or something?"

"Amongst the athletic clubs, they're the most talented group. They make it to the national championship regularly." Tamaki explained. "Their's name is called the 'Ouran Orages.'"

"That doesn't sound that great." The twins muttered.

"The 'Ouran... Oranges'?" Miki tilted her head as a hand found the way to her lips.

 _~Miki's Mind Theatre~_

 _People wearing Orange Costumes as they played football._

"Not Oranges, Miki. Orages." Tamaki corrected his dumbfounded sister. "It's a French word for 'Tempest'. But you aren't that far off, they chose the name for its similarities to 'orange' - the fruit. The family of the club president, Kuze Takeshi-senpai, holds the largest market share in imported produce in Japan." He gestured the leading male student who grinned, though the half-eaten orange in his hand didn't make him look very threatening.

"What about that personal grudge we talked about?" The twins inquired.

"Hey, Ootori! There's this rumour that you guys deliberately threw the chess tournament last year. That true?" Kuze shouted at Kyoya as his hand squeezed down on the orange. Veins began to pop on his forehead as his eyebrow twitched. "Ever since you beat us at the semifinal, we've been a laughing stock. The story is an embarrassment, but this rumour even reached the ears of my fiancee."

Not backing down Kyoya returned his expression with an unbalanced smile. "That's an unjustified grievance, Kuze. Had people respected you, no one would laugh on the basis of such a rumour." He rebutted.

"What? Are you telling me it's my fault?" Kuze grumbled as he began to crunch furiously on the orange as drops of orange juice began to drip down on the carpet. "Even when you were a kid, you had some nerve... Remember when we were in preschool?" He grunted.

 _It's obviously a personal grudge._ Haruhi and the twins thought to themselves.

"I don't remember what we did when we were kids. Please don't drip orange juice on the carpet." With his hands behind his back, he gave a cryptic gleam. "It's going to give our already busy production designer more work if it were to stain."

However, Miki's focus was on something else entirely. "Are you perhaps Kyoya-kun's childhood friend?" Tilting her head to the side, Miki questioned curiously.

"And who are you?" Peering down arrogantly at the strawberry blonde who was much shorter than both him and Kyoya, Kuze grumbled. "Are you Ootori's woman?"

"My name is not 'Ootori's woman,' it's Miki." With a straight face, Miki replied, causing Kuze to squeeze even harder on the orange. His eyes glistened with anger as he forced a toothy grin.

"Are you making fun of me too?" He grumbled before recomposing himself and throwing the crushed orange in the garbage can. "Do you think the heir to the great Ootori family belongs to such a carnal club like this?" He hummed as he wiped away the sticky juice on his hand before smugly glaring up at Kyoya. "Oops, excuse me. You're only the third son, so no matter how much you try, you never can be the heir to the family, can you? No wonder your lick crumbs of glory from the boots of the chairman's son." He jabbed. "The thought makes me weep."

"Wha...?" Haruhi sucked in a breath at his harsh words.

"What are you talking about?" Miki blurted out, tilting her head. "What does being the third son have to do with anything? If Kyoya-kun wants to do something, he should do it." She stated bluntly, with furrowed brows. His words had clearly seemed to hit a chord with her. "Is there any law that states he can't do what he desires, simply because of the order of his birth?"

The room fell silent as the tension rose. Kuze eyed the girl who spoke up to him so boldly, brows drawing closer.

"Kuze-senpai," Stepping up to defend his best friend and sister, Tamaki called out. "If you have a grudge, resolve it in the competition."

Scoffing, Kuze smirked. "Fine, let's see how talented the respectable son of our chairman is." He challenged.

As the day ended and Kyoya was about to enter his family's limo, he heard his self-proclaimed best friend run up with a call of his name.

"Kyoya!" Tamaki called out.

"Tamaki, do you and Miki need a ride?" He offered.

"No, she's already in the limo. Our chauffeur is waiting too." He quickly shook his head, panting heavily from running all the way across campus. "Kyoya, do you think Kuze-senpai is behind those threatening letters? With all the obvious hints, you could've-"

"Tamaki," Cutting the blond off, he asked. "Have you seen the chairman recently?"

"Huh? The last time I saw him was in Spain at Miki's almost wedding. Before it was about three months ago when he came to have dinner with us in the Second Mansion."

"You still aren't allowed to enter the Main Mansion?" With a teasing sigh, Kyoya kidded.

"Shut up; it doesn't matter!" Tamaki frowned as he retorted.

"Well, don't worry. It'll work out fine," He reassured, giving a wave as he turned back towards the limo. "But let me tell you this - you're to search for the culprit until you have proof. Keep up the good work." Then, he entered the limo and drove off.

That evening, Miki was lounging on Tamaki's bed as usual as she flipped through a brand new production art book Arden had sent her as a gift. Humming a tune, she kicked her legs up and down like a child as her brother stood up from his desk, letting out a stretch and yawn. "Hey Miki, I have a question." He called out.

"Hm?"

"How would you describe Kyoya?" Resting an arm on the back of his chair, Tamaki asked.

"Kyoya-kun?" Sitting up, Miki repeated as she tilted her head. "Hmm... If I were to use one word, I would say possibility." She replied.

"Ho? Why is that?" With an endearing smile, Tamaki pursued.

"Because anything Kyoya-kun sets his mind to, he gives everything he has to complete it. For him, anything is possible." Miki explained, nodding repeatedly as if reaffirming her words. "Doesn't that make him radiate with so much possibility?" She said.

Hearing her words and seeing that sparkling expression on her face, Tamaki chuckled. He nodded as his laughter grew louder. "I agree with you," He wheezed, standing up. "I'm going to request some snacks, do you want any?"

"Yes, please." Beaming brightly, Miki nodded as she watched her brother leave the room with a chuckle.

A little while later, Tamaki's ringtone echoed through the room and caught Miki's attention. She instinctively glanced up at the portraits of the club members, wondering if it was from any of them. However, the ringing came directly from his phone that rested on his desk. Hopping off the bed, she paced over to check on the caller ID.

 _Incoming call_

 _Ootori Fuyumi_

Miki knew Kyoya's older sister, Fuyumi. She and Tamaki have been busy working on a map of places for commoner's gourmet food and have often called on her for help with the mapping techniques. Over the time she had gotten to know the eldest daughter of the Ootori family, the two have hit it off quite well. Both were carefree and a little airheaded, making them quite similar in personalities after all. Without hesitation, Miki answered the phone.

"Good evening, Fuyumi-san. It's Miki speaking." She chirped happily, glancing down at Tamaki's copy of the map.

"Ah! Miki-san, it's been a while, huh?" Fuyumi's sweet voice poured out of the speaker. "How are you?"

"I'm doing wonderful, what about you?" Miki beamed.

"I'm doing well," Giggling slightly, Miki could hear a faint shuffling on her end of the phone. "Is Tamaki-san with you right now?"

"No, he's in the bathroom." Plopping down onto his chair, Miki hummed. "Did you want to share a new find with him?"

"Oh, well, yes, there is that." Fuyumi chuckled wryly. "However, I also wanted to speak with him about Kyoya-san."

"Kyoya-kun?" Miki's eyes immediately brightened at the mention of that name as she felt a strange energy surge through her. "Did something happen to him?" She blinked.

"It's nothing really; I'm just worried that he might be doing more than he can handle. I was hoping you and Tamaki-san can keep an eye on him. That's all."

Hearing her say this, Miki's eyes widened slightly as she remembered Kuze's words from earlier that days. "I see..." She fell thoughtful, peering up when she heard Tamaki step into the room with two cups of water. "Ah, Tamaki-kun is back," She told Fuyumi. "Would you like to speak to him as well?"

"Oh yes please!" Fuyumi's voice grew bubbly. "I found this wonderful Wagashi store downtown; I must share about!"

"Alright, I'll talk to you again soon."

As she passed the phone to her brother, mouthing 'Fuyumi', he instantly got talking as they eagerly exchanged their new finds to jot down on their maps. Miki went back to her spot on her brother's bed as she peered down at the artbook. However, she couldn't focus on the art anymore as all she could think about was Kyoya and what Kuze had said.

With six days left until the festival and four days to the salon race, everyone was quickly getting busy with festival preparations as they finished up the final touches of their class and club events. However, during a time like this, the rumours about the Host club and the Football club's stand-off for the central salon spread like wild-fire, especially after the student council withdrew from the race. Many other clubs eagerly joined the race with the slimmest hope of the chance to outshine both clubs and snag the spot of the central salon, while the loyal customers of the host club lead by Renge, banded together to form a support squad for the hosts.

Yet at a time like this, the host club par Kyoya and Haruhi were dressed in all black spy-like costumes as they lurked around the corner stealthily, though their all-black outfits stuck out like a sore thumb against the pale pink walls and sea of blue and yellow uniforms.

Haruhi dashed around the corner, hurriedly trying to catch up with the host club when she bumped straight into the hosts. "Ouch, I'm sorry..." Stumbling back, she rubbed her slightly reddened nose awkwardly, only to raise an eyebrow in confusion when the six figures in black and wearing sunglasses while indoors turned around and placed their index fingers against their lips. The five boys wore suits and ties while Miki wore a black dress.

"Shhh..." They hushed her.

"What are you doing here in the middle of the day? Goofing off?" The brunette questioned, trying to avoid the strange looks they were receiving in the midst of the busy hallway. "I'm too busy to be messing around." She grumbled.

"No!" Taking off his sunglasses, Tamaki pointed at her dramatically. "This is a legitimate and important duty!" He announced. "Since Kuze-senpai is our only suspect, the only course of action is to tail the football club. Call us the 'F.C. Espionage Unit.' Here, take this unit badge." With a sparkling aura, Tamaki placed a hand on Haruhi's shoulder as he offered her a golden pin.

"No thanks.' Haruhi denied sharply.

"It's more like the 'Milord's Retirement Insurance Unit.'" Hikaru pointed out with a shrug.

"After all, if we can't gid up any proof, milord has to remain Kyoya-senpai's servant for the rest of his life," Kaoru added. "Not that we'd mind."

"What?!" Tamaki snapped.

"Haru-chan, won't doubling your debt be a problem for you?" Honey urged as both his hands formed fists.

"Oh, speaking of which." Letting out a weary sigh, Haruhi turned away to face the window as she propped an arm up lazily. " I don't really care anymore. Repaying my debt through honest labour is the way to go about it." She said nonchalantly, leaving the hosts to sweatdrop as her 40-year-old mindset that was stuck in a 15-year-old body.

"Shh! Be quiet everyone," The only one who was completely immersed in her character as a 'spy,' Miki hushed. "They are coming this way!" She scolded, bringing a finger to her lips.

 _Of all the things she gets serious about._ Haruhi sighed at the immaturity of most of her upperclassmen as the rest of the hosts quickly gathered at the corner, hearing footsteps draw near.

"You must never let your guard down against Kyoya!" They heard Kuze warn as they scrambled to move corners in fear of being caught. "Of course we can't relax against Suoh or the others, but what's so scary about Ootori Kyoya is..." He paused as the hosts peeked out curiously. "He has no qualms about using base methods if they will benefit him. He's a snake in the grass. He'd suck down your very bones if he had a use for them." He affirmed in an agitated manner.

"That's so rude!" Furrowing her brows, Miki pouted in a hushed voice as she held her hands in fists before her. "Kyoya-kun is not that type of person!"

"No, we can't deny it," Hikaru grumbled with a brow twitch at the blonde's delusions.

"Kyoya-senpai is a bit snaky." Kaoru sweatdropped.

"Snake?" Miki blinked with a frown. "What kind of metaphor is that? Sure, Kyoya-kun is thin, but he doesn't wiggle around like a snake-"

"A snake is someone who you think is sincere and really nice, but then turns out to be a backstabber, waiting for the moment to strike," Hikaru explained.

Hearing this explanation, Miki's eyes flickered down.

"Kuze, I heard our clash with the host club is turning this year's race into the biggest event ever." A taller, much buffer man named Tohgouin from class 3-A stated calmly.

"That's true, president." A boy who Miki recognized as, from the neighbouring class, Class 2-B named Tarumi agreed. "Even Ootori wouldn't be so bold as to rig the race when everyone is watching. Who knows what'd happen if it got out."

"Ignorant, very ignorant," Tamaki whispered. "They're underestimating Kyoya!"

"Tohgouin. Tarumi." Kuze called out to the two as he spun around, tossing two oranges out dramatically as if he were a shounen protagonist. "Catch!" He instructed, adding to how much cornier it made the scene.

The twins immediately burst into laughter as they covered their mouths, comical tears poured out of their eyes as they chortled.

"That was so cheesy!"

"Does he think he's in a coming-of-age drama?"

"Shhh!" Haruhi pressed her index finger against her lips, shushing them as Kuze continued.

"Calm down and think."

"We are already calm..." Tohgouin pointed out.

Ignoring him, Kuze swiped his hair to the side. The aura around him transformed into an obnoxiously shiny one as he spoke. "The scent of oranges has a soothing quality, and it rouses the mind. I also recommend you eat the peel. It's loaded with flavones." Then he crunched into his orange aggressively, his mood snapped. "That jerk trampled on my good will, I will never forget that time in kindergarten when he embarrassed me in front of the entire class by saying some crap like 'raw peels are tough and yucky and might be covered in pesticides that are especially dangerous to women' and then proceeding to have the guts to smile refreshingly at me, with something like 'I hope I didn't talk out of turn'." Covering his face he let out a small shriek in terror. "He not only knifed my sweet 6-year-old heart, he salted the wound!"

"Calm down, Kuze-senpai!" His club members were quick to comfort him. "Now is the time for oranges! Let's see that relaxation effect!"

Snapping out of his dramatic state momentarily, Kuze grabbed the orange from Tarumi's hand and began munching on it, letting out a sigh in relief as his stress eased away. "This is my chance to redress an old grievance," He explained after finishing up the orange and wiping his mouth away with a handkerchief. "No matter what he comes up with, all we need to do is set the stage to our advantage ahead of time." Lips tugging into a smug grin, he threw the piece of cloth behind him dramatically before patting his chest. "Fortunately I have some ties to the student council. We'll make it so the host club won't have a chance against us. Because of their carnal lifestyle, we'll succeed where they will fail. Because this year's race isn't going to be like last year's battle of brains." Lips tugging into a smirk, Kuze chuckled coldly. "It will require finely-honed physical strength."

And sure enough, by the end of the school day, the theme of this year's race has spread like wildfire throughout the school as everyone eagerly lined up for an issue of the newspaper club's 'OU Spot'. With headlines like 'Competition Salon will be a Cross-Campus Ultra Race!' and 'Advantage Football Club?!', it was pretty easy to guess why. The hosts were now gathered in the clubroom as Kyoya looked over the article as he sighed.

"Well, it's as I expected." Folding the papers back up, he raised his eyebrows at Miki as she stabbed the tip of her tablet stylus into the table beside the tea with a visible pout. Deciding to leave that for later to deal with, he placed the newspaper down. "It requires physical strength, but that can easily be offset by our intelligence. Instead of wasting our efforts now, let's form a suitable strategy and..." Turning around in his chair, his voice trailed off. "Are you guys listening?" He questioned.

Tamaki and the rest of the hosts par Haruhi had brought in gym equipment into Music Room #3 and were busy working out. The twins ran on a treadmill each, Tamaki was doing crunches, Honey was lifting a weight almost double his size over his head, and Mori was doing curl-ups.

Haruhi sweatdropped. "You're always so full of confidence that I figured you'd be fine athletes." She told the twins.

"It's not like we aren't, but if we were good enough to beat the football club, we wouldn't be hanging around in the host club." Hikaru shrugged as he stepped down from the treadmill, taking a swig of his water.

"We all exercise regularly at the gym." Kaoru pointed out. "What about you?"

"Haruhi's junior high records show that she takes over eleven seconds for a 50-meter sprint," Kyoya stated, flipping peering through his record books.

"I'm not that good at sports..." Haruhi admitted quietly as an adorable flush overtook her cheeks, causing the hosts to begin fawning as they surrounded her in a group hug in adoration.

"That's okay," Tamaki ruffled her brown hair with a doting smile. "Being a little slow is cute!"

"Say, what about you Miki-senpai?" Turning to the production designer who has been quiet for most of the meeting, Kaoru gave her a weird look as she tapped the tip of her stylus against the glass screen for the hundredth time in that hour. "Um, Miki-senpai?" He tried again.

"Huh? Oh, sports?" Snapping out of her state as her narrowed eyes and frown turned to a blank stare, she blinked. "I've never really done sports before." She stated bluntly, as she tapped her chin. "I'm a pretty slow runner, I can't jump very high, and neither can I swim."

"Guess we should've expected that..." Hikaru sweatdropped.

"It's not like there would be anywhere to exercise while she was in confinement." Kaoru elaborated, mimicking his brother.

"Alright! Now for the uniforms!" With a fist pump, Tamaki announced. "We have yet to select the club's outfit for school competitions. Let's choose more dashing ones than the football club!"

"Yea, that's important." The twins remarked sarcastically. "Very important."

As Haruhi began to wonder how were the costumes more important than anything, Kyoya called out to her.

"How's the search for the perpetrator coming along?" He asked.

"At first Kuze-senpai seemed fishy, but he seems like he wanted to openly confront the host club." Pressing the side of her finger against her lips, she shared her investigation thoughtfully as Kyoya noticed out of the corner of his eye, Miki's fist tighten around her stylus at the name 'Kuze'. "That means there may be someone else who wants to see Kuze-senpai falsely accused. Maybe there's a simple solution. If we investigate the people around Kuze-senpai..." Her voice trailed off slightly.

"Wow, Haruhi." Eyes twinkling, Miki gasped in admiration. "You sound just like the detective from _Crime? Crime Drama_ ! You look so smart and cool right now!" She complimented with an innocent beam.

"This is basic theorizing and puzzle solving," Sweatdropping at her enthusiasm, Haruhi replied modestly. "What I don't understand is the meaning of the blank letters." She concluded, scratching the back of her head.

"Haruhi," Kyoya spoke as he took a glance at his laptop screen. "Somethings that appear complicated can turn out unexpectedly simple, and vice versa. And even if you have a lot of threads in hand, that does not necessarily mean you have to tie them all together. Right?" Glancing to the side, he began to dig through his bag for something as Haruhi stood there, a little dumbfounded.

"Huh? What do you..."

"At any rate," Cutting her off, Kyoya handed a large stack of papers to the brunette. "Will you memorize this for me before the race?"

Taking the papers with a quizzical expression, Haruhi nodded in an estranged manner. "What is it?"

"The blueprints for the school," Kyoya replied, turning his attention back to his laptop in a casual manner, leaving Haruhi to gawk at the layout for this over-the-top school.

"Oh, I could help with that if you'd like." Miki offered as she turned off her digital tablet. "I have already explored the entire school grounds when I first arrived, so I already have a pretty good idea of the layout already."

"Why did you do that?" Haruhi cocked her head to the side, a little bewildered.

Blinking as she took a copy of the map, Miki returned her puzzled look. "Because I wanted to see how a school looked." She reasoned.

 _This school is not exactly an accurate representation of a normal school..._ Haruhi thought to herself.

As Haruhi preferred to learn and remember by visiting all the sites on foot, Miki was left in the club room with Kyoya since Tamaki as the others headed out to find and purchase their uniform for the big race. "So the west gym is preoccupied with 3-A and 3-C's join event 'Sunset Venice', huh?" She hummed slightly as her legs kicked around like a toddler's, with her hazel eyes focused on the map she studied the locations carefully as to give her mind a refresher. "That sounds so exciting!"

"What happened between you and Kuze?" Cutting through her enthusiasm, Kyoya questioned, not lifting his gaze from his laptop screen.

"Nothing, why?"

"Then why do you make that face whenever his name comes up?" His eyes flickered up to meet hers. Her smile had vanished as her lips tightened into a frown. Her brows furrowed and the carefree swinging of her legs came to a halt. "You aren't very good at hiding things." Letting out a small sigh, he pointed out. "So, care to share?"

Miki fell silent for a moment as her eyes lingered over the blueprints. Then in a snap movement, she brought her elbows onto her table and pressed her chin against her palms. Letting out an agitated huff, her frown deepened. "Kyoya-kun, are you a snake?" She asked bluntly.

Feeling his eyebrow twitch in irritation, Kyoya sighed. "How many times do I have to tell you, it's a meta-"

"I know it's a metaphor," Cutting Kyoya off, Miki leaned forward as her eyes locked with his brownish-green ones. "I know what it means as a metaphor, and I was wondering if you really are why they call a snake." Lowering her gaze, her brows drew closer in what seemed like a mixture of pain and anger. "It's what Kuze-senpai called you, and I couldn't believe he would say something like that. You aren't a backstabber in any way!" She insisted. "Then, there was what he said in the club room the other day. If you want to do something Kyoya-kun, go ahead and do it all! Something like the order of your birth should never stand in the ways of your ambitions!" Getting more heated up as she spoke, by the end of her rant she was sprouting words at an incredible speed.

Kyoya gazed at her for a moment as the realization hit him. She wasn't simply angry at Kuze, she was angry for him. His eyes dulled slightly at the thought. "Miki," He averted his gaze to his laptop screen. "You do realize ambitious men tend to get lost in their ambitions, don't you?" He questioned.

Hearing this, Miki's eyebrows loosened slightly as she processed what he said but quickly snapped back into serious mode as she jolted up from her seat. "Then, Kyoya-kun, if you get lost in your ambitions, I'll be the one to keep you on track." She stated earnestly, grabbing his hand across the table as Kyoya's eyes widened in shock. "I said so at the summer festival already, didn't I? I want to be of use to you as well. Besides," Her gaze lowered as she held her hands formed fists before her lips. "I need you, Kyoya-kun." She declared boldly. "I made a promise to only come to you when I need help, and I fully intend on keeping it."

There was a small moment of silence between them as their eyes remained glued to each other. Kyoya studied her wide stance and determined blaze in her eyes. She clearly had no idea what she had just confessed to. "So in other words, you are saying," He began slowly, "If I get lost in my ambitions, so will you." Lips curling into a faint smile, he let out a chuckle at Miki's curt nod.

"You guide me and point me in the correct course of action, yet you don't pressure me into it. I told you already, Kyoya-kun," Her tense expression melted into an innocent smile as she straightened herself with a head tilt. "You are like a weathervane to me." She stated airily.

 _Weathervane... Of all the times she could bring that unpleasant topic up again, she chose this moment._ Kyoya felt his eye twitch in agitation at the reminder of being compared to an architectural ornament to the highest point of a building. He let out an exasperated sigh before taking a glance at her. Obviously, she had no awareness of how she shattered the mood of peace between them.

With soft eyes, he huffed out a breath. His hand flipped around to take a hold of her's instead as his smile deepened into a confident smirk. "I won't get lost, Miki." He reassured her. "Not with someone like you at my side." He jeered, watching as Miki's eyes widened before breaking into a radiant smile, however she realized something and let out a gasp.

"That's it!" She jumped slightly as her eyes twinkled. "That's the symbolism!"

"Pardon?" Kyoya raised an eyebrow at her sudden burst of excitement.

"That's why the Prince was blinded and could see again when Rapunzel returned to her side!" Pulling her hand away, she clapped her hands together as if she had just solved the mysteries of life. "It's like us!" She exclaimed as she walked away from his table a little. "The Prince needed the princess by his side for her guidance, that's why he was blinded in the story when she was taken away from her! And that's why he could see again when she returned to his side!" Fingers curling before her lips, she explained as she turned to face him.

"I see," Seeing the romantic tension between them completely vanished, Kyoya turned back to his laptop with a hint of irritation before an idea popped into his head. "So then, pray tell, if our conversation led to this revelation. Perhaps we are like the prince and Rapunzel?" Crossing his legs, he cast her confused expression a side glance through his half-lidded eyes.

Miki's hazel eyes rounded as his implications finally processed through her mind. In a delayed reaction, a small flush, much more prominent than that night on the balcony in Madrid, cast over her cheeks. A jolt spread through her body as she was instantly aware of how every limb felt under her control. "I-I'm going to the classroom to grab my bag," She stammered as she quickly spun on the ball of her foot, averting her eyes away. "I need to write this down for the analysis, I'll be back." And with that, she took off without looking back, leaving Kyoya alone in the club room.

Turning back to his laptop screen, a smile of amusement danced across his lips as he thought of that flustered expression she had on. He enjoyed that look on her and wanted to provoke it even more.

 _I need you, Kyoya-kun._

He huffed a laugh inward.

"I don't think she realized, what she had admitted to." He muttered to himself. "What a troublesome woman."

Outside the clubroom, Miki paced down the halls with a hand pressed to her chest. At that moment when she thought of what Kyoya might have implied, she couldn't meet his eye and her body tingled in a strange manner. She didn't understand.

She couldn't understand.

A little while after Miki left, Tamaki appeared in Music Room #3 as he watched Kyoya work from afar. He watched as his best friend typed away on a laptop in a concentrated manner, letting out the occasional short sigh.

"Mommy," He greeted with a soft smile. "The pressure on the third son must be tough, would you like a shoulder massage?" He offered as he approached.

Deciding to humour him, Kyoya replied as he leaned his head back nonchalantly. "Thanks, Daddy. But you know I'm enjoying it."

"Fuyumi is worried about you; she thinks you might be doing more than you can handle," Tamaki informed as he gently rolled out the tension in Kyoya's shoulders.

"No need to worry," Kyoya closed his eyes as his the corner of his mouth tugged. "In any case, Tamaki. We'll win that race." He paused before affirming. "And then, you can take Miki and I, to the best place on that map for commoner's gourmet food. Okay?" He suggested.

Nodding curtly, Tamaki grinned at the thought. "Of course!" He assured.


	34. 30 An Exciting Race for the Festival

_-Chapter 30-_

An Exciting Race for the Festival Crown! 

And so, the day of the race arrived, and students gathered at the central field of the prestigious academy. Led by Renge, the regulars cheered loudly on the sidelines as the host club stepped onto the broad field. They were all dress in traditional black Japanese cheer uniforms and bandanas except for Tamaki, Honey and Miki. The former two boys had white versions of the outfits while Miki had a girl's cheerleader costume. On the opposite end, the football club stepped towards the starting line wearing their classic jerseys. The two clubs were in a stalemate staredown as the other clubs and classes scrambled to get ready for the race behind the two main stars of this competition.

"Let me explain how the race works," Matsuyama, the student council secretary, took her place at the microphone stand with a gentle smile as the chatter died down. "You're to follow the prescribed route and answer the questions at designated sites in each building - east, west, south and north. If any team member passes, so will their group. If not, the team is eliminated. The group that successfully clears all sites will be given five clues. In the finals, participants must use those clues to seek out a particular location. The group that claims the hidden crown shall win the use of the central salon. Any questions?" She paused, eyes sweeping across the eager contestants. "Very well then..." Raising a starting pistol in the air, a loud bang filled the fields as loud chatter and cheering erupted.

"LET THE RACE BEGIN!" The broadcasting club took over as Kotaro, a member to the club shouted as he directed the crowds' attention to the various clubs who were lined up at buzzers. "First is the Literature Reflex Quiz! Each team must answer three questions before ascending the slippery slope behind me to proceed to the next site!" He announced cheerfully, pointing at the oil filled slope behind him. "Are all the contestants ready?"

"Interesting." Kyoya rubbed his chin as he watched the oil slip down from the impossible looking hill. "They mean to eliminate a large number of participants early on."

"Alright, Miki!" Tamaki grinned, giving his sister an encouraging pat on the back. "Start us off strong!"

"If it's about traditional literature, then leave it to me!" Miki beamed, striking a power pose as she took her place before the buzzer, hand hovering over the big red button.

"Good Luck, Miki-chan!" Honey giggled.

"Hurray! Hurray! Miki-chan-senpai!" The girls cheered as hand-painted signs waved in the air. "You can do it! You can do it! Miki-chan-senpai!"

"Number one!" Kotaro read off of the cue-cards. "What is the name of the fairy king in Shakespeare's _A Midsummer Night's-_?"

"Oberon!" Before he could even complete the question, Miki slapped her hand over the buzzer as she shouted out.

"Correct! First Point to the Host Club!" Kotaro smiled at his classmate. "Number two, what type of folktales involve gods and goddesses?"

"Myths!" The buzzer right next to the host club, the football clubs' rang. Tarumi slammed his large hand down and snatched the point. He sneered at Miki, receiving a challenging smile in return.

"What's an example of a fairy tale?"

"Rapunzel!"

"Which Shakespeare play is this from? There's nothing either good or bad but thinking makes it so."

"Hamlet!"

"Woah!" Kotaro shouted excitedly into the microphone. "The Host Club and Football Club are neck to neck in this reflex quiz; the other teams barely stand a chance! They really are the front runners of this race! This question will decide who gets a leg up!" Throwing the last cue card away, he asked. "On what month did the character Murasaki-no-ue in the Tale of Genji die?"

Miki flinched. This was a Japanese Literature question; she wasn't nearly as familiar with it. Biting her bottom lip, she searched deep into her mind before a hand reached forth and slammed the buzzer.

"August 14th!" Tamaki shouted, earning a series of bell rings as the regulars let out a loud cheer yell at the victory.

"Correct!" Kotaro snapped his fingers. "The Host Club advances towards the slippery slope!"

Casting Miki a wink, Tamaki took off towards the oil filled slope, showered in praises and encouragement.

"Suoh of the host club is advancing!" Kotaro followed as another member of the broadcasting club took over the quiz. "But... He slipped! The Hitachiin brothers are stepping on him! What an incredible strategy for the chairman's son to sacrifice his body!" He watched intently as the twins trampled all over Tamaki's limp body with nonchalant expressions.

"Who says it's a strategy!?" Tamaki protested. "Get off!" He struggled as another shadow bolted past them.

"Tarumi of Football club passes by easily and takes the lead! It seems like the Gymnastics club, and Wandervogel club are closing in as well! Could it be? Will the host club be eliminated so soon?" As Kotaro was speaking, he noticed something launching into the sky and land atop the giant slope. It turns out, Mori had given Honey a boost as the lolita jumped into his hand and sprung into the air, snagging a spot in the advancement. "It's miraculous teamwork between Morinozuka-senpai and Haninozuka-senpai!" Kotaro pointed at the shota boy who gave the cameras a victorious grin. "The host club passed the first site!"

Second, came the Math Quiz and one hundred chin-ups, which Honey and Mori nailed through another series of amazing teamwork. Third, was the memorization quiz and tightrope walking, where Kyoya and Tamaki handled skillfully. Fourth and finally was a combination of art knowledge and free throws, as Miki and the twins completed without an issue.

"A-1 and D-5, Vermeer's View of Delft and the Astronomer!" Miki told the two, handing them each a basketball.

"Roger that!" The grinned as the each launched the ball into the correct section as airhorns rang throughout the fourth station.

"GOAAAL!" Kotaro shouted, waving his hand excitedly as confetti broke down on the three. "All clear! The host club finished the same time as the football club! Will the other groups follow? As expected, it looks like the two clubs who sparked the race will move on to challenge each other in the final round!" He announced as the fans cheered with joy. "Which club will seize the crown?! Stay tuned to find out!"

"Haruhi, are you okay?" Tamaki asked, rushing over to the brunette's side as she panted heavily from sprinting between locations. "How are you and Miki holding up?"

"Yes, I'm alright..." Haruhi huffed as she bent forward with her hands resting on her knees. "Though, I don't know about Miki-senpai." She sweatdropped at the strawberry blonde who was giggling and chatting with Hikaru and Kaoru over their most recent victory thanks to their teamwork. "By the way, it really isn't the time to tell you this, but I couldn't get around to it yesterday." She turned to the blond who was rubbing her back gingerly. "We assumed that the threatening letters and the blank ones were sent by the same person, but what if they're totally unrelated to each other?" She theorized, placing a hand to her mouth.

"What...?" Tamaki's brows drew close at the notion.

"I think there are two perpetrators." Haruhi proclaimed calmly

"Tamaki-kun! Haruhi!" Miki waved the two over with a hand cupped around her mouth, interrupting their conversation. "We have the final clue!" She beamed brightly, pointing at the piece of paper Kyoya received from the student council.

 _B□H_  
 _Go up and sink_  
 _Tenjiku_  
 _KCN_  
 _Between the Holy Mother and Angel_

"Does 'B□H' mean there's supposed to be a word inside the square?" Hikaru hinted.

"I bet it's W for West, as in Bust, Waist and Hip." Kaoru pointed out.

"Go up and sink..." Mori rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "The sun?" He suggested.

"It might be taken from _The Song of the Sea_." Lifting a finger, Haruhi hummed the tune of the folk song. "The moon rises, and the sun sets in~."

"Tenjiku is in India," Kyoya's eyes swept across the clues again. "It's also the destination of the party in _Journey to the West_." He recalled.

Peeking over his arm, Miki pointed at the letters 'KCN'. "I know this one," She chirped. "It's the symbol for Potassium Cyanide also known as the Suicide Pills spies use. It was mentioned in episode 42 of _Crime? Crime Drama_ ." She said in an all too cheery voice.

"It's known for its potent poison and almond-like scent." Honey continued as his aura turned unusually dark and he placed a hand to his chin. "Because almonds, originally from west India contain hydrocyanic sugar..."

"Neither of your characters should have that kind of vocabulary..." The twins spoke in unison as everyone sweatdropped at the two most innocent looking people.

"Three of the five clues are connected to 'west,'" Tamaki muttered as he held the sheet of paper gingerly. "Assuming one of them points to the 'sea' or the 'sun.' That means," The corners of his mouth quirked up. "The destination is the west gym - where the third-years are holding their event for the festival. Sunset Venice!" He announced without hesitation.

Outside of the west gym, Kotaro gripped the microphone firmly in his hands. "Now the final match is getting more exciting!" He shouted to the large crowd below, gesturing the large flatscreen as everyone watched intently. "Is it chance or is it inevitable? Both clubs have deduced the same destination - Sunset Venice in the west gym. Please watch the screen!" He snapped, and the monitor switched to the cameras inside the beautiful Venice inspired interior. A costume changed host club appeared on screen, sitting in a long boat and smiling at the camera, except for Haruhi and Miki. One was too embarrassed by their predicament; the other couldn't decide which end of the river to watch. "Carnivale!" Kotaro gasped. "The Host Club quickly changed into Venetian Carnivale costumes with the change of location! What an awesome performer's spirit! They took no heed to the fact that it wasn't completely necessary for the race or that it was a total waste of their time! In a way, they're reckless! Incidentally, 'Sunset Venice' is apparently an event in which the ancient Italian city of Venice has been reconstructed in the west gym." He informed. "Anyhow, let's continue with or live report!"

As the announcer's voice drowns in the screams of fangirls, Haruhi felt the irritation in herself grow. _The absurdity of rebuilding Venice in the gym is completely ignored... What a school._ She thought to herself.

"What's wrong Haruhi?" Miki leaned her body to the side and into the brunette's peripheral vision. "You look upset." She beamed, sitting up straight as Haruhi turned to face her.

"Huh? No, it's nothing." Haruhi mumbled, realizing that even if she were to say anything, Miki would be that last person to understand her point.

"Suoh! Catch!" Suddenly, Kuze's voice echoed down the 'river' as an orange came flying from the football club's long boat.

"Milord!"

Both Tamaki and Miki snapped around at the call for their name. However, Tamaki took it one step further. Pushing off on his foot, he lunged out of the craft and caught the orange in his hand... before falling into the 'river' with a loud splash.

"Help!" Flailing his arms in the water, Tamaki yelped. "The heavy costume is heavier in the water!" He complained as Miki and Mori quickly took an oar each, reeling the struggling blond back in.

"Tamaki-kun, are you alright?" A little later, after Mori finally dragged Tamaki out of the water, Miki gently dried down her brother's hair with a towel and a frown. Kuze was really losing his brownie-points with her.

"I-I almost drowned in the gym!" Tamaki gasped as he wheezed for air. "I'd better tell the Venetian tour association about unsuitable this costume is near the water..." He mumbled.

"You're the only one who'd get in a stupid accident like that." The twins sweatdropped at Tamaki's theatrics.

"That's not important." Haruhi averted her eyes, stabbing a knife through Tamaki's heart with her harsh words as he sulked in the corner of the boat over. "Where are we headed? We can't look for the crown blindly in a large area like this. We need to figure out the last clue. What does 'between the holy mother and angel' mean?" She inquired as Miki finished up with Tamaki's hair.

"I don't know," The strawberry blonde hummed as she placed the towel down only for her brother to disappear and huddle with the hosts.

"You know, Haruhi doesn't have a passport..." Hikaru whispered not so secretively. "She's never been to Italy."

"And Miki-senpai's never been out of her room much in general," Kaoru added.

"Don't accuse them! They can't help it." Tamaki shushed them both, casting a pitying glance towards the annoyed brunette and the curious blonde. "Listen up, you two." Lifting an all-knowing finger, he offered them both a warm smile. "Even though it's done on a much smaller scale, several famous locations in Venice have been erected in the gym," Tamaki explained. "For example, Palazzo Dario, Saint Marco, Ducale, and Saint Angelo and Saint Marie Della Salute."

"Oh," Haruhi gasped as she peered down at her map, realizing where they were going.

Miki however, took a little longer to realize. She was too busy being excited about the possible places she could visit in this mini Venice. Her eyes twinkled at the imagination of those brilliantly designed structures and intricately detailed carvings; she cupped her cheeks dreamily.

"It looks like the football club is heading for the same place." Hikaru pointed out.

"Yeah, let's hurry!" Tamaki urged. "The crown is probably sitting between the two spots in the gym."

"Yes, sir!" The twins and Honey saluted as they picked up the oars and began rowing.

After a little while of travelling and cheering from Tamaki, Miki snapped out of her imagination and blinked. "Wait, where are we going?" She glanced around before tilting her head.

The hosts sweatdropped.

"The Accademia Bridge, Miki-senpai." Haruhi gestured the location on the map. "It's between Saint Marie Della Salute and Saint Angelo." She explained patiently, watching her dense upperclassman's hazel eyes light up in realization.

"Oh!" Miki gasped, covering her mouth. "Between the mother and an angel!"

As Haruhi let out a sigh, Kyoya called out to her.

"By the way, Haruhi." Catching her attention, he flashed a small smile. "I hear you think two different perpetrators are sending the threatening letter? Do you have any suspects?" He questioned.

"Two perpetrators?" Miki repeated, cocking her head to the side.

"Yes," Haruhi nodded firmly. "I think the one who sent the newspaper cut-outs is Matsuyama Kanan, the Student Council Secretary." She stated boldly, eyes flickering down she began to explain. "Kuze-senpai was saying he has a connection to the student council. I believe he asked Matsuyama-senpai for help." She theorized. "He convinced the student council to withdraw from the race to make it more advantageous for the football club. I saw the two of them together when I was scouting out the locations, and from what I saw, she doesn't seem to be cooperating willingly." She paused as she gazed forward in a dazed manner. "I think Matsuyama-senpai might be in a position where she can't act against Kuze-senpai. Though she may be obeying his orders, she could have a grudge against him. And that would explain why she might have conspired to prevent Kuze-senpai from realizing his absolute goal - a face-off with the host club." She concluded.

Hearing this, Kyoya's smirk deepened slightly as he hummed. "A very bold theory, but is there any basis for her grudge?"

Haruhi nodded slowly. "I did some research on the library computer yesterday. Matsuyama-senpai's family holds the second biggest market share in Japan for imported produce. In other words, they are direct competitors."

"Is that right?" Honey blinked.

"Yes, but," Haruhi paused for a moment, taking a deep breath. "Their business dropped last year, and rumour has it that Kuze-senpai is talking to them about some merger deals."

"You mean he's manipulated Matsuyama-senpai using a deal that would rescue her family's business?" Hikaru rubbed his chin.

Miki pouted, hands balling into fists. "That's cruel!" She protested.

"For a gentleman, a deed like that is unforgivable!" Tamaki declared. "We cannot let this stand! Everyone, take an oar! Whatever it takes, we must reach the Accademia bridge before the football club! For the sake of Matsuyama-senpai's misery, the Host Club must win!"

"Yes, sir!" Everyone cheered.

However, when both clubs arrived at the Accademia Bridge, they were greeted with where it was supposed to be... in two days.

Construction was still being done.

"Oh no, it's still being built." Nonchalantly, Honey chimed as Mori awkwardly scratched the side of his cheek. "What a shame. It's not open until the festival after all."

"Honey-senpai!" Tamaki shrieked as his fingers twitched in aggravation. "This is your class! You should know the status of the project, like if it's being built!"

"But we're not in charge of this section," Honey reasoned cheerily. "I'm doing the pastry shop over there." He giggled.

Kuze, who was also in class 3-A, was sulking in shame due to his inability to remember the status of his project. Burying his face in his hand, he grumbled incoherently as his underclassmen rushed to cheer him up.

"President, it's not your fault! President!" Tarumi quickly pulled out a ripened orange from who knows where. "Here! Oranges have a calming effect on the mind! Please pull yourself together!"

As both clubs hurried to rethink their plan, Miki tapped her chin, lost in thought. "Kyoya-kun," She turned to look for the boy who stood at the side.

"What is it?" He hummed, smirk deepening as he leaned towards her, watching her step back subconsciously. He didn't think he would ever get bored of that reaction, seeing as before, she wasn't aware of how close they were.

"I still think the crown is around here somewhere; I'll go to the East and West building roofs to take a look. Perhaps a higher ground may give us an advantage." She suggested with a small beam.

"Very well." Huffing out a laugh inwardly, Kyoya nodded.

"Still, I can't believe there would be a heated roof on the rooftop." Miki hummed as she lifted the hem of her flowing ballgown, stepping carefully as to not slip. She paced to the railings of the east building roof, peering down slightly as she sought for any clues.

"Oh!" She gasped slightly, spotting the host club and the football club exit the west gym, still trying to figure out the clues. Her eyes immediately searched for a certain person. Her eyes lit up with joy as she leaned forward, about to call out his name. "Kyo-" She froze when she saw what happened next, watching silently from a distance.

Haruhi was about to say something. However, it seemed like before words got through to anyone, Kyoya appeared behind her and placed a hand over her mouth, wrapping the brunette into a back hug. Quickly, he pulled her around the corner and backed her into a wall as they exchanged words.

 _Why don't you try and be a bit more proactive? Like in an episode of Crime? Crime Drama_ _where the guy hugs her from behind and tells her he loves her?_

Miki blinked, feeling a numbing sensation take over her heart.

The sound of the pool water splashing filled the air, along with the loud chatter of the people below. A mid-November breeze blew, sneaking past the fluffy warmth of her hair and tickling her exposed neck.

Once the numbing faded, a faint aching sensation lodged in. Taken a little off guard, her gaze flickered between the two of them as they spoke. "He did it," She beamed, suppressing tightening feeling in her chest. "I wonder how it went." Twirling on the ball of her foot, she hummed, beginning to walk off with a bright smile on her lips.

During the past few days, she didn't feel anything near Kyoya, not what she had felt when she rushed out of the clubroom that day. So she had written it off as some weird symptom. However, what she felt at that moment. It was different. She didn't understand what went over her, but she simply knew she didn't want to be there. She didn't want to continue watching. Was she envious?

No.

Envy didn't feel like this.

Deciding to ask him about his confession later, Miki began to pace hurriedly towards the sky bridge that connected the east and west roofs. She almost felt as if she could outrun the twinge of pain in her chest.

Almost.

As she got closer to the west roof, the feeling in her chest got more and more difficult to suppress. Her heart felt like it was sinking further and further into oblivion. She blinked, resting a hand to her chest. It was a foreign feeling to her, one she couldn't name nor understand. Biting her bottom lip, she averted her eyes to the pool before noticing something reflecting in the swaying water. Her eyes darted up. Across the giant heated pool from where she was standing, a red and gold crown rested on a chair between a statue of a woman and an angel.

"Ah!" Her jaw dropped as she let out a gasp, pointed at the object in shock.

Suddenly, the roof doors busted open behind her and Haruhi ran onto the roof. "Senpai?" Her eyes rounded as she attempted to catch her breath. "Did you figure it out too?" She panted heavily, a little impressed.

A little baffled by why the brunette was suddenly here, she blinked. "No," Tilting her head, Miki beamed cheerfully. "It was by complete accident." She admitted, earning a sweatdrop by the brunette. Miki quickly turned around and faced the crown with determined eyes as she held her hands in fists before her. "Alright, let's go get-"

"President! There it is!" The football club members' voices followed quickly as the doors were slammed open.

"What?" Haruhi gasped, realizing it must've taken a long time due to her slow running speed.

"Out of the way!" Leading the pack, Tarumi growled as he shoved Miki towards the pool perhaps out of frustration from their earlier face-off, taking her by surprise.

"Miki-senpai!" Haruhi panicked, forgetting all about the crown. She reached out in an attempted to grab the strawberry blonde, barely glazing past her fingers and watching helplessly as she lost footing and flew out.

"Huh?" Miki blinked, still trying to process what was happening as she hovered over the ledge and above the pool. Before she could, however, water came gushing into her mouth, and her eyes were forced closed by the stinging sensation of the chlorinated water. The rest of the club arriving just in time, watching in horror as she immediately sunk in with a loud splash.

"Miki!" Dashing onto the roof, Tamaki bolted towards the pool only to be stopped by Kyoya who redirected his best friend towards the crown.

"Tamaki, I'll see to this!" He yelled, throwing his glasses off. "You go for the crown!"

After a split second of hesitation, Tamaki bit his bottom lip, diverging his tracks and sprinted at full speed towards the football club as Kyoya dove into the water.

 _My clothes are heavy... and I can't swim well..._

Miki felt the urge to breathe in, only to slap a hand over her mouth painfully, preventing herself from swallowing any more water. The water encased her body, pulling her deeper into the abyssal below. Opening a slit in her eyes as she heard another muffled splash, she could faintly see Kyoya swimming towards her. As she grew more and more lightheaded, her hand over her mouth reached out towards him as darkness began to creep upon her vision. Suddenly, she lost all self-control as her eyes slammed shut and she instinctively attempted to breathe in, only for water to burst in and burn at her lungs.

Kyoya realized she was on ropes end and furrowed his brows when he saw the air bubbles escape past her lips. Realizing that she was going to drown if he didn't do anything, he grabbed onto her limp hand and tugged her body firmly towards his like a rag doll. Supporting her chin with his other hand, he pressed his lips against hers, sealing the water out and pushing air in.

On the surface, Tamaki concentrated all power to his legs as he strode towards the crown. The broadcasting club had followed the groups as well as the student council, watching as he and Kuze lunged towards the prize in unison with outstretched hands.

"Milord!" The twins shouted.

"Takeshi!" Matsuyama covered her mouth.

"It's... It's over!" Kotaro shouted with excitement into the microphone as he watched a figure stand up with the red and gold crown in their hand. "Suoh Tamaki claimed the crown! The host club wins!" He announced.

Almost as soon as his voice echoed through the area, a loud splash captured everyone's attention along with a desperate gasp for air.

"Kyoya-senpai!" Haruhi called out, waiting by the pool anxiously with Honey and Mori.

"Breathe!" Kyoya shouted, resting an elbow on the edge of the pool as Miki's head fell limp against his chest. He patted her pale cheek urgently, his other arm wrapped securely around her thin frame, clutching her cold body close to him. "Get a hold of yourself, Miki!"

In a delayed reaction, as usual, Miki's brows furrowed before she wheezed and began to cough violently, throwing up the excess water she had swallowed. Everyone let out a sigh of relief as the colour slowly started to return to her cheeks and her body shivered in the chilly breeze. She panted heavily, dazed eyes wandering before settling on Kyoya. Then without warning, she curled her trembling arms under his and pressed her cheek to his chest, clinging onto him desperately as if he were her lifeline.

Once he received the crown, Tamaki threw it towards the twins before dashing to check on his sister who was being pulled out of the water by Mori and given a towel to dry off. "Miki! Are you-"

"Takeshi! Are you okay?" Matsuyama's voice caught everyone's attention. They watched as the student council secretary rush to a defeated Kuze's side.

Haruhi tilted her head. "Why is Matsuyama-senpai...?"

"Oh, of course." Sitting on the edge of the pool with a towel around his neck, Kyoya shrugged. "She is Kuze's fiancee, after all. They've been in love with each other since way back when." He informed them, pushing his glasses back onto his nose bridge as everyone else gasped in surprise.

"Huh?!"

"The three of us were childhood friends," He explained nonchalantly.

"So, then was I wrong about her being behind the threatening letters?" Haruhi mumbled dumbfoundedly.

"No," Matsuyama shook her head as she bowed her head. "I'm very sorry about what I've done. I was the one who sent them." She explained with her eyes in a downcast.

"Why?" Miki blinked as she coughed hoarsely. "Why would you attempt to frame your fiancee?"

"I didn't want to frame him," Matsuyama chuckled lightly as she tilted her head. "I knew Takeshi wanted to fight the host club because of his rivalry with Kyoya. But I didn't want him to. So I tried to get the host club to withdrawn." She explained before letting out a sigh and turning her head away. "I thought it would be painful to see Takeshi pointlessly beating himself up after losing to Kyoya yet again." She spoke, taking a completely intentional jab at her fiancee who glared at her. "But that foolish side is what makes him cute."

"You were so sure I'd lose...?" Kuze felt his eye twitch in irritation as his hands began to squeeze around an orange.

"You did lose, didn't you? Even after I set it to your advantage." Matsuyama pointed out, offering her lover a sweet smile. "So far you've challenged Kyoya and completely lost twenty-six times over. It's about time you gave up. Not only that but you seem to forget about me when you're at it." She chimed.

"A-All I wanted was for you to think better of me!" Kuze grumbled at her reasoning.

Tilting her head, Matsuyama's eyes crinkled. "Oh, you're mistaken." She giggled. "I love you even if you can't beat Kyoya. So instead of fighting him, just pay more attention to me." She requested sweetly.

Smitten by her soft expression, Kuze's cheeks turned red as he averted his eyes bashfully. "Okay..." He muttered, reeling her into a hug as everyone par Haruhi, Tamaki and Kyoya, clapped for the happy couple. "I'm sorry."

"Kyoya, you knew all about it from the get go..." Tamaki grumbled, turning to his best friend with an irritated expression.

Kyoya, on the other hand, dried his hair nonchalantly. "Fueled by the threatening letters, you guys were burning up with hostility towards the football club. Which helped the race become more exciting than ever. And we not only got the central salon, but we'll be recorded in the history of Ouran. To top it off, all the families will be talking about us." Reasoning as he flashed an unbalanced smile, Kyoya hummed. "If we're going to win, we might as well get the best deal out of it in the process don't you think?" He asked, leaving Tamaki and Haruhi to grumble about his style of common sense.

"What about the blank letter?" Honey then asked, raising an eyebrow.

"We'll talk about that once we get back inside." Kyoya huffed out a laugh as he averted his eyes, noticing Miki wave her hands frantically at Tarumi who bowed his head in a repeated manner, apologizing for his brutish actions while the twins were taunting him from the side.

"Thermotype?" Back at the clubroom, everyone has finished changing out of their costumes as they gasped in unison.

"What is that?!" Snatching the blank letters out of Haruhi's hands, Tamaki shouted with too much energy.

"She means invisible ink!" The twins realized, pounding a fist to their hand.

"Invisible ink?" Miki repeated, still drying her long damp hair off from her little-unexpected swim.

"In other words, it's disappearing ink," Hikaru explained, toying with the crown in one hand. "It's not visible when you write with it, but by warming it, it shows up."

"We used to use it for a lot of pranks." Kaoru raised a finger, chuckling as Miki gasped in awe.

"No, it's just orange juice," Haruhi explained as she pulled out a light she borrowed from the office as everyone stared at her, completely bewildered. "Thinking that these letters were connected to the other hate mail was a mistake." She sighed. "It's actually quite simple. If you apply heat to the blank paper..." Her voice trailed off as she brought the light under the blank sheet, just enough so that it wouldn't catch on fire.

The hosts crowded around watching eagerly as letters began to appear and become more apparent. Soon, a readable message appeared on the previously blank sheet as if it were some matter of sorcery.

Dear Tamaki,

I hear you're interested in the ways of the common folk, so I tried using a poor man's thermotype.

Dad

Dear Miki,

How is that new art book delivery?

Dad

Dear Kids,

Let's have dinner at the house sometime!

Dad

Dear Kids,

This orange is pretty tasty.

Dad

Dear Kids,

When will either of you write me back?

Dad

"Ah, just as I thought. It's from the chairman." Kyoya hummed, rubbing his chin as the host club stared at a frozen Tamaki and a dumbfounded Miki.

"What the heck?" The twins sweatdropped as they flipped through the letters. "They're just personal letters to milord and Miki-senpai." They sighed. "It wasn't anything important."

"That's right," Miki chirped, clapping her hands together, completely contradicting her annoyed brother as he fell to the wall in irritation. "Father did mention he'll be back soon." She beamed.

"That... That..." Tamaki grumbled. "Rotten Old Man!" He shouted before dashing out the Music Room and straight for the chairman's office.

"Tamaki-kun!"

"Milord!"

The doors to the chairman's office slammed open, revealing Tamaki as he clenched the personal letters his father sent them with anger.

"What? You finally figured it out?" Yuzuru asked nonchalantly as he flipped through an issue of Ou-Spot, not even bothering to take a second glance at his son who was panting heavily.

"What do you mean 'what'?!" Tamaki's brows knitted together as he slammed the letters onto his table. "What the heck did you do that for, dad?!"

"Is there a law against a father writing to his kids?" Yuzuru retorted.

Gritting his teeth, Tamaki's finger curled with embarrassment. "This is obviously a bad joke! We were already so busy, and you just made it harder for us!" He shouted.

"Harder?" Yuzuru repeated as he closed his eyes. Huffing out a laugh, he stood up. "I believe I'm pretty well aware of what's going on, Tamaki. Indeed you were busy looking for the perpetrator during the race, but to what end? All you did was show how incompetent you are." He spoke harshly as he brushed past his son. "What was so much harder?" He questioned, noticing his daughter and the rest of the hosts arriving at the door. Turning on his heel, he then grabbed Tamaki's shoulder. "Tamaki, you truly are a very silly boy." He chuckled, breaking his cold facade and poking into his son's cheek with a mischievous laugh as the rest of the club sweatdropped at this overly doting father.

"Father!" Miki smiled brightly as her eyes twinkled. "Welcome back! We received your letters." She informed him with a happy giggle.

"There you are!" Grinning at the sight of her, Yuzuru beamed as he rushed forth to squish her cheeks like a toddler. "How are you doing? Has Tamaki been giving you a hard time?" He cooed lovingly.

Shaking her head, Miki hummed. "Not at all." She replied.

Haruhi watched the difference in interactions Yuzuru had between his two kids. She had always noticed how he enjoyed teasing Tamaki a lot more than Miki, and it made her wonder why. _Is it favouritism?_ _Because Miki-senpai was a child born out of political benefit?_ She wondered, suddenly finding herself feeling sorry for the girl.

"I've received a report that the host club was receiving hate mail," Yuzuru explained as he let go of his daughter's now puffy reddened cheeks. "I couldn't help but contribute immediately." He chucked in adoration. "So what do you think? I made it more fun, didn't I? Did I deepen the mystery?"

"Oh, absolutely father!" Clapping her heads together, Miki nodded enthusiastically. "You should've seen the methods we used to uncover the perpetrator! I even got to dress up like a spy-"

"Don't encourage him, Miki!" Before Miki could finish, Tamaki burst out with a flustered face. "He didn't have to make it more 'fun'! If you want to say something to either of us, talk to us directly!" The blond shouted angrily.

Yuzuru's grin widened at the sight of his rattled son. "Now, now, don't bash her like that. It's all in the name of helping Miki experience new things. Besides-" Suddenly, he stopped speaking as his eyes darted to the corner of the room urgently, his two kids quickly followed as they diverted their attention to the corner of them rooming finding... nothing. Yuzuru however, appeared next to Haruhi's side and began conversing with her. "We meet again, Haruhi! Now that we aren't dealing with my foolish son's fever or my daughter's family history, we can finally have a talk, can't we? How are you getting along at school? Is there anything that bothers you?" He asked the brunette who sweatdropped at his kids' reaction, realizing why the man prefers to tease his son over his daughter.

Tamaki, realizing he had been tricked by his father, was trembling in embarrassment as he quickly retreated to his 'emo-corner' to sulk. Miki, however, still hadn't caught on that she had been deceived as was still searching the area cluelessly for what caught her father's eyes.

 _So it's not a case of favouritism, but one kid is funnier to get a rattle out of than the other._ She deadpanned at the two before turning to the chairman. "Thank you; I'm quite used to the school now." She managed. "Nothing is bothering me enough to mention."

"Are you sure?" Yuzuru raised an eyebrow, taking her hands in his as he leaned forth with a serious expression. "I'm quite aware of the reason why you're hiding the fact that you're a girl. What a horrible boy Tamaki is to do that to such a darling girl." He clicked his tongue disapprovingly. "I have an idea, how about this daddy buys you a pretty dress-"

"DAD!" Jumping out of his corner and grabbing both a still confused Miki and Haruhi by the arms he began stomping towards the door. "Stay away from Haruhi, please! We're busy so excuse us!" He grumbled. "Let's go, everyone!"

"I'll see you soon, Father!" Still being dragged by the arm, Miki waved with a carefree expression.

"Huh? Why can't we have more fun in the chairman's office?" The twins snickered at the hilarious interactions between the family.

Yuzuru chuckled as his son and their friends disappear beyond the door, noticing Kyoya. "Kyoya," He called out to the boy before he could close it. "You've done a fabulous job." He complimented as he waltzed back towards the seat at his desk. "During the finals, you purposefully allowed the other team to stay on track so they would reach the rooftop at the same time. I'm sure it was all part of your plan. After all, there is a greater sense of victory for the winning team if the race is close." He sighed as he sunk into his chair, resting his chin on his interlaced fingers.

"Chairman, your blank letters helped a lot. Thanks to you, everyone was confused - it slowed them down considerably. " Kyoya shrugged in compliance. "I used the perpetrator to invigorate my team's competitiveness with the football club. I didn't want them to figure out too soon."

"If what I did helped you, I'm honoured." Yuzuru let out a small laugh. "After all, due to your plan, Tamaki seized the crown at the end." Closing his eyes, his shoulders slumped slightly as he continued. "Though you must have done it for your own benefit too, the Suoh family, including my mother, will attend the school festival. I'm sure the fact that you let Tamaki take the spotlight will help his situation."

"All I did was create a favourable situation." Kyoya hummed as his hand rested on the golden doorknob. "There was no guarantee that Tamaki would overtake the president of the football club." He smirked as he attempted to pull the door shut. "I think having strong luck is part of his talent."

Yuzuru let out a small series of laughter as his eyes flickered down. "One last thing." He hummed, locking gazes with the boy. "Thank you for saving Miki." He huffed gently.

Kyoya froze at his words as his smirk wavered for a moment. "Of course." He replied before shutting the door.

In the now empty Ouran Academy halls, Kyoya paced back to the clubroom, thinking of the chairman's last words.

The one he predicted would fall into the pool was Haruhi, the one who could at the very least swim, even with the heavy costume. The chances of Miki being the one on the west rooftop at that time was slim, pretty much non-existent. She was supposed to be still on the East Roof at that point and time, searching for clues. Knowing her airheaded nature and enthusiasm with play the role of a real 'detective', it should've taken a while until she completed her search. He wondered what could've hastened her approach towards the West Roof.

Eyes in a downcast, he opened the doors to the host club, finding her alone in the large music room, packing up her bags.

However, just like right now, she was there.

As usual, she never ceased to surprise him, be it in a good or bad way.

Hearing the doors open, Miki twirled around on the ball of her foot. Her face instantly lit up with joy at the sight of him. "There you are." She giggled. "Welcome back, Kyoya-kun."

Ignoring how that sounded like a wife greeting her husband who has returned from work, Kyoya stepped in gingerly. He took a moment, glancing around to notice no one else was present. "Where is everyone?" He asked as he paced over to the table where their bags were and began to pack up.

"They went home." She explained, tilting her head to the side. "Tamaki-kun went down to the limo first. He seemed angry after the conversation with father."

"I see."

Curious by his strange silence, Miki blinked as she tried to consider what could possibly have him so quiet. "Kyoya-kun, are you angry too?" She hummed, approaching him from the side. She jolted, suddenly remember the scene she saw between him and Haruhi. "Did you get rejected?" Without even thinking, she blurted out.

Brows knitting together, Kyoya cast her curious expression a side glance. "What are you talking about?" He inquired, giving her a weird look.

"You confessed to Haruhi, didn't you? I saw it from the east building roof," She chirped, gesturing her arms as she pretending to hug something in front of her. "You even took my advice to hug her from behind."

There was a small moment of silence as Kyoya turned to study her, a hand to his chin. He couldn't tell if she was being serious or not, especially after the events at the pool. Concluding that she was probably unconscious and therefore had no recollection of the events, he let out an irritated sigh. "Did you think I would be interested in that pint-sized Tanuki?" He questioned, raising an eyebrow.

"Eh?" Miki was even more confused.

Averting his eyes to his bag, Kyoya sighed again. "I do acknowledge her worth as a person, but she's not my type." He explained. "What you saw, was merely me telling her to go on ahead to the roof."

Miki blinked.

"So you weren't confessing to her?"

"No."

"Is she not the person you have feelings for?"

"No."

There was a sense of numbing comfort that rushed through Miki's body as she realized how tense she had been the entire time. She couldn't even remember when she became so stiff. The rock in her heart landed, and a smile curled. "I see," Averting her eyes; she pressed a palm to her chest with a soft beam.

"What are you smiling about?" An amused smirk dancing across his lips, Kyoya hummed.

Peering up at him, Miki's hazel eyes flickered between him and her hand that rested on her chest. "I don't understand either." She admitted. "When I thought you confessed to Haruhi, it felt like someone was squeezing my heart, however now it's completely gone." She explained before locking eyes with him. "Why is that, Kyoya-kun?"

"Who knows," Placing the last of his items into the leather bag, Kyoya shrugged as he studied her. "Perhaps, that feeling was jealousy." He suggested smugly, huffing out a breath.

"Jealousy..." Miki repeated with blank eyes. "So this is what jealousy feels like." She muttered, biting her bottom lip before breaking into a smile. "It's not a pleasant feeling." She commented as her fingers curled gently.

"It's not meant to be," Letting out a sigh at her obvious statement, Kyoya turned to the door. "Come on; I need to lock the room up."

Eyes darting up, Miki blinked for a moment before breaking into a bright smile. "Yes, I'm coming!" Nodding curtly, she grabbed her bag and chimed.

"Since when did you have bangs?" As the two of them walked down the sunset-hued grand corridors of Ouran Academy, Kyoya raised an eyebrow, finally noticing the difference in her appearance. Because she had fallen into the chlorinated pool, she had taken out her usual crowned braid to avoid the rubber band tangling with her hair The hair that had usually been caught up in the braid fell before her eyes, creating a curtain of strawberry blonde bangs just above her eyes.

"Ah, this?" Miki's eyes peered up as she brushed down the hair. "I've always had them, Arden says they look best on me. Though I usually put it up in the braid, because it gets in my eyes too much."

"It suits you." Kyoya complimented.

"Really?" She gasped, a wide smile plastering onto her face. "Thank you!"

A few moments later...

"What is it?"

He could felt, no, he could see Miki staring at him with her rounded eyes. Her body leaned forward into her peripheral vision, examining him as if he were an artifact in a museum.

"Oh, it's nothing." Tilting her head, she shook it clumsily. "You just look less angry. I'm glad." She replied with a radiant smile.

Hearing her words, Kyoya froze in his tracks as he stared in a bewildered manner at the girl as she turned around to stare back with questioning eyes.

 _I need you, Kyoya-kun._

Despite knowing her false perception of him, when she said such words, he became foolish and blinded by his joy. His thoughts reverted to one of an ordinary man's. He wondered what she would say if she knew of his predictions. Would she still smile at him like that? Or would she recoil in disgust? Those words she said, were most likely directed at her delusion of him. The side of him who she deemed as a 'nice person.' For the first time in his life, he felt as if he lost control, of both himself and the situation.

"You truly are naive," His voice slipped past his lips without thinking twice. He studied her as she brushed a lock of damp hair out of her face, tilting her head curiously. "I knew someone was bound to fall in the pool, Miki. Some may bound to say I set it up as such." He said.

"Oh." Blinking a few times as she processed the information, Miki questioned. "So? What about it?" She questioned.

"Are you not upset that I used you in such a way?" He furrowed his brows, wondering if she really was that much of an idiot.

Looking ever more puzzled, Miki cocked her head to the side. "It's not like you were the one who pushed in me," The corner of her lips rose, giving him a soft smile. "And just because you predicted it, didn't mean you could've stopped it especially if it was something that served to be beneficial to you." Peering up at him, she giggled into her hand. "That's just how you are, Kyoya-kun."

Kyoya flinched at her words.

 _She knew._

 _She knew all along who he was._

 _And those words were very much meant for him._

"Besides," Holding her hands in a fist before her chest, Miki beamed. "I promised that I'd be of assistance to you, right?"

Losing his composure, Kyoya snapped. "Promise or not, you could've drowned!" He grabbed her shoulders as both their leather bags dropped onto the ground with a small thump, catching Miki off guard. She stared up blankly into his irritated eye.

"But I didn't, and you came to my rescue." Miki reasoned bluntly, causing his irritation to rise at her child-like logic. "Kyoya-kun, why do you look angry again?" Cocking her head to the side, she asked.

Gritting his teeth, Kyoya reeled her into his chest, wrapping his arms around her neck as he rested his chin on her head. Faintly, he could smell the chlorine in her hair, messing with the usual wavy texture.

Miki blinked a little, indulging in the warmth emitting from both him and her chest. Then, she pressed the side of her head into his chest and buried her face in her arms. "You are such a troublesome woman; how can I not be angry?" He retorted.

"I'm sorry..." With her voice muffled by her arms, Miki spoke.

Hearing her speak as she were a child being scolded by a parent, Kyoya huffed out a breath inwardly. "Don't apologize." His eyes were in a downcast as he threaded his fingers through her hair. "I'm not angry, not at you."

"Huh?" Peeling away, Miki hummed. "Then who are you mad at? Tarumi-kun already apologized many times over."

Feeling his eyebrow twitch at how clueless she was, Kyoya grumbled as he pressed her back into his chest gently. "I'm not mad at Hayato-kun." He sighed in a frustrated manner. "I'm merely frustrated with myself."

"Eh?!" Immediately pulling away from him once again, Miki furrowed her brows disapprovingly. "Don't be, Kyoya-kun." She was speaking with so much passion; she was almost shouting. "You pulled me back out of the pool when I thought I was going to drown; you saved my life!" Then, her loose grip on him tightened around his arms, and her eyes squeezed closed. "I was terrified." She admitted, fingers curling to clutch tighter on his jacket. "It was dark, and I couldn't breathe. It felt like someone was pulling me into a labyrinth, trapping me in there for the rest of my life." Taking a deep breath, she wiped the memories out of her mind as she peered up to give Kyoya a bright smile. "So that's why I was so happy when you rescued me." She beamed, all the fear vanished at the sight of his wide-eyed expression. "Thank you, Kyoya-kun." Nodding curtly, she chided. "You are a wonderful weather-" Before she could finish her comparison, however, she felt a hand swiftly muffle her mouth. She hummed in surprise as she blinked rapidly at Kyoya's irritated expression. He had a pretty good guess on what she was going to say. And he knew he wasn't going to like it.

"Don't call me a 'weathervane.'" He sighed, feeling the muscle in his eye twitch out of agitation for still being compared to an architectural ornament. "It's irksome." He told her.

Retracting a hand from behind his back, Miki gingerly took his larger one off of her mouth with her brows knitted. "Then what would I call you?" She questioned, seeming slightly bothered.

"Do you have to compare me to something?" Kyoya questioned.

Miki immediately began to nod her head with a serious expression, still clutching his hand in hers.

Letting out a sigh in resignation, Kyoya thought for a moment. Though it didn't take long for his attention to drift to the warmth of her hand around his, he studied her thin fingers that gently held the back of his hand in a loose, flimsy grip. He smirked as an idea flashed into his mind. Slipping out her grasp, he turned around and firmly took her hand in his, bringing it between them. "You mentioned that you felt as if you were being trapped into a labyrinth." He hummed with a sense of pride, seeing a faint dust of pink spread across her cheeks. "If that's the case, I'll act as a guiding hand to you, look to me if you are ever feeling trapped again. Does that sound good enough?" With a smug huff of air, he narrowed his eyes at Miki who's lips parted at the notion.

Gasping, her eyes began to shimmer in the setting sun that shone through the large windows. The shadows cast by the rails reflected onto her body, yet conveniently avoiding her face. As if her bright smile alone could ward off the darkness on its own, making way for her radiant smile as she quickly nodded. "Okay, Kyoya-kun! Let's do our best to support each other." Her cheeks shone with joy.

 _Cute._

 _She's so cute._

Hiding the adoration that was about to surface on his lips, Kyoya brought her hand to them instead. "It's a promise then," He stated smugly, kissing the back of her hand gently, watching as Miki's eyes round when his cold lips came in contact with her warm skin. Her breath quickened, and a slight feverish sensation took over the initial chill that lingered from when she fell into the pool. She then noticed Kyoya's passionate eyes gazing upon her as his lips made chaste kisses up her index finger. She flinched at the strange sensation as her finger twitched. Placing a final ghost-like kiss on the tip of her finger, Kyoya smirked at the prominent blush on her cheeks he received as a reward. He slowly let go of the flabbergasted girl and leaned down to grab both their bags.

Passing hers into her other hand, he walked off in a different direction with half-lidded eyes and a calm wave. "I'm heading to the West gates, don't forget the final drafts of the central salon." He reminded her with a smug smirk. "I'll see you tomorrow."

"S-See you tomorrow." Still, in a slight daze, Miki nodded awkwardly with her hand before staring down at it. The spots were he had pressed his lips continued to burn and tingle, to the point where it felt strange. Unlike when others touched her, it wasn't unpleasant. For some reasons she didn't understand, she enjoyed it when he teased her like that.

One factor, however, had her the most puzzled.

Kyoya had kissed her along her hand, so why did her lips also feel a faint nostalgic tingle?

A/N: WOW THAT IS SOME DEVELOPMENT IF THIS STORY HAS EVER SEEN ANY! You guys have been asking for some development, so here it is. The first kiss, even though one of them only remember and it's technically not a first kiss, all things considered. Though I'm sure, most of you are just glad Miki is gaining some self-awareness to her feelings. You see, now that I'm writing the later chapters. I realized things are only going to get tenser and tenser, meaning the stories are going to get heavier and the laughter is going to die down quite a bit. Though I hope through Miki, I can still work in some funny moments worthy of a laugh, so you all aren't just sulking the entire chapter. For those of you wondering, this arc is based on the manga chapters, before the festival. Now that we have reached this point, the story will begin shifting into the manga storyline instead as we continue our journey through Ouran!

Also, did you guys believe I'd go through with the whole 'Oh no! Misunderstanding!' troupe about that Haruhi moment for another ten chapters? Yeah, no. Tsk tsk, if you thought the plot was going to go in that direction. This is Miki we are talking about. If something is on her mind, she usually just flat out says it. Unless it's against the better of her judgement, for whatever that is worth.

Ahhh, I tried to work around Kyoya's character throughout that entire last scene. So I don't know if he may have acted a bit OOC, please don't kill me! I try my best to make sure the canon characters remain in character as much as possible, but with scenes like that, it becomes challenging. If anyone wanted an explanation to why he acted like that... um... 'His thoughts reverted to one of an ordinary man's.' Does that work?

With that, have a great day!

XOXO,

Astra.


	35. 31 Welcome to our Ouran Festival!

_-Chapter 31-_

Welcome to our Ouran Festival!

"The 43rd Ouran School Festival is now open!" With that loud declaration from the PA, parents and guests alike began to flood into the building as chatter filled the main halls. "Ladies and Gentleman, please reference both the pamphlet and the touch screens for information. The touch screens are specifically placed in each school building. Please relax in the Central Salon located in the central building. Also please join us for the dance party at 5 p.m."

"Welcome to class 1-A's event! Agence de Detectives Prives!" Hikaru and Kaoru announced with an open of the arms. Class 1-A was transformed into a private detective agency, with late English furniture and mysterious clues and objects sprinkled about. Students operated their stations, some helpful clues while others directed guests around the room. "If you're having trouble, the top students in class 1-A will advise you. Please choose an assistant of your liking!" The chuckled, gesturing Momoka, Kazukiyo and a bewildered Haruhi in the corner of the room.

"Hikaru! Kaoru!" Stepping out of the crowd, Miki waved excitedly at the twins who spun around after directing a few guests. "Good work today; how are you both feeling?" She greeted them.

"Miki-senpai." The twins cocked their heads at the sight of her. "What are you doing here? Shouldn't you be taking care of your station in class 2-A?"

"Since my job was in the preplanning phase to create all those production sketches, Tamaki-kun told me just to relax and enjoy the festival." Miki chided as she glanced around. "Besides, I wanted to see how the finished product turned out."

"Thank you for all your hard work," Hikaru grinned, patting the strawberry blonde's back. "The guests love the interior."

"Do you want to try out a mystery of your own?" Kaoru offered.

Though the idea was tempting, Miki pursed her lips and gently shook her head. "As much as I would love to, we have to head over to the central salon soon. If I started one of the mysteries now, I doubt I'd be able to finish in time." Turning away, she cupped her cheeks and let out a dramatic sigh as fake tears brimmed her eyes. "I guess I'll just be content with watching this time; it's such a shame."

"She is definitely milord's sister." The twins sweatdropped at her words when a sudden voice rang behind them.

"Hikaru. Kaoru." They quickly turned around to see an elegant, stylishly-dressed young woman with ginger hair approach, accompanied by a man.

"Mom!" The twins gasped at the sight of her as Haruhi turned around, curious to see the mother of those devils.

With an impressed smile, the woman's bright eyes scanned the room. "This looks like fun; the interior is perfectly coordinated as well."

Being complimented by such a beautiful and well-respected person, Miki quickly bowed with a joyful beam. "R-Really? Thank you very much," She managed to speak through her excitement.

Noticing her, the fashion legend, Hitachiin Yuzuha, hummed with a hand to her chin. "You were the one who coordinated all this? I'm quite impressed; you have some skill for your age." She studied Miki thoughtfully. "You hold yourself well, your uniform and makeup are coordinated. Though I would suggest using a pink-toned lip tint, it would help accentuate the mauve tint in your hair."

"Yes, I will definitely try that, thank you very much," Miki replied sweetly, inwardly thanking Arden for all those lessons on maintaining her appearance.

Seeing their mother and Miki immediately hit things off, the twins took hold of Haruhi and dragged her into the conversation. "Mom! This is Haruhi! We'll adopt her someday, so don't forget!" They chuckled in unison.

"Oh, so you're the one?" Yuzuha turned her attention to the brunette, routinely examining her.

"Um... Please to meet you," Haruhi muttered, noting to herself how much of a splitting image she was to the twins.

Yuzuha quickly went to work as she lifted Haruhi's chin. "Stand up straight." She advised. "You should trim your hair a little more. And dear, your ribbon is tilted. Your vest is a bit too big," As she worked to fix Haruhi's detective uniform, she asked her sons. "Hikaru, Kaoru, did you measure her properly?"

"Of course we did!" They chimed.

"There, it's better now." With a satisfied look in her eyes, Yuzuha secured the ribbon neatly before moving back to watch the two girls. "Please come join us for dinner sometime," She invited. "I want you two to try on some dresses of mine. Right, my darling?" She then turned to the silent man beside her with a doting expression, sending a shock of revelation to Haruhi, who had assumed he was an escort.

"Of course, that would be nice." The man laughed endearingly.

"Well then, we'll head out to the central building. See you later." After a quick wave, Yuzuha ad her husband left almost as quickly as they came, leaving Haruhi to remark on how the twins take after her.

"Yuzuha-san is a fashion legend and the head of her own high-end fashion company. Her basis on colour theory and coordination is said to be perfect." Leaning out the doorframe with the first-year trio, Miki cupped her chin, letting out a dreamy sigh. "It feels so unreal that she complimented my design."

"Is that so?" Haruhi hummed before turning to the twins. "So does your father work in her company as well?"

"No, he's an executive for a software development company," Hikaru explained with his hands in his pocket. "Incidentally, he married into the family."

"The name Hitachiin belongs to my mother's side. Grandma is known for her original style of flower arrangement." Kaoru elaborated.

Facing each other, they let out a troubled sigh. "Generation after generation, our family has a strong line of females. Since we're shy like our dad, we're worried about our future." They chimed in unison.

"Am I supposed to laugh right now?" Haruhi grumbled dryly.

Suddenly, Honey and Mori appeared in the detective agency dressed in their Carnivale outfits and pushing a cart of expensive looking desserts.

"We brought some Venetian cakes for everyone in Class 1-A!" The lolita waved with brightened cheeks as the regulars quickly crowded around him enthusiastically.

Bowing in thanks, Haruhi stared in amazement at the crazy fancy pastries. "Thank you so much-"

"They're 10,000 Yen each!" Honey followed up, passing a piece to one of the girls who happily forked over the money.

 _So they're not free?_ Haruhi averted her eyes with a sweatdrop.

At this point, Kazukiyo approached the group with Momoka. "Fujioka and Hitachiin, don't you have to go to your club event now?" He said with a soft smile. "We'll be okay here. Go on."

"Have fun!" Momoka waved patiently before quickly rushing off to help out the next customers.

As the rowdy group of six walked down the bustling halls of Ouran, Haruhi turned to the two thrid-years. "Honey-senpai, Mori-senpai, are your parents here too?" She asked curiously.

"Yep," Honey nodded cheerfully as he skipped down the corridors. "But they're in the middle school division right now to see our little brothers' events."

"What are Chika-kun and Satoshi-kun doing for their class events?" Miki pursued, speaking with a slight hum to her voice as her eyes darted around the halls, amazed by how many people were present.

"I think they are building a petting zoo," The little blond tapped his chin thoughtfully, "Chika-chan love cute, cuddly animals you know?" He winked, pressing a finger to his lips in secrecy.

Haruhi hummed, tapping the strawberry blonde on the shoulder as they turned the corner on the second floor. "By the way, Miki-senpai, what is class 2-A's theme?" She questioned, coming to the large double doors.

"Well-" With a mysterious smile, Miki threw the doors to her classroom open. Instantly, it was as if they stepped out of the elegant school building and into the streets of a summer festival. Food stalls were lined up on the sides as prim and properly suited guests walking about, clearly not fitting into the setting they were placed in. Dimly lit lanterns were strung across the ceiling as well as a few arranged in the shape of fireworks, adding to the festivity as a familiar blond dressed in a commoner's festival outfit came forth.

"Ah, you all came!" Tamaki greeted them with a wide smile. "Step right in and take a look around, class 2-A's theme is 'Kiosks of the Common Folk.'" He announced proudly. "Would you like a candy apple, Haruhi?"

"Tamaki-kun had so much fun at the summer festival, he insisted that I drew inspiration from that experience," Miki explained with an airy giggle. "I was the one who suggested the fireworks, by the way."

"As far as he is concerned, nothing surprises me anymore," Haruhi mumbled with a sigh, taking the sweet treat that was shoved into her hands with a small sigh.

"Yeah! Let's try that shooting game again!" Hikaru chimed, about to run off with his twin when Kyoya appeared, already dressed in his school uniform.

"Now is not the time," He interfered, readjusting his sleeves. "It's almost time for our event."

"That's right!" Snapping out of his doting trace, Tamaki jolted up with excitement. "Is the carriage ready?" He asked the twins who swiftly saluted military-style.

"Carriage...?" Haruhi repeated with a raised eyebrow, already fearing for what was coming.

"Yep! We ran final checks this morning!" The twins grinned.

"And the central salon?" The blond then turned to Miki, Honey and Mori.

"It's all ready Tamaki-kun," Miki gave a swift, curt nod. "I had a little help from Honey-senpai and Mori-senpai, but it's taken care of!"

Nodding in satisfaction, Tamaki lifted an all-knowing finger with a victorious smirk. "Now, listen up!" He pronounced flamboyantly. "Remember the customer is always right and that we have adult guests today! Enact the 'ladykiller' rules of engagement! But first, our special event for the school festival..."

"Ladies and Gentlemen, The Host Club Special Parade!"

With the broadcasting club's loud announcement, a carriage carrying the hosts dressed in late french styled costumes trucked down the large halls as guests around let out shrieks of adoration.

"Look, here comes the host club! They're looking exceptionally ornate today..."

"After this, I hear they'll have two carriages touring the school and escorting people back to the central salon."

"Ahh... I wonder if I can get a ride."

"Look, mom! Aren't they wonderful?" One of the host club regulars turned to ask her mother, who had a look of disdain on her face.

"I don't know..." She grumbled, casting the hosts a vulgar look. "They might be handsome, but if they're boasting about their looks and their way with women-"

"Is it a crime to adore true beauty, madam?" Suddenly appearing next to the woman like a breeze of air, Tamaki stepped off the carriage with a gentle look in his eyes. "Well, you may not forgive us, but the truth behind our actions is not the desire for feminine adulation." Gingerly taking the woman's hand, Tamaki gazed up at her. "Rather, it's our selfish wish to spend what fleeting moments we may in the company of beautiful ladies."

"Oh, I see..." Taken in by Tamaki's sugar-coated words and handsome face, the woman's cheeks were dusted pink.

Somewhere on the carriage, the twins were accompanying another woman as they spoke.

"So you twins are accomplished in flower arrangement?" The woman asked.

"Yes, but our grandmother says out work shows out immaturity as people," Hikaru explained as he lifted a cup of tea to his lips.

Kaoru nodded with a sorrowful and distant look in his soft brown eyes. "Our parents are always busy, so we've been neglected for the most part." He elaborated.

"Our loneliness resulted in a spiritual unbalance which we cannot help but betray in our work..." They spoke in unison, bringing tears to the woman's eyes as she hurriedly wiped them away with a handkerchief.

 _Ahh, I could disappear..._ Haruhi hid her face in shame from the passionate crowd who often begged for her to look in their direction. _How can they talk like that without embarrassment...?_

"Haruhi, correct your posture." Kyoya reminded her from across the carriage. "Try to present yourself more gallantly." Flashing his usual unbalanced smile, he waved out to the crowd who only grew louder from the attention they were receiving.

"Kyoya-senpai, aren't you ashamed of yourself?" Haruhi questioned. "I'd have thought this wasn't the type of thing you'd enjoy." She muttered.

"It's easy enough to cast away any sense of shame if it's for the sake of future profit," Kyoya explained as he continued to wave in a calm manner. "If you feel so ashamed, why don't you think of them this way." Gesturing the crowd, he smiled brightly. "They're nothing but scum of the earth." He spoke without hesitation.

 _How black must his heart be before he's satisfied?!_ Haruhi thought to herself when a wave of nausea hit her from being on the carriage for too long. Letting out a small groan, she leaned over the side with a groan as Honey and Mori approached her worriedly.

"Are you alright, Haru-chan?" Honey asked. "Maybe you should try thinking of fields of strawberries or a mountain of cakes!"

"A rice-ball mountain..." Mori also pitched in, hoping to help ease the motion-sickness she was experiencing.

"It's okay... I don't want to hear anything more that will cause me to doubt your humanity..." She mumbled, covering her mouth.

"Haruhi, are you alright? Hang in there." Her guest tapped the brunette gently on the shoulder in worry. "I know you don't care much for something like this. I'm sorry that in out merrymaking we ignored your feelings," She furrowed her brows with regret.

"Oh... Don't worry..." Quickly slipping into character, Haruhi flashed her honest smile. "I thought it was only our other club members who would enjoy a (stupid) thing like this, but if you're enjoying it too, it's worth (at least a little) the trouble."

As the carriage finished making its first round around the large campus, the hosts escorted the guests back into the central salon as they were quickly greeted with a ball of energy and smiles.

"Welcome back everyone!" Miki chimed cheerfully as she balanced a tray of tea and biscuits on each of her hands, rushing about the large ballroom and attending to each of the guests. She noticed the group of lucky ones who were escorted back personally by the hosts. "Welcome to the Central Salon; I'll get you seated immediately. Let me know what kind of tea and snacks better suit your tastes and I'll be sure to bring it." Prancing around in her layered orange and red ballgown, she lowered her head in a half-curtsy. "We also have a poker table and roulette wheel near the east entrance if you'd like to pass some time. If you'd like your snacks delivered there, I can surely do that for you."

"Miki-senpai is doubling as a maid...?" Haruhi felt her eyebrow twitch at the absurdity around the room, watching as the hosts quickly went to work and began to speak with the guests who were already seated.

"She volunteered to help out as a maid and hold down the fort while we make rounds," Kyoya explained as he lifted his glasses further up his nose bridge. "She seemed to have learned lots from working at Misuzu-san's pension." He then spotted his father in the corner, speaking with the other guests. He quickly approached to accompany him.

"Father, it's a pleasure to see you here." He bowed, greeting the stoic man who nodded in acknowledgement at the presence of him.

"Oh my, is this one of your son Ootori-san?" The woman who was speaking with the man cupped her cheek with her free hand as she studied the boy.

"Indeed, this is my third son, Ootori Kyoya." Gesturing the boy, Ootori Yoshio introduced. "Kyoya, this is Sakurazuka-san. She is one of the main sponsors of the Aquatic Garden that opened in the summer."

"A pleasure to meet you, Madam." Kyoya lowered his head in respect.

"What an excellent son you have," The woman chuckled, swirling the champagne glass in her other hand. "I heard there were a lot of competitors for the central salon this year. Kimiko told me all about it with such enthusiasm! I hear it was rigged to favour the athletic clubs. It was an astounding victory for you guys. Rumour has it that their strategy was planned by Kyoya-kun. You sure are smart! You're already a top student, but this required a different set of expertise." She complimented. "Well done!"

"Oh no, not at all. I only supported my very talented companions." Shaking his head, Kyoya denied the applause with an unreadable smile. "Unfortunately, I was not born to stand above others as a leader." He spoke brazenly.

"How humble you are!"

"It was right to let the chairman's son take the spotlight in the end. Well done, Kyoya." In a low voice, Yoshio closed his eyes. "It's good to show support to the Suoh family."

"To be honest, I was taken aback when I first heard of the host club." The woman covered her lips with the tips of her fingers as she chuckled wryly. "Well, it's rather outrageous, isn't it?" She questioned, taking the last sip of the last of her champagne.

Yoshio opened his eyes thoughtfully as he stared at the last of his drink. "In this day and age, to change people's perceptions is also an important technique." He spoke calmly. "Unless one can attract attention, it's impossible to be understood or even recognized. I advocate meritocracy. If he has the talent, well..." Taking an elegant sip of his champagne, he raised his glass. "I don't mind naming my third son heir to the family business."

"Oh, how exciting!" Sakurazuka giggled.

Kyoya's eyes widened slightly by this declaration before a small smirk surfaced on his lips.

 _For now, mission accomplished._

The doors to the central salon creaked open followed by an excited cry for their grandmother. Kyoya's eyes shot up to the senior woman dressed in a kimono as she entered the room with two attendants. Her gray hair was tied into a neat bun, and there was a hardened expression in her downcasted eyes. His attention then automatically flickered to Miki as she watched the events with a slightly troubled look.

"Grandmother! You took the trouble to come!" Tamaki exclaimed, running up to her.

"Oh, so she's Tamaki-senpai and Miki-senpai's grandmother." Haruhi smiled.

"I hate her." Honey stated as his face darkened.

"What?" Haruhi blinked.

"That person is hateful." He continued vaguely.

"Please come in and take a seat." Extending an arm forward, Tamaki attempted to guide the woman in further with a soft smile only for her to step out of the way without sparing him a single glance.

"Don't touch me. You're filthy." She spoke harshly.

Haruhi's eyes widened in disbelief, thinking that her ears had somehow played a cruel trick.

"I'm sorry; I was working the kiosk before." Scratching the back of his head, Tamaki chuckled apologetically. "Do I smell like food?"

"Even if you wash, it will make no difference." The older woman, the matriarch of the Suoh family, Suoh Shizue continued. "The son of a harlot who vanished, deserting her own child." She muttered. "Shameless." She spat as she continued to the center of the salon, observing the setup of the room.

Haruhi felt her heart sink to her stomach; she attempted to reach forward to Tamaki who had leaned his side against a pillar. "Tamaki-senpai, are you-"

"I upset her!" Snapping around, Tamaki hushed with comical tears, shocking Haruhi. "I can't believe I let this happen! I bet it was the octopus balls - my grandmother hates the smell! Of course, she's not used to commoner's food."

"What?" Haruhi sweatdropped, attempting to understand what was happening. "I don't really think that was it-"

Seeing her brother under such distress, Miki bit her bottom lips. She cast a glance at Shizue who still hadn't left, still admiring the set up of the room. "Tamaki-kun," She called out to him and catching his attention. Glancing over her shoulder, she winked as she tapped a finger against her lips. "Don't worry; I got this."

Kyoya watched silently as Miki gracefully approached the older woman stood at the center of the salon. _What is she planning?_ He furrowed his brows.

"Excuse me, Suoh-san." Leaning to the side and popping into her peripheral vision with a beaming smile, Miki called out to Shizue who averted her eyes towards her. "I noticed you had taken an interest in the interior designs of this room. Would you like to sit down and talk about it over some coffee?" She offered sweetly before noticing something and covering her mouth. "Oh, but of course if the coffee is too bitter for you, I could always bring something with a little less intensity. Maybe commoner's coffee? The taste is much more water down and it could-"

Miki's voice came to an abrupt halt as the sound of a crackling slap resounded through the air followed by a series of loud gasps. Miki's head was snapped to the side by the aftershock, and she lost her balance on heels, staggering to the ground. A red mark was burned onto her pale cheek only covered by the girl's hand. Though the people were staring at first, one interrogative look from Shizue made them go back to their previous actions, almost as if nothing had happened.

Shizue didn't waver or even flinch in the slightest as she lowered her hand to her side, she narrowed her sharp eyes at the young girl who clutched her cheek with the tips of her fingers. "After leeching off of us for years, you come crawling back the moment your family runs out of money." She spoke in a low voice that was masked by the uncomfortable chatter surrounding them. "It is you who leaves a bitter taste in my mouth."

 _Why?_ Haruhi thought to herself as her hands balled into fists. Her mind was racing as the harsh words and crisp slap that befell both her upperclassmen. _Why is she treating them like that?_

Not even a few moments later, Miki quickly recovered. Dusting her dress up as she stood up, her lips curled into a soft smile. "I see. If you do not like bitter things, might I recommend Chamomile tea?" She suggested. "They are known to be naturally sweet and can even help reduce stress as well as detoxify your skin." Holding her hands before her chest, she acted as if nothing happened.

"I do not want it." Closing her eyes, Shizue continued down the central salon.

"Please have a wonderful day!" Bowing as if another regular customer had just left, Miki chided.

"Both of you, stay away from me." She responded harshly before disappearing through the southern entrance of the salon.

"Miki!"

"Miki-chan!"

"Miki-senpai!"

Almost as soon as those doors closed, the hosts' par Kyoya quickly rushed up to her side and began fussing over her reddened cheek.

"Are you alright, Miki-chan?" Honey asked worriedly. "Do you need an ice pack?"

"It's alright, Honey-senpai." Miki chuckled, poking at her cheek to see if it still stung. " It's just a slap. Besides, I may have been a bit too forceful, to begin with."

"Senpai..." Haruhi's eyes dulled a little at the unwavering smile she wore.

"Miki, I think I've found the issue," Running a hand through his finger dramatically, Tamaki struck a dramatic pose while facing away from the hosts. "Could it possibly be..." Whipping his head around, his face darkened as comical tears streamed down his face. "... because we are too beautiful?! Is it a crime to be beautiful?" He exclaimed, grabbing Haruhi by the shoulders. "But my grandmother is beautiful too, isn't she? Isn't she a beautiful lady, Haruhi?" He questioned, shaking the brunette violently.

"Oh, dear..." Kyoya's attention was captured by the woman, Sakurazuka; his father was previously speaking too as she cupped her cheek in worry. "I wonder if that poor girl is alright? That seemed like quite a bad slap." Pursuing her lips, she waved a hand to call her over.

Noticing that her services were needed, Miki quickly excused herself from the hosts as she rushed over with a renewed smile. Seeing Kyoya studying her, she nodded her head in acknowledgement towards him. "Yes? How may I help you?" She chided.

"Are you alright dear?" Lowering her voice, the woman whispered with a hand cupped around her mouth. "That seemed like it hurt quite a bit, and your cheek is still burning red." She furrowed her brows in worry.

"I'm fine, miss. Thank you for worrying." Without missing a beat, the strawberry blonde reassured the woman before seeing her empty champagne glass. "Oh, you are out of champagne. Would you like me to get you a refill?"

Taken off guard by the optimism, the woman stuttered before handing it to her gently. "Yes, please." Her eyes crinkled softly.

"Understood," Placing the glass onto the tray in her hands, Miki then turned to Yoshio who had been observing her the entire time. Flashing a sweet smile, she tilted her head to the side as strands of her hair slid over her shoulder. "Would you like me to refill yours as well, sir?"

There was a moment of silence from the man as he scanned the girl head to toe once again. After letting seconds tick by, he handed his glass to the girl. "Please do," He answered without a crack in his stoic expression.

"What a lovely girl," Sakurazuka covered her lips with her hand as she watched the girl disappear in the crowd. "She must be such a pleasure to be around."

Kyoya's eyes flickered to his father, seeing him huff out a breath.

"Interesting." He heard the man say.

"Student activities are now over!" The PA announcement echoed through the now empty central salon. "Please come to the grand hall and join the dance party."

Thoroughly defeated, Haruhi collapsed onto the table tiredly. She had been on and off of the carriage with Mori and Honey doing rounds around the school every other hour. Thanks to her minor motion sickness, her stomach felt like it had been flipped on itself as she found herself unable to sit up straight.

"Good job, Haru-chan. Here have some cake." Honey giggle he brought a slice of cake over.

"You worked hard today." Miki nodded as she gently soothed the brunette's hair. "Everyone was very happy with your services."

"Haruhi, are you okay?" Tamaki was about to fuss over her once again when a knock interrupted him.

"Master Tamaki, the chairman requires your presence," One of Yuzuru's staff bowed. "You are to greet visitors at the grand hall."

"Oh. Yes, I'll be there right away." Nodding, Tamaki smoothed over his clothes as he rushed to the door. "See you all later. Haruhi, rest for a while, okay?" He reminded before closing the double doors behind him.

"So long!"

"Bye-bye!"

Haruhi stared at the closed doors for a moment before peering up at Miki who sat next to her. The red mark on her cheek was long gone, but she couldn't get that image of the cheerful girl being smacked to the ground out of her head. "Why?" She muttered. "Both of you act as if nothing had happened. Why did your grandmother act so cold to both of you? Is there a reason for that?"

"Could you not tell, Haruhi?" Miki tilted her head curiously. "Tamaki-kun was the son of a mistress."

"No, I understand that. But I don't see why she would call him the son of a harlot," Leaning her cheek against her palm, Haruhi averted her eyes out the window.

"Because Tama-chan's grandmother was enraged by the chairman's divorce as well," Honey explained with a sad smile. "After divorcing Miki-chan's mother, the chairman tried to bring both his mistress and Tama-chan to Japan. However, the grandmother refused to allow it because of the already major financial and credibility loss to both families. And because Tama-chan's mother was sickly and not suited to Japanese life, Tama-chan was raised in France until he was fourteen." His eyes flickered down sadly as he held Usa-chan closer. "Meanwhile, the grandmother began to worry about the Suoh family not having an heir as Miki-chan wasn't exactly in their custody. At the same time, Tama-chan's mother's family business failed, and they were left with a huge debt. That was when the grandmother issued a proposition."

"'I'll raise enough money for you to live comfortably, but in exchange, only Tamaki will come to Japan, and he shall be forbidden from seeing his mother ever again.'" Kyoya took over, closing his eyes as he recited those painful words.

"That's horrible!" Haruhi protested.

"The chairman might be the head of the Suoh family, but in actuality, the grandmother is the decision maker and holds supreme power on the board," Kyoya replied watching Miki's unmoving figure out of the corner of his eye. "Tamaki's mother was so sickly that if she had been left destitute and without the Suoh's support, it would've been the end for her. So..." His voice trailed off, and Haruhi didn't need to be told what happened. Judging by Tamaki's character it was quite obvious. He left to help his mother and came to Japan alone.

"Maybe because she was too lonely or maybe because she blamed herself for exchanging Tamaki for money," Kaoru sighed, resting his chin on his fist. "She moved away and went into hiding after he left. Though the chairman probably has a vague idea as to where she is."

"So that's why when Princess Michelle showed up..." Haruhi muttered, realizing how he must've felt when he saw a splitting image of his sickly mother once again.

"That granny should acknowledge milord since it was she who took him in, but she can't forget her grudge against the French woman who seduced her son," Hikaru concluded with a resentful look.

"Despite all of that, Tamaki-kun doesn't resent grandmother." Miki beamed softly at the sympathetic expression on the brunette's face. "He is always working hard and actively trying to gain her approval. It's one of the best parts about him, don't you think?" She chuckled lightly.

"It's easy to sympathize but," Kyoya closed his eyes. "I'm glad Tamaki is who he is."

Haruhi watched the sad smile on her upperclassman's face, furrowing her brows, she asked. "What about you, Miki-senpai? Do you resent her?"

Miki froze for a moment as her eyes flickered down to the table, fidgetting with her thumbs as she searched for an answer she hummed. "I... I can't resent her." She replied truthfully. "Because confined or not, it is thanks to her that I had a roof over my head for thirteen years. And it is also thanks to her, that I got to meet all of you."

Right after that intense conversation, the scenery quickly changed as the hosts entered the finale dance party where everyone was gathered. The twins had managed to convince Haruhi to attend wearing a flowy pink dress and a long-haired wig, saying that there were 'too many people to notice.' Miki, on the other hand, was wearing a lighter-chiffon version of the large orange gown she wore during the day. She stood on the side with Reiko, watching as the hosts led their guests through night gracefully in a calming waltz to the orchestra's music.

"You seem quite upset, Reiko-san. Is something bothering you?" Peering to the side, Miki blinked at the blank look on the raven-haired girl's face. Through the weeks they have spent together, mostly Miki helping out with Reiko strange hexes at the black magic club whenever she could, she has gotten a pretty good grip on sensing how Reiko felt through her expressions. Hikaru, Kaoru and Haruhi; however, question this notion, as the black magician's expression never changes.

Reiko stood next to her, wearing a black Victorian-styled ballgown and a black lace headband on her head from her club event. She had a plate with a piece of cake in hand, and the fork has been lingering on her lips for quite some time now. Her dull onyx eyes flickered to Miki's hazel ones for a moment before staring down at the whipped cream on her cake. "I heard someone afflicted physical pain upon you." Her explained vaguely causing her upperclassman to tilt her head cluelessly. She tapped her cheek in curiosity, only to remember the previously stinging sensation that lingered upon it.

"Oh, you mean the slap?" Turning to her with wide-eyes, Miki questioned before breaking into a reassuring smile. "It was that big of a deal, I'm perfectly fine now, see?" Winking, she struck a small power pose.

Seeing her smile like that, Reiko's eyes flickered down to a downcast. "When I heard you were harmed," She muttered, "I felt as if I wanted to cursed the one who afflicted such with my entire book of hexes." Stabbing her fork into the leftover cake on the plate, a grimacing aura began to emit off of her, making the others around shiver in fear.

"I-I don't think that would be necessary, Reiko-san," Miki sweatdropped as she waved her hand to calm the girl down.

"When I heard that happened... I..." Hesitating as she rested the fork against her lips, Reiko's brows furrowed slightly. She took in a small breath as she attempted to convey her feelings across properly. "I was worried." She admitted. "For the last two weeks, whenever you came searching for me... It made me... very happy. I... I didn't want someone else to cast a counter curse and... and take you away from me."

"A counter curse?" Miki blinked as she tilted her head, lips curling, she lunged to loop her arm around the black-haired girl's and clung to her. "Don't worry about something like that, Reiko-san." She giggled in an airheaded manner, winking playfully. "Besides, I became friends with you by my own free will, no curse or hex can ever make me change my mind." Tightening their linked arms, she flashed a soft smile.

Reiko's eyes widened for a moment before averting away. "Miki-san, are you afraid of my interest in the dark arts?" She asked with a dull expression.

"I used to be," Vision flickering up to the ceiling, Miki replied honestly. "I thought black magic was a cruel and ruthless, something created to harm others around them. However," She turned to Reiko who stared back, eyes crinkling. "I soon realized black magic couldn't be a bad thing. Because the talisman you gave me during Halloween, it rescued me in a time in need." She confessed joyfully, tilting her head to the side and she leaned in closer to the blank-faced girl.

Staring at her friend with a sense of bewilderment, Reiko's lips parted slightly. After a few moments, she huffed out a small breath. The corner of her lips rose slightly as she peered down at her feet. "...Thank you, Miki-san." She muttered as her arm instinctively tightened around Miki's.

"Miki-chan? Rei-chan? What are you two doing here?" Suddenly, Honey appeared before the two girls with a curious smile as Reiko tensed up at the sight of him. "Aren't you two going to dance?"

Miki glanced to the side as a flush of pink crept onto Reiko's pale cheeks. She chuckled. "I'm not going to dance for now," Waving her freehand, Miki chimed. "But I'm sure, Reiko-san would love to." She offered, gesturing her shy friend who gasped at the mention of her name.

"Really, Rei-chan?" Tilting his head, Honey giggled. "What would you like to do?" He asked ambiguously, urging for the raven-haired girl to speak her mind.

"May... May I dance with you... Haninozuka-senpai?" Breathing out slowly, Reiko managed. Her onyx-like eyes darted back and forth between Honey and the floor.

"Hehe, of course." Giggling in adoration, Honey extending a hand out. "Come on Rei-chan; let's go dance."

"Y-Yes!"

Tossing her friend's paper plate in the trashcan, Miki smiled as she watched Reiko be pulled off to the dance floor. Closing her eyes, she let out a small sigh of relaxation as she pressed her back against a decoration pillar in the room. Her body began to sway to the orchestrated music when someone approached her.

"It seems that you have gotten onto my father's good side," Kyoya's shadow loomed over her as her eyes fluttered open in surprise.

Miki blinked for a few moments before tilting her head curiously. "Your father?" Her brows drew close. "Was your father here today?" She pressed her lips together cluelessly.

Kyoya felt his eyebrow twitch lightly. Despite knowing the obvious answer, he found himself questioning whether or not this really was the girl he fell for. "The man I was with, in the central salon." He reminded her, letting out a sigh in an effort to remain calm.

Tapping a finger to lips, Miki hummed as she searched through the faces she had met that day. Her eyes widened as she gasped sharply, remembering the man's face. How could she not tell? Their similarities were uncanny. "Hehe, now that you mention it," She chuckled awkwardly, scratching her cheek. After studying Kyoya for a moment, she began to giggle softly. "So he is your father huh? What kind of person is he?" Leaning to the side, she asked.

"He's a successful man," He revealed with a hint of hesitation.

"You did mention he has high expectations in you, right? I can only imagine how exciting that is; I'm a little envious." Covering her lips elegantly, she giggled, causing a puzzled expression to appear on Kyoya's face.

Those who have met his father have always sympathized or pitied him because of his iron-fisted father; none had ever said something so unusual. He raised an eyebrow, studying her smile. "Why do you say that?" He questioned.

"Because you're an ambitious person who enjoys a good challenge, Kyoya-kun. So having such a high profiled father near you must be exciting, as the goal you want to surpass is standing right before you. But," Beaming up at him, Miki turned her body slightly, her dress fluttering along with her movements. "When you're with me, I would like you to relax, okay? Constantly working is bad for your panda-eyes, after all."

Eyes crinkling at her, Kyoya huffed out a breath. She wasn't wrong, as long as he couldn't reach his father's levels, things were never boring. Yet there was one thing she said; he still couldn't understand. "Why are you envious of my circumstances?" He hummed, stepping closer to her with a small smirk.

Blinking for a moment, Miki's eyes averted to the side before trailing down to a downcast. "Expectation isn't something that is placed blindly," She explained with a wistful smile. "Treating someone as they are will only result in them remaining as they are," Eye line flickering back to him, she tilted her head and held her hands to her chest. "Having expectations means he sees potential in you, Kyoya-kun."

Kyoya's eyes widened as he realized why she looked so dispirited. His hand moved on their own accord, closing the distance and brushing against her gleaming cheeks as he caressed them. "What are you talking about, Ouran Host Club's production designer?" He narrowed his eyes, and the corner of his lips curled up. "We all hold high expectations in you, I especially. Besides, you're going to receive that internship, aren't you?"

Miki gasped slightly at the mention. Her heart was overtaken by a warm fuzzy sensation. Her eyes rounded as her brows drew closer and she bit her bottom lip. Her hands that rested on her chest twitched slightly. Dipping her head, she gave a curt nod."Yes!" She chided earnestly. "I'll do my best!"

"Good girl," Instinctively, Kyoya rubbed his thumb over her cheek, only to flinch as it glazed against her lips. He momentarily drew back before allowing the tip of his finger trace her lips deliberately, watching as they parted slightly. They felt a little chapped under his touch, but he couldn't care less. He wanted to ask how she managed to intrigue him, enchant him, vex him to such a point of no return, yet his lips couldn't form the words because he was so focused on hers.

Hazel eyes were staring up blankly, Miki revelled in the foreign yet familiar feeling. She felt that same tingling sensation rush through her body as she noticed she had once again been holding her breath. Her heart was experiencing an inexplicably sweet sense of pain that squeezed in her chest, stifling her breath and hazing her mind. She couldn't understand what he was doing, or why he was doing it. She only knew that she didn't want him to stop. Unlike the many other times people have touched her, it didn't feel unpleasant. Whenever he did, it felt...

Safe.

However, before she could completely lose her thoughts into the daze of pleasure, her hand moved up to take his tensed hand and brought it a little further away from her face. Kyoya's eyes widened as he snapped out of his trace. Had he gone too far? Was he acting out of line? His questions were quickly answered when he felt a soft warmth press itself on his finger. He stared in bewilderment as the strawberry blonde, who had planted a sweet kiss on the tip of his index finger.

Pulling away, Miki averted her eyes with a bashful smile as she continued to hold his hand. "When you kissed me on my finger a few days ago, I felt a warm jolting sensation in my chest. It was strange yet very pleasant, so I wanted you to feel it as well." Peering up, she tilted her head with a flush of pink on her cheeks. "Did you feel it too, Kyoya-kun?"

Hearing her explanation, Kyoya breathed out a wry chuckle. "Yes." He admitted. "Yes, I-"

"Oh my, how ill-mannered... Who's daughter is she?"

"She might be a relative of that scholarship student..."

Before Kyoya could finish his sentence, a series of whispers spread through the crowd as well as collective gasps and points towards the center of the ballroom, Kyoya and Miki quickly turned around at the mention of the 'scholarship student,' finding Haruhi and Tamaki. The former was holding out a fork of food out to the blond, offering it to him as if they were a romantic couple. However, Haruhi seemed to have noticed the disapproving looks and whispers and was about to retract her offer when Tamaki reached forth and willingly ate the food, sending another wave of commotion through the crowd.

Seeing everything was under control, Kyoya returned his attention to Miki who watched over the events with a tranquil smile. Noticing how she still held onto his hand, he moved his thumb over her fingers and tugged her towards the dance floor, startling the girl.

"May I have this dance?" With a smug smirk and a quick bow, he invited.

"Eh?" Miki blinked awkwardly.

"Do you perhaps not know how to waltz?"

"No, I do." Shaking her head gently, she stepped onto the dance floor gingerly As the orchestra began to play the introductions to a new song, she loosened her hand from his and took both ends of her flowy chiffon dress. "However, I've never officially waltzed at a party like this," She explained as she lowered her head in a curtsey. "It will be another new experience for me," Lifting her head, she beamed softly.

Kyoya's eyes crinkled as he once again took her hand. "I'll be sure to make this a dance worthy of remembering then," He replied.

A/N: Okay, I wanted to give you all a little insight on my take of Yoshio. First of all, I want to make it clear that I don't believe he is a bad person. *spots pitchforks and torches outside* Hold on, Hold on, Hold on! Before you guys roast me alive, hear me out. I know he slapped his son in the anime, but I found that plot point, compared to this version which is the manga's version, a little forced. One thing to understand is that Yoshio still wants the best for his son; that is why he holds all of his kids to such high standards. He is still a father, not a greedy businessman. It's very common among Asian families to hold their children to high expectations. Adding to the fact is the Ootori Empire is such a wealthy corporation, the path to the top is even more competitive than it needs to be. However, it is as Miki says, " _Expectation isn't something that is placed blindly, treating someone as they are will only result in them remaining as they are._ " I think he is even stricter with Kyoya because he sees the potential in him particularly, and wants to see him climb to the top, past both him and his brothers.

So there you go, that is my rant on Yoshio. I hope you all can understand why I went through with this version of him compared to the anime, "Imma slap my son," version. We have enough irresponsible parents in this series already. (Rita, Shizue) We honestly don't need anymore. Both the parent and child should be nice to each other and love the other with everything you have, you all.

With that, have a great day!

XOXO,

Astra


	36. 32 Tamaki vs Kyoya, the Battle betwe

_-Chapter 32-_

 **Tamaki vs. Kyoya, the Battle between Men!**

As fall began to slip away to make way for the winter winds, Music Room #3's doors, however, opened to the winds of the Ryukyu Islands. "Mensore!" Imitating an Okinawa dialect, the hosts greeted the guests who poured into the topical setting of palm trees and hibiscuses with awestruck expressions.

"You look great, Tamaki-sama!" Sora clapped her hands together happily as she observed Tamaki's costume. "What a colourful kimono! It's a bingata, Okinawan dyed clothing, isn't it?"

"Yes, it is, Princess," Tamaki affirmed as he pressed a hand against his chest and onto the light fabric of his costume. "Did you know? The first kanji of bingata - which usually means crimson is used to mean all colours. The Ryuku Island's royalty has worn these garments since ancient times... But no matter how many colours I swathe myself in my heart yearns to be dyed in your special colour alone." He flashed a charming smile, slipping a hand under the girl's chin.

"Oh, Master Tamaki!" Sora swooned.

"Miki-chan," Spotting the strawberry blonde still tending to some of the decorations in her bingata, Sumire waved as she hurried over to meet up with her friend. "I hear today's theme was chosen by Hikaru and Kaoru, did you enjoy creating it?" She asked sweetly.

Nodding enthusiastically, Miki spun around on her heel. "That's right, Sumire-chan, your family's from Okinawa, aren't they?" Remembering that crucial piece of information from peaking into Kyoya's guest logs, she giggled. "What do you think? I drew lots of inspiration from many different pamphlets and photographs. I hope it's accurate enough."

"Are you kidding?" Sumire's dark brown eyes sparkled at the tropical setting. "This is amazing, Miki-chan." She praised as she knelt down to touch a few of the hibiscus flowers. Her eyes crinkled as she gingerly stroked the smooth surface of the petals with her fingers. "You really do have a talent for production design, it feels like I'm once again back home. It makes me feel a little sense of nostalgia." Tilting her head to the side, the beautiful girl let out a huff of air as she subconsciously began to hum a folksong from home.

Miki's hazel eyes brightened as she saw such a tranquil expression on her friend's face. An unspeakable amount of pride quelled within her, nodded curtly to herself, confirming that she would send the drafts of the Ryukyu Islands as one of the portfolio submissions.

"Sumire-chan!" Sora, who was standing on the other side of the room waved as the two girls glanced in her direction.

"I guess I should go then," Standing up gracefully, Sumire quickly dust off the specs of dirt that had stuck to her soft yellow school uniform. "I'll see you around, Miki-chan!"

"See you!" Waving with a bright smile, Miki's large hazel eyes wandered around the room, landing on Haruhi who was staring down something in her hand without moving a single muscle. Pacing over, she peeked over her underclassman's shoulder. "Haruhi, what are you doing- Oh!" She blinked, covering her mouth as she spotted the pink, slightly prickly looking fruit in her hands. "What is that thing?" Leaning in closer, she furrowed her brows.

"It's called a dragonfruit, Miki-senpai." Still not peeling her eyes away from the fruit, Haruhi hummed. "It's actually my first time seeing one too. I was wondering how to eat it." She admitted. "Can you eat a dragonfruit, skin and all?"

"Eh? This is called a dragonfruit?" Miki tilted her head, as she leaned closer towards the pink fruit in her hands. "It doesn't look very much like a dragon, why would they give it that name?" She questioned, sounding a little disappointed.

"Right now they don't, but when they were flowers, their petals tend to resemble one." Approaching the two girls, Kyoya let out a weary sigh. "And you can't eat the skin. Here, give it to me." He spoke, plucking the fruit out of Haruhi's hands.

"Oh, Kyoya-senpai, you don't need to peel it for me-"

"No, Mori-senpai will do it." Not even let her finish her sentence, Kyoya placed the pink fruit into Mori's hands as the silent giant sweatdropped. "Stop worrying about the fruit and served the customers." He reminded.

 _I should've known Kyoya-senpai wouldn't peel it himself..._ Haruhi deadpanned. She turned her head to the side, watching as Mori took the fruit to a table, and with swift and precise movements began to chop and skin the dragon fruit.

"Haru-chan," A colourful assortment of fruits appeared in the brunette's vision as she peered down curiously, spotting Honey hidden under the overflowing bowl. "You can take home the centrepiece if you'd like." The lolita beamed brightly at her, dropping the platter in her hands.

"May I? That would be great." With an adorable flush of joy appearing on her cheeks, Haruhi smiled down at the collection of fruits she received as a gift.

"Isn't this wonderful, Haruhi?" Miki chided airily. "Now you can even have some at home."

"I want dad and Mei to have some too," Haruhi added, nodding happily.

"Mei? Who is that?" Miki blinked, searching through her mind for a face that matched the name.

"Oh, she's a friend that from time to time, visits dad and I from Karuizawa," Haruhi explained in a relaxed manner as she sorted through her gift. "She's Misuzu-san's daughter. She's very dedicated to fashion designing, so I think you'll get along with her quite well."

"Really?" Hearing those words, the strawberry blonde's eyes sparkled. "I'll look forward to that then." She chirped.

"She's another commoner then," Shrugging; the twins turned to each other with a sigh. "That's right, commoners don't usually get these kinds of fruits, do they? How sad."

"Don't be rude, you two!" Pointing a finger at the two, Tamaki shouted over-dramatically. "While we are on the topic of commoners, I learnt something interesting yesterday as I was researching about their poor lifestyles."

"Speaking of rude..." Haruhi mumbled under her breath as she felt her eyebrow twitch in annoyance.

Running a hand through his hair, Tamaki turned around with closed eyes as he began to ramble on flamboyantly. Opening his arms, he grinned proudly. "Don't be surprised everyone, but it seems that around this time of year, there's a school event for young common folk known as a 'Sports Festival' and..."

Leaving the blond to his theatrics, Kyoya approached Miki who was the only one of the hosts still listening to him. "It's done." He offered her a large glass plate, scattered with pieces of white fruit with little black seeds.

There was a small moment of silence as Miki just stared down at the fruit in his hands awkwardly. Raising an eyebrow, Kyoya broke the stillness between them. "What are you doing? Didn't you want to try one?" He asked.

"I do, but..." Miki blinked a few times as she tilted her head. "Why does it have so many seeds? Can you eat them?"

"Of course you can," Letting out a sigh, Kyoya picked up a small piece with a fork. "Have some; I don't like them very much." He told her, bringing the fork to her lips with a small teasing smirk.

Without reservation or a hint of shyness, Miki opened her mouth and plucked the fruit right off the tip of the fork. Kaoru tore his gaze away from his brother, who was eagerly stuffing different tropical fruits into Haruhi's basket, catching the exchange between the two. He stood frozen for a few moments, as a small devilish grin curled onto his lips.

"It's not sweet or sour, tart or refreshing," Miki remarked, covering her lips as her brows drew close. "It tastes... strange. I don't like it very much."

"I see," Slightly disappointed as he didn't get a bashful reaction out of her, Kyoya's eyes turned half-lidded as he averted them.

"I'm sure Haruhi would like to try some though." As usual, Miki, who was completely oblivious to his advances suggested with a lifted finger. Spinning on her heel, she called the brunette over. "Haruhi! Would you like to try some dragonfruit?"

Taking a small bite out of the fruit, Haruhi indulged in the flavour. "Hm... The taste is hard to describe, but it's not bad." She reported to her two upperclassmen.

"What do you mean 'not bad'?" Kyoya questioned with deadpanned eyes as he huffed out a breath. "I don't understand; what's the point of eating it if it doesn't suit your taste perfectly?"

"Heh, don't make me laugh Ootori Kyoya!" With a loud and over the announcement of his presence, a familiar voice filled the air. The hosts quickly turned around to spot the president of the football club, Kuze standing at the doorway with a signature Orange in his hands. "I thought I smelled tropical fruits and look what I found! You're hardly qualified to talk about fruit." He accused with a crooked grin. "Listen here, Kyoya. You may not see the point of eating dragonfruit, but it's rich in protein vitamins and minerals. And that skin you said was inedible is delicious if pickled!" Smirking victoriously, he narrowed his eyes. "Your ignorance is appalling, Kyoya!"

"Kuze-senpai, how long have you been standing there to have heard all of that?" Miki cocked her head to the side.

Jolting at Miki's words, Kuze averted his eyes with a click of his tongue, trying his best not to give away how he stood in the halls, practicing his flashy entrance for almost ten minutes. "I-It's none of your business, woman."

"I already told you, my name isn't 'woman,' it's Miki." She looked up with a straight face. How could he not remember her name?

The corner of Kuze's smile twitched as his grip tightened on the orange. "I swear, you and Ootori are always trying to make me look bad." He grumbled.

"Well, you definitely could use a wardrobe change," Tapping her chin, Miki admitted as she scanned him up and down. "May I suggest the Hitachiin's fashion company for some new outfits?" Lifting a finger, she suggested with a sparkling smile.

The orange in Kuze's hands finally broke under pressure as fresh juice came splashing out. At that moment, Kuze realized. Unlike Kyoya, this girl wasn't taking sarcastic jabs at him.

She was being genuine.

"You-"

"Kuze..." Kyoya muttered, subconsciously shielding Miki behind his back. "You make a good point. Here are the skins, enjoy." Then with a pair of tongs, he dumped the skins of the dragon fruit Mori had peeled straight into Kuze's bare hands, who in turn let out a loud shriek at the sticky juice that ran down his skin and dripped to the ground.

"You idiot! Not in my hands! Get a container!" He shouted.

"Is this okay?" Haruhi sweatdropped at the absurdity as she offered a clear plastic container.

"Yes! It'll be fine! Give it here!"

After stuffing the sticky dragonfruit peels into the container, Kuze snapped it close with twitching eyebrows. The veins on his forehead were visible, almost popping out with rage. "Aren't you acting a little childish? Could it be that I hurt your pride?" He provoked with a dry laugh.

"No, no, not at all!" Waving his hands with an unbalanced smile curled on his lips, Kyoya retorted. "I was merely voicing my opinion of its taste. In addition to the benefits you just mentioned, I should point out that dragonfruit is rich in phosphorus, calcium, and iron, thereby contributing to decreased cholesterol and blood-sugar levels." Picking up an unpeeled dragonfruit, he turned to the guests. "It's low in calories and helps prevent anemia. It's highly recommended for women." He concluded as the girls fangirled over his intellects.

"I knew all that! I was gonna say that!" Kuze yelled, quickly defending himself. His grip tightened around the container until that cracked in his hands, once again turning his hands sticky.

"Oh, there you are, Takeshi." At this point, another slimmer and much smaller figure appeared at the doorway. "The ground is all sticky from the orange you squeezed."

"It's Princess Matsuyama, welcome!" The twins casually greeted her.

"Please excuse Takeshi," She giggled, covering her lips gently. "He's quite foolish and doesn't learn."

"Yeah, there's no helping an idiot." Hikaru and Kaoru shrugged in unison, shaking their heads.

"I hope he isn't too much trouble for you as well, Miki-chan. He is persistent in competing with Kyoya, to the point of being an attention hogger. If you'd like him to stop, please call on me." With a close-eyed smile, she brought her hand down and rested it on the lap of her skirt.

"Compete?" Tamaki repeated as his eyes widened slightly.

"Oh, not at all. I don't really mind." Quickly waving her hands, Miki shook her head. She was a little confused as to why Matsuyama would apologize to her of all people.

On the other side of the room, the two tension between the two boys grew thick as the dark aura around them grimaced. "You're so aggravating!" Kuze grunted, still attempting to maintain that shaky smile compared to Kyoya's unwavering one. "How about it then? How about a contest?"

"No, thank you." Kyoya declined. "My father taught me not to enter meaningless battles."

"You must compete with him, Kyoya!" Tamaki's sudden proclamation shocked the whole room as they turned to look at him with bewildered eyes.

"Tamaki?" Kyoya raised an eyebrow.

"It's sports!" Spreading his arms, the blond was grinning from ear to ear. "Men must challenge each other through sports! They strengthen their friendship through sweat and clashes of will!"

Seeing things take a wrong turn, Kyoya furrowed his brows and raised his hands in an attempt to calm the blond. "Relax, Tamaki." He sighed. "There's never been any friendship between Kuze and me."

"What did you say?!" Kuze snapped.

"Yes, I see it clearly." Ignoring Kyoya's protests, Tamaki rubbed a hand to his chin. "It's a time for sports! Everything just came together in my mind!" He hummed proudly.

"Huh? No..." Haruhi's hands twitched as a bad feeling brewed in her stomach. "You can't mean..."

"Yes!" Pointing a finger at Kyoya and Kuze, Tamaki's face was practically shimmering. "I hereby propose that we hold the first-ever Ouran Highschool Sports Festival!" He declared, much to Haruhi's dismay.

"Sport's Festival? Sure, I'll give my permission." On a rare day where the chairman happens to be at school, Yuzuru gave his approval without a second thought much to Haruhi's, someone who is useless at sports, dismay. "We've never had one before because parents thought it would be dangerous, but they'll come around if the students request it." Interlacing his fingers, he smiled at the cheering students who have gathered in the office. "However, I am not very familiar with the concept, Miss Fujioka," He turned to Haruhi. "What sort of sports events do regular schools have? How big should the venue be? Should we reserve the Tokyo Dome?"

"School grounds should be fine," Sweatdropping, Haruhi shook her head. "We could play tug-of-rope or have a bread-eating race." She suggested.

 _Tugging a rope...?_

 _Bread dining...?_

Everyone present in the room quickly turned confused due to their lack of knowledge and luxurious upbringings, tilting their heads, they began to imagine people tugging on ropes and eating bread.

"Then there are cheering competitions, relay races and cavalry battles." Haruhi continued.

 _Cavalry Battle...?_ From that suggestion, all the wealthy kids in the room could imagine were those fierce cavalry battles that took place in the Edo era, far off from Haruhi's original intent.

"Hmm... I can't make the connection." Yuzuru hummed, resting his chin on his hands. "What's fun about dragging around a piece of rope?" He asked.

"Huh?"

"And a cavalry battle would require at least 50 horses," Kuze muttered to Tarumi.

"Who wins the bread-eating contest?" The twins turned to each other with aloof expressions. "The one who eats with the best manners?"

"Hmm... It sounds like anything goes," Tamaki rubbed his chin as a creative gleam flashed across his ocean blue eyes. Cupping his cheeks, he looked down with a small smile. "I'd like to try candy art," He admitted bashfully, causing Yuzuru to snicker as he held back the urge to bush out in comical tears.

"What does that have to do with anything?" Haruhi questioned, baffled by how the entire room has dropped down to Miki's level of cluelessness. "It's not even a sport."

Snapping out of his shy trance Tamaki raised a finger. "I think we should Hamlet for the cheering competition," He suggested excitedly. "I'll play Hamlet."

"Let's do Romeo and Juliet!" Hikaru proposed. "I'll be Romeo and Kaoru will be Juliet!"

"What about King Lear?" Miki clapped her hands together.

"Don't you guys know Macbeth?!" Kuze yelled.

"Hey! Why would you cheer using Shakespeare?! It's a Sport's Festival." Haruhi mumbled, getting a major headache from this line of conversation. "Besides, those are all tragedies."

Ignoring her, Tamaki turned to the rest of the hosts with a triumphant smile as his hands rested on his hips. "Go to it, men!" He declared. "Put in a request to the student council and establish an executive committee!"

"Yes, Sir!"

Not even a week later, the OU Spot newspapers were flooded with articles about the rivalry between Kyoya and Kuze. It seemed like the regulars and the students weren't as satisfied with the results of the Central Salon race as, in the end, it was Tamaki and Kuze who ended up facing off. Titles such as 'Ouran Plans a Sports Festival: White team General, Ootori Kyoya vs. Red Team General, Kuze Takeshi!' and 'Suoh Tamaki elected as Sports Festival Committee Chairman' has been grabbing everyone's attention, as they rushed to go buy their own copy of the newspaper. Miki was one of those people as she held the crinkling papers in her hand, flipping through them as her legs swung around like a child's under the table. Kyoya was sitting across from her, typing away on his computer as Honey and Mori lounged around on the sofa with Haruhi, playing another round of card games. Hikaru and Kaoru have not arrived yet and Tamaki was still busy with the Sports Festival Committee.

"Everyone is talking about you, Kyoya-kun." Miki giggled, recalling all the whispers and murmurs as the students anticipated the winner of this sports festival. "They seem to be quite excited for your rematch against Kuze-senpai."

"I thought you didn't like Kuze," Kyoya responded, not lifting his eyes from his laptop screen. " What are you getting excited for?"

"I don't," Miki admitted bluntly without a hint of regret on her face. "But I'm excited for the sports festival itself. Once in a while, having a friendly competition like this among friends can be quite de-stressing, wouldn't it?"

Kyoya didn't answer as his fingers continued to dance across his keyboard.

Haruhi blinked at the two's exchange. She had noticed a change in Kyoya's mood ever since that day where Tamaki challenged Kuze in his place. He seemed to have lacked an interest in the topic of the sports festival. "Kyoya-senpai, are you perhaps not good at sports?" She asked him, turning around on the couch and away from the game of cards.

"Not good at sports?" Lifting his greenish-black eyes to meet hers, he spoke in a nonchalant manner. "Don't lump me together with you. I'm just saying I don't see the benefit in competing." He stated simply.

 _Yes, of course..._ Haruhi's shoulders slumped as she felt a chilling breeze from his words.

"But Kyo-chan," Honey piped up. "If we do well, we'll get more customers!"

"And more publicity," Miki added.

"I'm certainly counting on you and Mori-senpai to excel. I'm planning on selling DVDs of the event," Leaning to the side and resting his elbow on the armrest of his chair, he let out a sigh. "But the sports clubs have the advantage. What's more, there aren't the same incentives as there were at the cultural festival. Considering the business hours lost to practices, even if we gain a few customers after the event, we still can't expect a profit."

"Then, why'd you agree?" Tilting her head, Haruhi asked.

"You think it's possible to stop Tamaki when he's like this?" Kyoya retorted.

Haruhi opened her mouth, about to say more when Hikaru entered the room seeming extremely grumpy with Kaoru trailing behind. "Hey! Listen to this! It's ridiculous!" The older twin shouted with a frown. "Teams are decided by student numbers, so Kaoru and I got put on separate teams! Haruhi and I are red, but Kaoru is white!" Stomping further into the room, he slammed his hands onto Kyoya and Miki's table desperately. "Kyoya-senpai, Miki-senpai, tell milord to change the way the teams are divided!" He pled.

"Tell him yourself," Kyoya replied.

"Tamaki-kun is the only one part of the Sports Festival Committee," Miki reminded. "So none of us really have the choice over which team we are in."

"Takashi and I got split up too," Honey told the group. "He's red, and I'm white. What about you three?" He turned to the two second-years in the room.

"Both Kyoya-kun and I are on the white team," Miki tapped her chin recalling the events during the class meeting. "I don't remember which team Tamaki-kun is in though, do you remember?" Glancing to the side, she asked Kyoya.

"I don't know, he's probably red." With disdainful eyes, he grumbled. His weary eyes staring straight ahead in annoyance. "He wanted to make me white in the team divisions, so basing everything on that, down the roster-"

Before Kyoya could finish his sentence, the doors of Music Room #3 once again threw open revealing a grinning Tamaki who held a victorious peace sign along with his wide stance. "I'm chairman of the sports festival executive committee and the vice general of the red team! The red team is sure to win!" He challenged, pointing directly at Kyoya who stared back with uninterested eyes. "Kyoya, you and I are going to fight man to man! And hereby deepen our friendship!"

"You're making me participate in this worthless event in the name of friendship?" Kyoya questioned flatly.

"I-I'm sorry about that," Fidgetting with his thumbs, Tamaki adopted his puppy eyes persona as his lips formed a small pout. "But I thought you'd have fun too."

Standing up without sparing a second glance at him, Kyoya sighed. "Really? To me, it's nothing but nonsense." He said. "I don't like exerting effort without a benefit to me, and I refuse to be white general."

"Kyoya-"

"Tamaki," Cutting the blond off, Kyoya glimpsed over his shoulder as he leaned on the opened doors of the clubroom, bag in hand. "Sorry, but I won't play along. I don't like what you're doing." With that he exited the room, slamming the door closed behind him.

Miki stood up from her seat, torn between her brother and someone who meant a lot to her. Her eyes darted back and forth between the closed birch door and her silent brother.

"Is he really mad?" Hikaru sucked in a harsh breath through his teeth.

"He said there is no benefit to participating, but maybe he really feels like Tama-chan has betrayed him." Honey proposed.

"I wonder if he'll participate at all?" Kaoru hummed.

"Why...?" Tamaki muttered as his eyes turned to a downcast as he glanced at his feet. "I didn't mean... I just... It would be fun to compete against Kyoya. If I won, I could make him keep out his kotatsu all year long." He sniffled wiping away a few tears as he curled up into a pill-bug in his emo-corner.

The hosts sweatdropped at such a trifling reason.

"Agh, he's crouching in the corner again," Hikaru complained. "Kaoru wanted to switch teams with him."

"Well, how about he switch teams with me?" Haruhi offered. "He can be red, and I'll be white. I don't care which team I'm on."

"No!" Almost immediately, Hikaru shut down her idea with a shout. "I want all three of us on the red team!" He pronounced specifically.

Hearing those words, Kaoru and Miki exchanged a quick glance with each other before the ginger spoke slowly. "Hikaru," He uttered. "I'm okay on the white team." He reassured his brother with a pained smile.

Watching them, Miki blinked a few times before returning her attention to the door Kyoya left from. "I'll go talk to him." Biting her bottom lip, she declared.

"Miki-chan?" Honey called after her, watching her turn around with a soft beam.

"It'll be fine," She winked. "I'm sure we can work something out." Then, she closed the door behind her as she dashed out of the music room.

It didn't take Miki long to find Kyoya; in fact, the moment she left the music room, she spotted him at the other end of the Northen hallway. However, before she could call out to him, she heard another voice, hinting that he was in the middle of a conversation with someone.

"Well, that's no surprise, I thought you would. After all, you're just Suoh's toady." It wasn't difficult for her to pinpoint the owner of the voice. It belonged to Kuze, no doubt about it.

Before Kyoya could even leave the north hallway, he ran into the president of the football club of all people. "Can't suck up to him and compete against him at the same time, huh?" Kuze provoked. "But if you surrender and let him win, then his success will reflect on you." His hand tightened on his leather bag as he tuned out the rest of Kuze's rambling and empty taunts. He had already stepped on a deadly mine.

 _Who..._ Kyoya crunched his teeth together as he snapped around to glare at Kuze with the demon lord's eyes. _Who would surrender to that idiot?!_

The hosts' eyes snapped up as they heard the door open once again as Miki hurried back into the room as to not be caught eavesdropping by Kyoya.

"Miki-chan, is everything alright?" Honey tilted his head.

Peering up, the blonde thought back to the conversation between the two rivals before letting out a small chuckle as she remarked that Kuze may not be too bad after all. "Yes," She nodded with a bright smile. "Everything is fine."

"But... Kyoya didn't come back with you right?" Tamaki sniffled as he rubbed his eyes. His best friend's denial to a friendly competition seemed to have really taken a toll on him. "I should apologize. We can wait until winter for the kotatsu..." He wept.

"Tamaki-kun..." Taking pity on her brother, Miki moved forward to explain when the doors burst open behind, startling her.

"Hey!" Everyone in the room whipped around to see Kyoya breathing heavily at the doorway. Judging by appearances, he seemed to have sprinted back. "If red wins, I'll leave out the kotatsu all year!" He announced, loosening his tie.

"Kyo-"

"Miki, do we have the team roster?" Not letting Tamaki speak, Kyoya paced back into the room.

Going along with him, Miki beamed cheerfully. "We do, I can ask Kobayashi-sensei for it if you'd like."

"That would be great," Throwing his bag down onto the table, Kyoya then turned to Honey. "Honey-senpai, would you start coaching practice tomorrow? I'll devise a strategy based on data analysis of each player's strengths."

"Yes! I'll coach!" The lolita almost immediately agreed.

"Kaoru, you will assist me."

"Yes, sir!" Peeling away from his flabbergasted brother, Kaoru saluted.

"Kyoya! My friend!" Jumping up for joy, Tamaki extended his arms. "You changed your mind! Now we can fight man to man!"

"No, this is merely a way to vent my anger." Pushing up his glasses as his three teammates exchanged an encouraging fistbump behind him, Kyoya stared down the blond and his teammates with a dark expression. "I'll crush both you and Kuze!" He announced, crossing his arms as the three remaining members of the white team gathered around him. If he was the White General, they would be his three lieutenants.

"Victory belongs to the white team!" He made a declaration of war as the aura around them grew sinister despite the confident grins they all wore. "But you can try to scrape by on friendship and enthusiasm."

"Our first task is to examine the student data for both red and white team." In ConferenceRoom #1, the white team was holding their executive meeting with Kyoya sitting at the head of the table. "I see a necessity for researching not only each individual's athletic ability index, but also their personality, social interactions, and hierarchical relationships in regards to their extracurricular activities."

"Ootori-kun," Matsudaira, the weak-stomached student council president who was the official lieutenant of the white team for some reason, spoke up. "What's the connection between social interactions and our team events?"

"Excuse me, President?" Lifting her glasses, the prim and proper Ayame appeared with her curly hair. "I did a quick analysis of data, and unfortunately it looks like the red team has a slight advantage in athletic ability." She informed. "Isn't Ootori-san taking everything into consideration and creating a strategy that covers psychological as well as physical?" She questioned.

"Exactly, we are going to attack the enemy's weak points." Kaoru hummed nonchalantly as he typed away on his laptop.

"Oh my, that sounds like our diabolic Ootori." Matsuyama chuckled elegantly.

"Haninozuka-senpai," Sitting in between Miki and Honey, Reiko gently tugged on the lolita's sleeve as she slid a charm book towards him. "I found a spell that reduces the enemy's will to fight by half."

"Thanks, Rei-chan!" Honey nodded enthusiastically. "That might come in handy if we find ourselves in a pinch."

"I can help out with the spell too," Miki cheered. "We're gonna hit them with everything we got!" She winked at the emotionless girl, earning a small nod in gratitude.

Eyes scanning over the data, Kyoya flipped through a few pieces of paper. "We'll concentrate on the early events and the final relay race to earn points." He concluded. "We'll also do well with the events right after the cheering competition midway through. In particular, right after the cheering competition, if we chose our players well, it will be a perfect opportunity to accumulate points and trounce the red team."

"What should we do for the cheering competition, Kyoya-senpai?" Kaoru asked, peering over his shoulder at the numbers on the screen.

"We have videotaped source material from commoner schools, so we'll review that," Kyoya replied. "The cheering competition doesn't count toward the point total, so we'll have the most unathletic students participate in that event."

"I could help with the choreography with it," Miki offered, tilting her head when she saw Kyoya cast her a quick glance before shaking his head.

"There will be a few artistic based competitions thanks to that fool's meddling," His eyebrows furrowed deeper at that thought of the flamboyant blond. "I will need you to participate in those," He told her.

Nodding curtly, Miki held her hands in two fists. "I'll do my best!" She giggled.

"Um... Ootori..." One of the concerned students spoke up hesitantly. "Are we being too conservative in our approach? The other team has Suoh on their side. They'll put on a flashy show for sure." He theorized.

"I'm counting on it," Kyoya affirmed, closing his eyes as his lips curled into an asymmetrical smile. "The red team will waste a great deal of energy on the cheering competition. They won't know how to pace themselves and be too tired to do well in subsequent events." Closing his eyes, the aura around him grew dark as the grin on his lips widened. "Let's teach that fool he'll never win as long as he never does anything he doesn't like, right?" He suggested in a chillingly calm manner.

As the brainiacs worked away to devise a tactical strategy for the white team, the actual athletic club members sat silently at the end of the tables, wondering what they were exactly there for.

"Why do we have a thinking tank leading the white team?" The Vice Captain of the Soccer Team, Chitosebara Ren muttered to no one in particular. "What's our position as sportsmen?"

"It's... intimidating." The Vice Captain of the Basketball Team, Futenma Itsuki replied, sweatdropping at the amount of research that was taking place.

Suddenly, a little set of bunny ears popped up from behind the table, startling the two as they jumped back in shock when the bunny ears moved to the side to reveal the boy lolita. "What's wrong? You two look sad. Do you want some cake?" He offered with a sweet and curious head tilt.

"H-Haninozuka!" Itsuki shrieked.

"Cake? But we're in a meeting." Ren pointed out respectfully.

Humming for a moment, Honey then thrust the pink stuffed bunny towards the two. "Then, do you want to hold Usa-chan?" He presented.

"No, I don't want a stuffed rabbit either..."

Bangs casting a shadow over his eyes, Honey hummed. "Then, shall we start training now?" The aura around him turning grim, a horrifying gleam flashed across his eyes. "All you guys just sitting there - 50 laps around the track!"

"EEEK!"

Unlike the white team, the red team, much like Kyoya had predicted, placed their emphasis on teamwork and passion. With Kuze down and out from the shock of what he called 'the dark lord,' Tamaki was now leading the red team as a second in command. Students were allowed to chose whichever events they were to compete in. And even when Mori made the same demands for the students to run 50 laps around the track, they seemed actually fired up to follow the workout plan, dashing out of Conference Room #2 faster than the speed of light itself.

"The beanbag toss and tug-of-war will be good events for slow runners; I guess I'll sign up for those." Haruhi hummed as she went down the list of events for the sports festival. "What about you, Hikaru?" The brunette turned around with a soft smile only to find the older of the twins, sulking with a hand to his cheek.

"The three-legged race... would've been fun with Kaoru..." He grumbled, moping deepening into the darkness of his depression.

"Ah..." Haruhi sweatdropped. "Cheer up, Hikaru. You two will be apart only one or two hours after school until the sports festival." She attempted to console him.

"Kaoru said the same thing," Hikaru muttered.

"Besides, you can have fun telling each other what happened behind the scenes afterwards." Haruhi tried again.

"He said that too." Letting out a sigh, Hikaru closed his eyes as he thought what his twin could possibly be doing. "I know what's done is done, but Kaoru didn't seem to mind at all." His brows drew closer. "He's been acting a bit strange lately; sometimes I don't know what he's thinking."

"Hikaru..."

"Haruhi!" Before the brunette could manage any more comforting words, Tamaki popped out with the biggest grin on his face as he appeared behind the two conversing first-years. "Have you chose your event yet?" He asked. "How about it? Maybe the bread-tasting contest? Daddy's been thinking of sneaking in a nice piece of giant tuna in the bread during that! I'll call it the 'giant tuna sandwich'!"

"Um... I'm not sure about that." Haruhi commented with a wry sigh.

"Haruhi and I will do the three-legged race together." Hikaru waved his hands dismissively, trying to make a decision for the brunette who raised an eyebrow.

"That will never work," She reminded with a deadpanned expression. "Your legs are longer than mine, and I'll trip."

"I see! Hikaru wants to be in the three-legged race! I'll be your partner!" With a brighter grin than usual, Tamaki began to noogie the ginger excitedly, ignoring his squirms for him to stop. Instead of that, however, he slung his arm around the boy and gave him for a side hug with a wink. "Dadd's super excited! Go ahead! Enter as many events as you like!" He declared with a brighter sparkle to his aura as his free hand formed a peace sign.

"Enough! You're even giddier than usual," Hikaru growled. "Get off me!"

Haruhi blinked for a moment, wondering what could have the blond so happy when she gasped in realization. "Did you make up with Kyoya-senpai?" She asked with a relieved smile, only for the energy and joy to be drained out of Tamaki's face as he retreated into his moping corner, curled up like a pillbug and covered in his pool of tears.

"O-Oh..." Haruhi and Hikaru sweatdropped, realizing what was going on.

"What? He's been ignoring you in class?" Hikaru crouched down with a sigh. "And Miki-senpai has been avoiding hanging out in your room? There, there." He shook a baby rattle that popped out of nowhere ruffling the blond's hair as he tried to calm him down from the emotional breakdown he was having.

"So you've been putting on a brave front to hide your hurt feelings..." Haruhi deduced, holding Kuma-chan out for Tamaki, finally gaining an understanding of what Miki meant by, 'I can't comfort him, so this is the best I can do.' when she handed the bear to her earlier in the morning. "Why didn't you just get Miki-senpai onto the red team if you wanted to be with her so much?"

"The teams are sorted by Student Numbers," Tamaki sniffled as he wiped away a few drops of tears at the corner of his eyes. "Because of our shared last name her number is directly after mine, I couldn't get her onto our team no matter what method sorting method I proposed." As the thought came bubbling back to him, he teared up even more.

Resting an elbow on his knee, Hikaru huffed out a weary breath. "Even if Milord is at fault, doesn't it seem like Kyoya-senpai going a little overboard? I mean getting his sister to avoid him and all." He complained. "Milord's silly complacency is nothing new. Using Kyoya-senpai to hold a festival was pathetic but... you mean no harm."

As Tamaki took his favourite Kuma-chan from Haruhi, he felt arrows of pain pierce through his heart with every one of Hikaru's points. "It's probably more than that..." He muttered with his ocean-like eyes in a downcast. "He knew I was sticking my nose into his business."

"What?" Hikaru raised an eyebrow.

"Senpai..." Haruhi's beady eyes widened as she finally understood something. "Did you perhaps propose this festival to stop Kuze-senpai from picking fights with Kyoya-senpai?" She questioned. "You wanted them to compete and settle things once and for all?"

"Yeah..." Finally calming down from his sniffles, Tamaki took in a deep breath. "And there's one other thing." The corner of his lips curled gently as his gaze remained glued to the tiled ground. "Hey, you two. What word would you use to describe Kyoya?" He asked the two underclassmen.

"Umm... I'd say, 'cool' or 'detached.'" Haruhi suggested.

"'Scheming,' probably." Hikaru chimed.

Can't help but let out a small laugh, Tamaki agreed with the two. "You're both right; I asked Miki the same question a while back. And she said, she thought Kyoya was 'possible.'"

Haruhi cocked her head to the side. "What about you, senpai?" She asked. "How would you describe Kyoya-senpai?"

Averting his eyes, he wore a far-off look as he admitted. "I think, Kyoya is passionate."

Pacing down the whisper-filled hallways with the newest issue of OU-Spot in his hand, Kaoru's eyebrow twitched at the headlining article. He was on his way back to the conference room as Miki headed towards the Resource Room to grab their cheering competition footage. However, the great commotion caused by these papers were hard to avoid.

"Host Club Leaders BATTLE! White Team, Ootori Kyoya vs. Red Team, Suoh Tamaki."

"Have you heard? Tamaki-sama and Kyoya-senpai won't even look at each other." He heard one of the girls mutter.

"It can't be! What about Miki-chan-senpai?" Her friend asked. "Those three were always together!"

"She has taken sides with the white team," Another girl, who Kaoru immediately recognized as Sora told the first-years. "She still talks to him, but it's quite clear there is tension between the two."

"I think this all started because Suoh set up a competition between Kuze-senpai and Ootori." One of the boys muttered. "But instead of being neutral, he became second in command of the red team."

"I miss seeing the three of them together," Cupping the side of her face, another guest sighed. "Two handsome boys walking together, a sweet girl between them as if they were her accompanying white knights. They make such a lovely picture." She sighed dreamily.

"I might have withdrawal symptoms..." Her friend agreed, peering down at her phone. "Oh, look!" She gasped, covering her lips with her fingers. "Somebody uploaded an old photo of the three hanging out on the host club website."

"It's one I've never seen before."

"I think the sold-out host club photo book has been reprinted as well."

.

.

.

As he reached the doors of Conference Room #1, Kaoru sweatdropped as he watched the host club's regulars rush off somewhere with determined gleams their eyes, more than likely rushing off to buy the new prints and photos. He laughed uneasily before opening the spruce door to the mostly empty room. "There's a huge commotion out there, Kyoya-senpai." He informed. "Ootori vs. Kuze has now become Ootori vs. Suoh."

"Kaoru..." Kyoya's eyes drew up from his laptop screen, acknowledging the boy's entry.

"Traffic to the host club's website has suddenly doubled too. Plus, for some reason, the photo book in print again."

"Is it selling well?" Kyoya questioned nonchalantly, focusing back onto his laptop screen.

Kaoru's eyebrow twitched.

"I knew it, did you pick a fight with milord with this in mind all along?" He grumbled, laying the newspaper out in front of Kyoya who shrugged.

"What a rude assumption," He lifted his glasses, not even looking up. "What happened actually angers me, but I saw an opportunity, so I decided to drag out our dight and make a profit."

"Aren't you being a bit cruel to milord?" Kaoru demurred, subconsciously leaning forward from his seat. "I don't even understand why you got angry in the first place. The rumour that you're upset because he became the red team's second-in-command is false, right?" He pointed out. "Milord's silly complacency is nothing new."

"I know," Kyoya replied.

The ginger continued, unknowingly raising his voice. "Using you as a pretext to hold the festival was pathetic, but-"

"I know,"

"And I think milord was tired of Kuze-senpai trying to pick fights with you, so he wanted to put an end to it by holding a competition, so-"

"I know."

"Huh?" Blinking, Kaoru's shoulders slumped as he calmed down. "You knew that? I was just saying whatever came to mind in the heat of the moment."

"Regardless, you are correct about Tamaki's motives," Kyoya affirmed.

"Then why are you angry?" Kaoru raised an eyebrow.

Kyoya's eyes turned to a downcast as his typing stopped. "Because he's sticking his nose into my business. I don't care what Kuze thinks of me, but it's quite annoying being dragged into a competition that is of no benefit to me. He ought to leave things between Kuze and myself," Heaving a sigh, his brown-ish green eyes turned dull. "I believe that as long as the people we care about understand us, the other stuff doesn't matter. Don't you agree?"

Watching his upperclassman speak, Kaoru hummed. Taking a seat back down, he propped his arm up as he leaned to the side. "What about Miki-senpai then?" He asked. "Does she understand you?"

 _That's just how you are, Kyoya-kun._

Hearing that question, Kyoya's eyes automatically wandered to his right hand. The one that still lingered with the warmth of her gentle kiss on the night of the school festival. His eyes crinkled slightly as he shifted his head.

"Yes," He replied, reverting his attention back to his laptop as he began to type once again. "Yes, she does."

"What's going on between you two anyway?" Humming, Kaoru thought back to their interactions in the clubroom when Miki ate off of his fork without even the slightest bit of hesitation. "You two have been acting awfully couple-like. Did she finally confess to you?"

"Subconsciously, yes," Kyoya answered without a change in his voice or mood.

.

.

.

"WHAT?!" Kaoru jumped out of his seat again, nearly choking on his own saliva. "What do you mean by subconsciously?" He quickly followed up, a little confused.

"She unknowingly admitted her feelings towards me," Closing his eyes, Kyoya elaborated.

Taking a step back to think, the ginger's brows drew close in confusion. How could someone 'unknowingly admitted their feelings'? However, knowing that dense yet blunt upperclassman of his, it somehow seemed possible. "So then? What happened?" He pursued. "Did you explain to her? You always explain everything, right?"

His fingers froze as he thought back to that afternoon in the club room, that day when she spelled out loud and clear 'I need you.' "No," He said. "This is one thing I don't believe I can explain to her."

"What? Why?" Kaoru cocked his head to the side. "Come on, Kyoya-senpai. Hikaru and I have bets on when you two are going to get together, why didn't you explain to her the weight of what she said?" He urged.

"Kaoru," Kyoya didn't move. "I don't appreciate you two placing bets on my private life."

"S-Sorry..."

Averting his eyes out the conference room window, Kyoya took a small breath. "I don't believe this is something I should explain to her, as it's a topic she should discover for herself." He revealed. "As someone who has been devoid any of these new emotions, she doesn't have the ability nor knowledge to process her feelings if I were to tell her now. She would simply accept my words out of blind trust, not even bothering to think about herself and her own emotions." His eyes dulled at that thought. "That is the last thing I want from her."

"So in other words, you are refraining from telling her because she currently isn't capable of understanding love." Kaoru rephrased. "And even if you were to explain, she would become something like a puppet without a clear mind in the relationship." He scratched the back of his head awkwardly. "Sounds complicated."

"I will give her a push if I see it as necessary. However, there is one thing about her. I still can't conceive of understanding." Kyoya said as he turned back to his laptop. "When I told her she was a benefit to me, she smiled." His eyes dulling slightly, remembering those defining moments. "I was so baffled by her response, I didn't take the time to ask myself why her response would be like such. It was a rather strange response no matter how one looks at it, isn't it?"

Instead of responding, the ginger remained silent as he observed Kyoya who peered up when he noticed him staring. "Why are you making that face?" He raised an eyebrow.

"Um, yeah... I agree." Hand trailing down the back of his neck, Kaoru muttered awkwardly. "You know, I just realized for the first time that you can be really cute. I can see why Miki-senpai was drawn towards you in the first place; I heard tsundere characters are all the rage now."

"I see, so you really want to run in the marathon. I'll be sure to enter you in that event."

"No! I take it back!"

On the broad fields of Ouran Academy, the red and white teams were running on the tracks as Honey and Mori led them, keeping pace with one another.

"Ah, youth..." Honey huffed as his warm breath collided with the cold air outside, evaporating into mist. "But, I don't really understand what's going on. Kyo-chan is stubborn, and Tama-chan hides his true feelings. Maybe it's good for them to have it out."

"Yeah." Mori agreed, running alongside the lolita.

"But the white team is going to win." Honey quickly justified.

"You mean red." The giant disagreed.

"Wanna bet? I'll wager a three-month supply of cake."

"Then I'll wager a three-month supply of chicken feed."

Holding the DVD of their 'cheering competition footage,' Miki was rounding the corner of the South wing, about to head back to Conference Room #1 when she ran into Kaoru who was just on his way to go look for her.

"Oh, Miki-senpai." He greeted the strawberry blonde. "We don't need the footage anymore; the president said he can handle it himself."

"Is that so?" Covering her mouth with an edge of the disk case, Miki's eyes widened. "Alright, I'll go return this to the resource room." She beamed.

"I'll come with you," Kaoru stated with a small smile, he began walking with a hand in his pocket. "I need to pick up a few papers from the printer, then-" He stopped mid-sentence as his attention was quickly drawn away by the sound of talking down the hallway. Miki glanced up as well, just in time to see Haruhi and Hikaru in their red tracksuits, walking briskly together through the hallway almost bordering a light jog.

"Hikaru? Haruhi?" Kaoru called out to the two, catching their attention.

"Oh, it's Kaoru and Miki-senpai." Haruhi hummed.

"Kaoru!" Hikaru's eyes widened as he veered off track and lunged at his twin for a hug.

"I missed you so for an hour since school let out!" They squealed as they embraced one another in a tight hug, causing Miki to giggled.

Haruhi however, seeing as they were going to take a while, continued walking with a nonchalant wave. "All right, I'll see you later-"

"Ah! Wait up, Haruhi!" Peeling away from his brother, Hikaru hastily called after her. "Sorry, Kaoru. I have to practice with the red team. Don't leave without me!"

"Oh... okay." Taken off guard by his twin's sudden enthusiasm, Kaoru murmured. "Why're you into the competition all of a sudden?" He questioned.

Chuckling, the older of the two pressed a finger. "It's a secret." He laughed almost in a child-like manner. "The red team is going to win for sure!" He declared with Haruhi at his side.

Kaoru's eyes rounded.

"You mean the white team," Miki retorted.

"Nu-uh!" Hikaru played along with his upperclassman, turning on his heel as he and Haruhi remained determined to keep up the pace of their little drills.

"Hurry, Haruhi, let's get to the track!"

"Ah... I can't go any faster."

"Bye, bye!" Miki waved with a beaming smile before noticing the stillness that was Kaoru. Her eyes flickered up to see the ginger with half-lidded, thoughtful eyes as he watched the two red spots vanish at the end of the hallway. "Kaoru?" She tapped his shoulder, leaning into his peripheral vision and snapping him back into reality. "Is something the matter? You're being so quiet."

Kaoru glanced down at the blonde's questioning eyes before returning his attention to the end of the hall with a distant gaze. "Miki-senpai..." He muttered. "What do you think I should do... If Hikaru and I like the same thing?"

"Huh?" Tapping her chin thoughtfully, Miki straightened her body. "Well, it's like you said." She hummed. "'Do what you can do' for him." She recited with a closed-eye smile. "He's your precious brother, right?"

Kaoru was silent.

Sensing more uneasiness, Miki opened her eyes to observe him. Kaoru's pale face was slightly darkened with the shadow of his bangs, and his brows were knitted together as if he were in pain. He looked extremely conflicted over something, leaving Miki to deduce by herself what exactly had him looking so tortured. Following his unmoving gaze, she turned to look down the hallway at Hikaru, then at Haruhi. Suddenly, she remembered a conclusion she arrived at a while back.

 _Hikaru has feelings for Haruhi._

"Kaoru, are you in love with Haruhi?"

Hearing his thoughts being spelt out in such a straightforward manner, Kaoru whipped his head around to her innocently curious expression. His lips parted slightly as he attempted to form an answer.

"Yes," After a few moments, he finally found the words at the back of his throat. "I realized it some time ago, but I thought I was hiding it." He admitted. "I like the way things are now in the host club, and Hikaru is important to me, but... I don't know what to do anymore."

"Well," Tilting her head to the side, Miki hummed. "It's our job as a younger sibling to worry, however..." Glancing up at him, her eyes crinkled softly. "But, sometimes we also need to relax and focus on something else for a while." She reminded, grabbing him by the arm and began to drag him down the halls confidently, raising a fist in the air. "Victory for the white team!" She cheered energetically.

Watching her radiant smile sparkle in the afternoon light that seeped into the halls, Kaoru couldn't help but let his momentary frown and tightly knitted brows to loosen into a small smile. "Yeah!" He raised a fist in the air weakly as he followed her slowly.

"Miki-senpai."

"Hm?"

"Thanks."

"Of course."

A/N: Sorry, sorry! Another festival arc?! I know! But please remember that I'm trying to stick to a timeline here, and Japanese sports festivals usually take place in the autumn. Sooo, here we are!

And oh my gosh, would you look at that new cover?! I'm getting better at this whole book cover thing, aren't I? Thank you to one of my good friends Mr. R for giving me feedback during the making process of this cover.

Have a great day!

XOXO,

Astra


	37. -Valentine's Short-

A/N: Since I missed the Valentine's Day train, I decided I'd post this for White Day. For those of you who don't know, White Day is a day marked in mostly Asian calendars, a month after Valentine's Day. On this day, men are supposed to return gifts to women who gifted them something for Valentine's Day. However, I decided to take a step back and just make this a small collection of short stories between the characters. Some are inspired by short stories in the manga while others are completely original. Have fun!

 _-Valentine's Short-_

 **Just a Collection of Short Stories**

 **Short Story #1: Miki and Reiko's Sleepover!**

It was the weekend before Valentine's day, and to Miki's surprise, Reiko came to her with the proposal of a sleepover at the Kanazuki house to help with the preparations of 'the rituals for Valentine's Day.' Despite Tamaki's desperate pleas and protests, Miki still felt that she couldn't turn down such a sincere request from her best friend. So after multiple promises to text him about her status, Miki showed up at the Kanazuki mansion on a Sunday evening.

"Reiko-chan... Is this your room?" Miki's eyes wandered around the dimly lit, late Transylvanian style bedroom, unsure of where to look.

"Yes," Reiko affirmed. "This is my bedroom."

Compared to the rest of her house, Reiko's bedroom resembled the bedroom of Dracula's daughter, if he ever had one. Lit candlelights were flickering on top of a fireplace, casting strange shadows into the mirrors and walls. Book littered the shelves that encased her room — creaking at every step someone took, making them feel as if the books could suddenly burst to life and fly off the shelves themselves. Above their heads, the chandelier swung, making rustic scratches at an eerie rhythm, almost as if it were playing a song of its own. Her bed itself was carved into the wall, extending inward like a protective cave above her head and hidden behind a sheer layer of grey curtains. However, what was on her bed was the most questionable of all.

"Why do you have a coffin on your bed?" She asked.

"That is my chamber of slumber," Reiko replied without a change in tone or voice. "What's wrong?" She questioned.

There was a small moment of silence before Miki shook her head. "It's nothing." She blinked a few times, eyeing the coffin for an unnecessarily long time. She had been under the impression that coffins were where dead people slept; at least that was what _Crime? Crime Drama_ and Arden had taught her.

 _I guess they were wrong._

"Is it comfortable?" The blonde then asked as she lowered her overnight bag onto the carpeted grounds of Reiko's room.

"Very." The raven-haired girl affirmed.

 **Short Story #2: Kuze's Happy and Unhappy Daily Life!**

"Ootori!" The doors to Music Room #3 slammed open as Kuze stomped in. In his arms, he carried what seemed to be a Punch-in-a-box. "Are you the one who left this stupid gag gift on my desk?!" He roared, veins popping out of his forehead.

"Kuze," Kyoya greeted. "What's the matter? That's quite a shiner."

"What happened? Did someone attack you in the dark?" Honey asked in worry, noticing the redness that was ever-so-present on the nose of the captain of the American Football team.

"How classic, a punching jack-in-the-box." Hikaru and Kaoru took the box from Kuze's hand as they began to toy with the boxing glove that bounced up and down on its spring. "I thought the only person who would get tricked by something like this would be milord." They jeered.

"Shut up! It's just like Ootori to set up a trap like this on my birthday!" Kuze growled, still rubbing his nose from the pain and aftershock he received from the prank.

"What?! Kuze-senpai, it's your birthday today?!" Tamaki covered his mouth in surprise. "That's big news; we must plan a celebration!"

"Haha, so I guess it was today. I didn't even realize." Kyoya hummed, not even bothering to with the man a happy birthday.

"What?! You forgot about my birthday?!" Kuze snapped. "I'm your childhood friend!" He shouted.

As their upperclassmen were busy bickering back and forth, the twins took a closer look into the Punch-in-a-box. Inching the bobbing glove out of the way, they spotted something hidden at the base of the box. "Huh? What's this inside?" They raised an eyebrow each, fishing out what seemed to be a photo of a younger Matsuyama and Kuze with the words 'Article 731' printed on.

"I wonder what 'Article 731' means?" Hikaru questioned, taking a closer look at the image.

"Either way, there is no question as to the identity of the person behind this..." Kaoru sweatdropped. However, before he could name the perpetrator, the doors once again opened to reveal Miki who was just arriving in the club room.

"Oh, Kuze-senpai, there you are!" She greeted. Extending her hands, she offered a beautifully wrapped gift to him with a bright beam. "Happy Birthday! This is for you." She chimed.

"You're giving me a gift...?" Surprised by the act of compassion Miki had demonstrated, Kuze muttered. "I knew we never saw eye to eye, but..." He reached forward to accept the gift.

"No." Miki's voice trailed off. With the sound of a loud pop, the gift box suddenly to burst open on its own as a cake attached to spring bounced out and smashed Kuze straight in the face. "Matsuyama-senpai just asked me to give this to you," Miki concluded, still wearing that airheaded smile.

"Kanan!" As his limbs began to twitch in a mixture of rage and embarrassment, Kuze lunged forward only to be held back by Mori. "Where are you?! Come out!" He demanded, struggling against the silent giant's iron grasps.

"Please calm down, Kuze-senpai!" Attempted to ease the situation, Tamaki quickly shielded Miki behind his back to avoid her being on the receiving end of Kuze's frustration. "There must be a reason for this! Try to be calm!" He advised.

Whipping his head to the blond, Kuze glared with fuming eyes. "A reason?!" He repeated. "How could there be a reason? What reason could there be for smashing a cake in your fiance's face on his birthday!?" He yelled.

"I don't know why, but Matsuyama-senpai called it 'shock treatment.'" Tapping her chin, Miki's gaze flickered up to the ceiling.

"What...?"

"She said for Kuze-senpai's birthday this year; there's something that she wants." She explained, lifting an all-knowing finger. "And she would like for you to remember what it is. She said it's not an item, but a word. A promise they made to each other when they were very small. Kuze-senpai, do you really not remember?" Tilted her head to the side, Miki frowned. "It's not very nice to break a promise, you know."

"I see," Catching onto what Matsuyama was planning, Kyoya's eyes softened. "Matsuyama is surprisingly romantic and feminine..." He commented, rubbing his chin thoughtfully.

"Kyo-chan?" Honey raised an eyebrow.

"Do you know what it is, Kyoya-senpai?" Haruhi asked.

With a proud smirk, Kyoya stared down at Haruhi. "You're the daughter of a lawyer, aren't you Haruhi? It's article 731 in civil law." He hinted.

"What?!" Eyes rounding, Haruhi scrambled to pull out a law handbook from her back and began flipping through it. "Um... 731..." She mumbled, ghosting her fingers over the ant-sized words that littered the page. "Article 731 is about the legal age of marriage, I believe..."

Kuze froze as a fond memory surfaced in the sea of his mind.

 _Listen, Kanan. Based on what I understand, men have to be 18 and women have to be 16 to get married. So I'll make a promise to you..._

"...when I become 18 years old..." Kuze muttered, hearing one of the backroom doors click open. His gaze shot over, spotting his fiancée standing there with a gentle smile. "I'll formally propose marriage to you." He recited.

"Did you remember, Takeshi?" Matsuyama teased.

"Uh... It's not like I forgot about it!" Reaching up to wipe away the whipped cream around his face, Kuze justified. "I just didn't see the point after all this time. But it was my fault..." The members of the host club gathered around the sweet couple, watching in awe as Kuze recomposed himself. "Kanan, let me ask you formally." He reached forward, gently resting a hand on her shoulder. "Will you marry-"

"Just kidding!" Before Kuze could completely get the question out, however, Matsuyama pulled a water gun out of nowhere and splashed its contents directly onto his face. "We were formally promised to each other with the consent of our parents, so our age doesn't matter anymore at this point. You forgot that too, silly?" She giggled mischievously, watching as Kuze's body began to twitch in anger.

"Kanan! Why you little...!" He lunged towards her once again, only to be dragged back by Mori as Tamaki hurried to calm him down.

"Kuze-senpai, calm down!" The blond shouted. "I apologize its last minute, but please accept my autograph!" He offered.

"I don't want it! Let go of me, Morinozuka!" Kuze snarled.

As the chaos brought by the eccentric couple ensued, Miki approached Matsuyama with a puzzled expression. "Matsuyama-senpai, I have a question." She said. "Why did you put so much effort into reminding him of that promise if you were just going to prank him in the end?" Cocking her head to the side, she asked in a quiet voice.

Matsuyama's gaze flickered over to Kuze, watching as he bared his teeth towards Tamaki, wiggling his body as he tried to escape from Mori's grasps. "To tell the truth, I still want to hear those words." Her eyes crinkled lovingly. "But I didn't want to share that special moment, in front of everyone, that is all."

 **Short Story #3: Reiko's Big Date!**

"I see, so you wanted to make chocolate for Honey-senpai." Miki sounded as she secured the knot on the back of her apron. The two girls were gathered together in the Kanazuki house's kitchen late at night, about to start their baking session.

"Indeed," Reiko nodded as she tied her silky raven hair up into a ponytail. "I wanted to create something my target likes, so once he eats it, this curse will make him accept my invitation to a date." She explained.

"A date, huh?" Setting out the ingredients, Miki repeated thoughtfully. "Where did you want to go?"

"To a delightful mass shrouded in utter darkness where we can gaze upon fantastical visions of wonder," Reiko explained as she pulled out a pair of tickets seemingly out of nowhere. "It's a title that encompasses both Haninozuka-senpai and my interests." She concluded.

Miki blinked slightly, taking a long stare at the tickets in her hand labelled 'Chucky and the Chocolate Factory', she sweatdropped. "Did you mean a movie, Reiko-chan?"

"I've heard it being called that as well," She affirmed.

"Wouldn't it be easier to just ask Honey-senpai out though? He did mention it wasn't good to rely on curses." Propping an arm up on the kitchen counter, Miki reminded.

"That is not possible," Immediately shooting that idea down, Reiko denied. "It has to be by a curse."

Studying her friend for a moment, Miki's eyes flickered upwards. "Well, why don't you try writing a letter?" She then suggested. "You could put the tickets and one of those talismans you gave me."

Hearing the blonde's idea, Reiko's head lowered slightly as the aura around her became gloomy. "It seems writing a letter is also impossible..." She muttered.

"Why is that?" Miki tilted her head.

Brows furrowing slightly, Reiko's hands grasped each other sightly. "I believe this may be Haninozuka-senpai's counter-curse on me." She theorized.

"Huh?"

"Now that I think about it, this endeavour has been odd from the start." Resting a few fingers against her chin, the raven-haired girl said reluctantly. "We've gotten to talking casually as of late. And yet when I decided to invite him to the movie, my legs suddenly felt weak. Though I wanted to speak, my mouth wouldn't open. My heart pounded so much; it made it difficult to breathe." Brows drawing closer together, she sighed. "The second I laid eyes on Haninozuka-senpai, I would begin to tremble. And when I attempted to write a letter, my fingers became so numb; I couldn't form words. It could be that Haninozuka wishes not to go to a movie with me and has unconsciously cast a counter-curse on me..." She murmured, seeming dejected as the air around her sour.

"I don't think that's the case, Reiko-chan..." After processing her words, Miki stated bluntly after blinking a few times. "Heart-pounding nervousness, trembling hands..." She diagnosed, averting her eyes to the side. "I read somewhere that those symptoms, they're signs of love, Reiko-chan." She informed. " I think you're in love with Honey-senpai."

"Me...?" Reiko's onyx-like eyes widened slightly at the notion. "T-Then... What should I do? I am uncertain of what I method's I should take under these new developments..." She stammered; her heart began to panic at the sudden revelation.

"Calm down a little, Reiko-chan." Miki leaned forward to comfort her friend. "For starters, why not try asking him on that date?" She suggested, lifting an all-knowing finger.

"H-How..." Brows furrowing slightly, Reiko asked. "I can't even form words when I'm near him..."

"Why do you think we are making chocolates right now?" Pointing at the supplies on the counter, Miki winked. "I don't really know what to do either, but I'll be here to support you along the way," She told her. "Let's get to making these chocolates and hope that your curse is successful," She lined up a few bags of cocoa beans, pushing it towards the girl with raven hair. "So you can gather the courage to ask Honey-senpai out."

Reiko's glass-like eyes widened at the encouragement she received before giving one small nod.

"Good girl," Miki cheered as she turned her attention down to the cocoa beans. "So, what kind of chocolates were you thinking of making?" She hummed, tapping her fingers rhythmically against the countertop.

"Just regular chocolate should be fine," Reiko explained, pulling out a scale and a mixing bowl. "Though I'd also like to make one for the president, as thanks for always taking care of us."

"Ah! That's a good idea," Miki agreed. "I wanted to make some for everyone in the Host Club as well. Shall we make those together?" She offered with a sweet smile.

After falling silent for a few moments, Reiko then nodded slowly. "But I would like to create a specially made batch for Haninozuka-senpai," She requested. "One with lots of sugar."

"Specially made...?" Miki blinked.

 **Short Shory #4: Strange Tastes!**

"Oh my, Kyoya-san!" Cupping the side of her face, Fuyumi let out a small gasp in awe as she came face to face with the oversized pile of chocolates that stood in his room. "Have you managed to count them all up yet?" She asked, turning to her little brother who was sitting at his desk as usual.

"Tachibana did. A total of 62 boxes." Kyoya replied, not lifting his gaze from his schoolwork.

"As popular as ever, aren't you?" Chuckling softly, Fuyumi picked up some of the boxes as she examined the different name brands of chocolates he's received. "Well, what would you like to do with them? It'd be a waste to just let them sit there," She hummed.

"You can have them if you'd like," Heaving a short sigh, Kyoya glanced over his shoulder with a shred of irritation. "Why are you visiting us anyway, Fuyumi-neesan? I hope it's not because you got in a fight with your husband."

"Oh dear, don't say that. Of course not." Fuyumi giggled. "I was simply in the area searching for some Valentine's sweets for him, so I swung by to share some with you. Though judging by your collection, you don't need any." She sweatdropped, casting the mountain of chocolate one last glance.

Mentally question how such a carefree person could be in their family, Kyoya turned around on his chair. "If you'd like chocolate, why not just import them from France?" He suggested.

"Hey, the word for that is prejudice." Fuyumi retorted. "On a whole, culture is born from the populace and evolves with it. Besides, I believe that searching for a gift with my own hands and feet will be far more rewarding-" Her voice trailed off as she blinked a few times, spotting an open square-shaped box sitting on her brother's desk. "Kyoya-san, I thought you didn't enjoy eating sweet?" She quickly paced over, eager to see what flavour of chocolate could he be eating.

"Hm?" Kyoya peered down at the half-eaten package of chocolates that sat on his desk. "I merely found these more suitable to my palate, that's all." He said.

Leaning down to take a closer look, Fuyumi took a long stare at the neat package and beautifully decorated chocolates. "My!" She gasped, eyes twinkling brightly as if she'd discovered something interesting. "These are homemade, aren't they?" She fawned. "May I try a piece?"

"Be my guest," Kyoya shrugged, returning his attention to his homework.

Letting out a small cheer, Fuyumi reached forward as she gingerly picked out a piece and plopping it into her mouth. However, it didn't take long before her sweet and blissful smile turned sour at the strange taste that lingered in her mouth. "Whoa!" She covered her mouth. "What is this?" She gasped. "Black pepper? And the chocolate surrounding it is so bitter."

"I believe so," Not looking phased at all by the coarse and intense taste, Kyoya reached forth to grab another piece.

"I see, so that is why you said this is more suitable to your palate." Smiling wryly, Fuyumi elegantly wiped away the residue on her fingers with a napkin when she spotted something pressed under the square shaped box. Reaching out, she gingerly slid what seemed to be a notecard. She blinked, reading the handwriting on the page.

Happy Valentines, Kyoya-kun.

Thank you for everything in the past year.

~Miki

Shifting her gaze to her brother, who was entirely focused on his school work as he chewed on the corse black pepper chocolate. Fuyumi smiled to herself.

 _What strange tastes._ She thought.


	38. 33 Red vs White, the Ouran Sports Fe

_-Chapter 33-_

Red vs. White, the Ouran Sports Festival! 

"The day has arrived! What wonderful autumn weather!" Kotaro shouted into the microphone as cracker guns were set off in the air. Peering down into Ouran's first arena, he grinned excitedly as the two teams took their place in their respective stations, the members of the teams each wearing tracksuits of their colour. "Here begins, Ouran High School's First Sports Festival! Let the games begin!"

"The first game is the ladies' bread-tasting contest!" He elaborated, the large monitor gesturing the open field that was occupied by an immense number of table and chair sets. "As you can see, a classic Italian table setting is arranged in the center of the field. This is a gift to the young ladies from the chairman on the occasional sports festival. Each table has three types of croissants provided by the renowned Richet of France, Roi Grand Hotel and Fugiridou. Let the bread tasting commence! Each lady who correctly identifies the maker of the three croissants will then head for the goal five meters ahead."

"Garçon?" Raising her hand with a smug smile, Ayame called over the waiter and swiftly identified the croissant on her plate.

"Jonouchi-san from the white team has called over the waiter!" Kotaro was practically hanging off of the announcer's booth as he stared down at the on-going competition intently. "She's correct! Gracefully identifying all three! The white team has a strong lead! Only three minutes in and the white team secures the first place with ten points, who will be the second!?"

Jolting up from her seat, Miki raised her hand as she eagerly waved the waiter over. "Madame!" She shouted confidently as the waiter gave her a nod in approval before lifting a sign with a blue circle to the audience.

"Not dawdling behind, Miki-san from the white team also snags a promising second place with nine points! Who will come in third?"

"Haruhi!" Dashing across the bleachers to meet up with the brunette, Tamaki panted. "Why didn't you enter the bread-tasting contest?" He asked.

"I can't tell the makers of different types of croissants," Haruhi replied bluntly, sliding back into her seat.

Hikaru, who was sitting next to her, let out a sigh. "It's a girl's only event milord; think about it!" He reminded.

"But you've got to try!" Tamaki whined as he flailed his arms in the air. "I even snuck fancy tuna into the red team's bread for you-"

Almost immediately after he mentioned this fact, the girls of the red team's cheeks turned pale as they quickly covered their mouth. Leaning over the table, they squeezed their eyes shut as they attempted to swallow something horrible tasting.

"There's something gross in the bread..." Momoka muttered, clutching her mouth in disgust.

"Red Team forfeits!" Kotaro announced as he quickly inputted the scores of both teams onto the bright sports display on the side of the arena, allowing it to light up as a sign of victory to the white team. "White team wins!"

"Suoh..." The members of the athletic clubs grumbled as they appeared behind the blond who began to sweat profusely, either out of guilt or fear of the grimacing aura that surrounded him. "Why are you poisoning our team?" The accused.

"It's wasn't poison!" Tamaki squealed as comical tears poured out of his eyes. "Why? Salmon sandwiches are good; why not fancy tuna?!"

"What's all the commotion?" Standing on the track as the tables were quickly being cleared out from the bread-tasting event, the red team members who were about to participate in the 100-meter dash muttered. "Why is our team squabbling and talking about fancy tuna?"

"It seemed like our second in command caused the problem," His friend informed him.

As the two worried over the disturbance in their team base, they completely missed Kotaro as he told the racers to get ready. By the time they came to, the shotgun for that signalled the start of the race had been blown, and they were leagues behind the white team participants who sprinted off and left them in the dust.

"The distracted red team is off to a slow start!" Kotaro reported. "The white team wins, yet again as they earn points during the red team's internal squabble. Another marvellous victory for the white team!"

"Captain, the enemy has self-destructed," Kaoru informed his upperclassman nonchalantly as he rested his elbow on his knee.

"They're silly, huh?" Honey chimed, holding Usa-chan to his chest.

"So that's why you suggested starting with the bread-tasting contest?" The student council president hummed as he and Matsuyama sat two rows behind Kyoya, overlooking the situation.

Matsuyama giggled, holding her delicate fingers to her lips. "Kyoya always anticipated exactly what will happen, after all." She assured.

"It's still too early to celebrate," With his lips curling into a confident smirk, Kyoya crossed his arms and legs as he stared down towards the field with a sense of pride, sitting at the head of his team as if he were a king. "Though the side that breaks concentration first will lose. We'll keep scoring points at the current rate."

"Ah, Miki-chan, Aya-chan. Welcome back!" Honey greeted to two girls, smiling at Miki who took the waterbottle Reiko had kindly offered her. "Good job out there!" He tilted his head with a closed-eyed beam.

"Thank you very much, Honey-senpai." Miki chided. "Ayame-san, you were amazing out there! You completed this challenge in three minutes flat!"

"These are the basics of a lady," Ayame replied, lifting her glasses further up her nose bridge before turning to Kyoya. "Ootori-kun," She addressed him in her usual respectful tone. "What are the next events coming up? I will begin to round the participants up."

"Woman's Hurdles, Men's 200-meter sprint, Co-Ed Bean Bag Toss."

"Understood."

As Ayame turned around to look for the participants for the next few events, Miki flopped down into the empty seat next to Kyoya's. "Those croissants tasted amazing; I'm glad I skipped breakfast this morning." Letting out a satisfied sigh, she patted her stomach with a blissful smile.

"Miki," Kyoya said, watching from the corner of his eye as she cocked her head in his direction. "Good work."

The strawberry blonde blinked a few times as short silence lingered. Then, pressing her thin index finger to her lips, her hazel eyes began to twinkle mischievously. "It's wasn't that difficult of a task," she confessed. "All I needed to do was request fancy tuna for dinner one night." She grinned cheekily. "And Tamaki-kun fell for it, hook, line and sinker."

The white team had arguably, the best spy against the red team. The Ace up their sleeves.

As the beanbag toss was beginning, Haruhi followed her teammates towards the east gate where they were meant to gather when Tamaki called out to her.

"Listen Haruhi! When you're nervous, trace the kanji for 'beauty' three times on your palm." He suggested, trying his best not to fuss about the brunette who gave him a swift smile.

"Don't worry, senpai." She reassured, holding a soft victory pose as she closed her fist in determination. "I'll do my best to change the tide."

Watching as the contestants gathered onto the fields and began preparing to toss the bean bags, Kotaro reorganized his notes, quickly skimming through it before leaning into the microphone again. "A note of interest, a 'beanbag toss' is a simple and dull event enjoyed fully by commoners. A basket is hoisted four meters into the air, and the teams compete to throw in as many bean bags as possible." He explained. "Our baskets are traditional pieces by the mastered craftsman Uemon Beppu," He said. "As for our bean bags. They are hand-dyed by the Yuzen masters at Aoiyama-"

"HARUHI! DO YOU KNOW HOW VALUABLE THAT FABRIC IS?!" With one shout, a girl on the bleachers caught the entire red team contestants' attention. Miki turned around, finding a girl with tanned skin and bleached hair standing next to Ranka and Misuzu, gripping the railings in frustration as she shouted at the field. "Don't you dare throw those around! Pick them up and give them to me later! Don't get them dirty!" She demanded, completely oblivious to the timer ticking down on the display board.

Not willing to take the risk and find out what happens if she were to go against these orders, Haruhi swiftly knelt down and began to gather the bean bags, piling them up in her arms instead of throwing them as she was intended to. Those around her quickly took notice and began to offer their respective bean bags to her.

"Wow! The red team is ignoring the basket and giving the bean bags to Fujioka." Kotaro said, stifling a chuckle. "There is no point in even counting! White team wins!"

"I guess that girl is the one named Mei, right?" Miki tapped her chin, asking.

"Were you the one who invited her?" Kaoru sweatdropped, a little surprised by the flashy entrance the girl has put on.

"I wanted Ranka to see Haruhi take center stage," Kyoya said.

Over on the red team reserve stand, things were in complete disarray. Members were quickly losing motivation, and Kuze stomping into the stand blazing with fury, didn't help EITHER. "Suoh! What is the meaning of this?" He shouted, catching Tamaki's attention.

"Kuze-senpai! I'm so happy you've recovered-"

"What is there to be happy about?! The white team is in the lead! How did you manage to fall so far behind already?" Pointing an accusing finger at Tamaki, he growled as his other hand picked up the orange Tarumi handed him. "It was Ootori, wasn't it?" He questioned, casting nasty glances at the white team stand as he began to chomp down on his orange in frustration. "He must've used one of his tricks-"

Before Kuze could say anything else, however, Tamaki quickly interrupted. "You couldn't be more wrong," He stated calmly. "The red team is responsible for their own failures."

"Though it's mostly your fault, Milord..." Hikaru pointed out.

Ignoring the ginger, Tamaki stepped forward to lean in towards the football club leader. "The white team is just doing their best," He smiled. "So please, if they honour us by competing valiantly like true gentlemen to the end, I humbly request that you refrain from trying to pick fights with Kyoya in the future." The corners of his mouth lowering, his voice remained sincere as he stared into Kuze's light eyes.

"F-Fine!" Crunching his teeth, he agreed.

Despite the red team's persistence and team spirit; they proved to be no match against the white team's strategic planning and manipulation skills. From sending students' whose families are connected in the business world, to literally showering Nekozawa in a bask of light and scaring the poor man away from the starting line; the white team had won basically every single round throughout the morning half of the race, leaving the red team no room to catch up.

Kaoru propped an arm up against his knee, eyes subconsciously moving towards the crowd, surprised to find Yuzuru of all people, chatting with the other parents as the field was quickly being transformed for the final contest of the day. "Oh, it's the chairman." He hummed, perking up slightly. "I thought it was only Haruhi's family, but a lot of the parents are here. My parents are both working, so they couldn't make it. What about your family, Kyoya-senpai?" He asked.

"They would never come," Closing his eyes, Kyoya said. "If my parents were attending, I would have used a different strategy. Making it much more apparent that the white team's success was due to my involvement, then let Tamaki take the spotlight in the end."

As Kaoru hummed, his eyes flickered down. _So at public events, Kyoya-senpai has to help glorify the Suoh family._ He thought to himself. _I suppose that benefits Kyoya-senpai in some way, but it means he can never upstage milord at crucial moments. I wonder if, he got close to Miki-senpai just for the sake of her name?_ As his thoughts continued to drift, he suddenly remembered a conversation he had with Hikaru a few nights before. Where the elder of the two suddenly became extremely interested in the sports festival, yet wouldn't say a word about why. _It's unfair for me to be upset when I'm keeping a secret from Hikaru, myself..._ He thought back to that day when he and Miki ran into Hikaru and Haruhi in the halls. A small sigh slipped past his lips.

Almost as soon as he heaved that breath, a mixture of fangirling and laughter erupted in the field, immediately pulling him out of his thoughts. He rushed to the balcony. "What is it?" He asked Honey who was watching with a joyful expression.

"Tama-chan and Miki-chan are competing in candy art," He told him.

"The Last Event of the morning is Candy Art," Kotaro explained through the microphone. "Each contestant shapes candy according to the given theme of 'Animals' within the time limit. On the Red team, we have Suoh. Take a look at his elegant gestures and serious expression, a form worthy of traditional art!" He exclaimed as the girls below shrieked. "On the White team, we have Miki-san. Check out those fluid movements and bright smile; she looks more like she is dancing than creating candy art."

Once the timer was up, both Tamaki and Miki faced each other as their complete products were hidden under a blanket as the staff rolled booth to the judges.

"Good luck, Miki." Tamaki smiled eagerly. "No hard feelings if either of us wins, alright?"

"Of course," Miki nodded curtly.

"Let's view the results," Kotaro leaned in as the camera zoomed in on him unveiling his finished product only to find a mutated cany bear, barely clinging onto the stick. A dark aura was emitting from It as if it were possessed by some sort of candy demon. He paused for a moment. "...How unfortunate. All the judges have failed Suoh; the red team loses points." He stated with an unimpressed face before turning to the other covered candy art. "Now, let's take a look at Miki-san's work." The camera zoomed in on an alligator, mid-roar and covered in carefully made scales. "That is amazing!" He gasped as the judges began to lift their cards. "Full points to the white team! The score now is 63 for the red team, and 183 for the white team. The white team leads by an amazing 120 points!"

The white team erupted in cheering for Miki's success; they also thanked Tamaki for his incompetence. Tamaki began to shed comically tears as he was at a loss for words. Miki, on the other hand, waved cheerfully at her teammates before turning to Tamaki. Extending a hand that was held in a gun shape, she grinned mischievious, firing the gun with a verbal 'bang' and a wink, causing Tamaki tears to double.

"You can't do anything about it now; don't take it so hard Suoh." As he returned to the red booth munching on his candy bear with tears, one of the team members told him with a sigh. "We forgive you for that fancy tuna incident, and you did well, considering candy art was a bizarre event anyways."

"But-"

"Besides, look," Cutting Tamaki off mid-protest, the member gestured the rest of the red team all sitting on the ground in a dark aura, drained from their enthusiasm and already in defeat mode. "Nobody expected that much anyway." He said, slipping into depression himself.

"N-No!" Tamaki quickly jumped to his feet in an effort to rally his team. "We can make a comeback in the second half! Mori-senpai will be entering and I-"

"With this point difference there's no way, our enthusiasm is gone." Someone said.

"We've already lost, right? Just go through the motions and finish this thing."

Tamaki held still.

"We now move on to the cheering competition, is the red team ready?" Kotaro asked through the PR system.

"Tamaki! Hikaru!" Renge, who was the production manager of their cheering competition rushed in. "The other members are standing by, hurry!" She urged.

"Yeah, yeah." Hikaru hummed.

"Um..." Haruhi watched as the blond was being dragged away in a daze, she stammered calling out to him. "Tamaki-senpai!"

"Yes? What is it?"

"Well..." She breathed before balling her hands in a determined manner. "If you're nervous, trace the kanji for beauty three times-"

Hearing that, Tamaki stifled a chuckle. "Don't worry, Haruhi." He winked. "I haven't given up at all." He reassured her before running off after Renge.

On the white team bleachers, Miki had just returned from her recent performance as she received a mountain of words of congratulatory from her teammates. She approached Reiko and Honey, the latter welcoming her back with a warm hug and smile.

"That was great Miki-chan!" He giggled. "You were amazing."

"Thank, Honey-senpai." Miki beamed. "Though I think Reiko-san's good luck charm also played a huge role in my success." She chuckled, pulling out a silver necklace from under her jersey.

"Rei-chan gave that to you?" Honey tilted his head.

"Mhm," Miki sounded turning to the blank-faced girl who stood silently beside Honey. "Thank you so much, Reiko-san-" She paused sentence, eyes widening. "That's right; that's right!" She chimed, looping her arm around hers, catching her by surprise. "Why don't I call you Reiko-chan from now on?" She suggested.

"Huh?" Reiko's eyes widened.

"Well, we are friends, aren't we?" Miki beamed, curling her arm closer.

"D-Do as you please," Reiko muttered, averting her eyes away.

"Yay!" Jumping away, Miki did a quick fist pumped in the air before spinning her heel. "I'm going to go look for Kyoya-kun and Kaoru, good luck on your events, Honey-senpai!" She chirped.

Watching the girl run as her strawberry blonde hair bounced with each step, Honey peered up at Reiko. "You and Miki-chan really get along, huh?" He asked with an endearing smile.

Reiko glanced over at her crush, a little flustered to be seen in such a state. Her hands found each other before her as she bit her bottom lip, reminded of the warmth her first real friend had brought her. "She is... very kind." She replied.

"I'm back!" Miki cheered as she rushed back the central quarters of the white team's bleachers.

"Welcome back, Miki-san." Matsuyama greeted the girl calmly. "Splendid job out there, isn't that right Kyoya?"

Being thrown under the bus by his childhood friend, Kyoya stiffened, casting her knowing smile a side glance. He turned back, only to spot Miki staring up at him with expecting eyes as if she were a puppy waiting for its master to praise them. Heaving a sigh, he gently ruffled her hair minding the braided crown as usual. "You did well." He complimented, watching her expression immediately brighten as she gave him a victorious grin.

As Kyoya went off to discuss the details of the cheering competition with the student council president, Miki noticed Kaoru, who seemed to be lost in thought. He sat in his seat with a dazed expression, his elbows propped up on his knees. Miki's eyes widened, immediately realizing what he was thinking about. She rushed over, delivering a swift knock on his forehead that pulled him out of his mind and in back to reality.

"Ow!" His hand instinctively darted to his forehead, protecting the spot that had been attacked. "What was that for?" He raised an eyebrow finally noticing Miki's presence.

"Don't think about that right now!" She frowned, placing a hand on her hip. "This is a de-stressing time, remember?"

"But we've practically won already," Kaoru said nonchalantly, pointing at the red team bleachers across the field. "They've already lost their will to fight."

"Hmm..." Miki blinked a few times before curling her lips up into a mysterious smile. "You never know," She winked pressing her index finger to her lips, confusing Kaoru.

"The red team is preparing for their cheer. They moved the stage from the center of the field to the red team bleachers at the last minute." The PR system announced.

"Will it be Macbeth? Or Romeo and Juliet?" Matsuyama mused.

"Either way, Shakespeare won't work," Standing up and letting out a stretch, Kaoru pointed out. "It's a sports festival."

"The red team has already lost its will to fight," Ayame held her hand under her chin, addressing Kyoya.

"Whether it's a comedy or a tragedy, it's bound to seem out of place," Honey stated.

"Yes, this has been unexpectedly easy," Kyoya agreed, heaving a sigh.

"O for a muse of fire..." A gentle voice began, echoing through the field and catching everyone's attention as they quickly simmered down.

"Oh! It's starting!" Miki whispered joyfully, rushing to the balcony with Kaoru following behind spotting Hikaru on stage, wearing something akin to a bard costume.

"...that would ascend the brightest heaven of invention. A kingdom for a stage, princes to act, and monarchs to behold the swelling scene! Or may we cram within this wooden o the very casques that did affright the air at Agincourt?" Hikaru stood on the stage, shrouded in a mysterious atmosphere, giving a gentlemanly bow as he recited his lines.

"It's Henry V!" Kaoru muttered in realization.

"Huh, a historical play." Matsuyama covered her mouth in surprise.

"Wasn't Agincourt the final battlefield of the Hundred Year War during the 15th century?" Honey asked, holding Usa-chan close.

"Yes," Matsuyama nodded elegantly, realizing what the red team was up to. "This is the most famous scene, where King Henry addresses the English army, who lost their morale when faced with overwhelming numbers." She explained.

"Oh, the cheering contest..." One of the athletic club members of the red team sighed. "Well, whatever you do is fine. We're just going to lose anyway, so let's get this over with and go-"

"What's he that wishes so?" Piercing through the air with a commanding voice, Tamaki stepped onto the stage dressed as a knight.

"Suoh... that's quite the costume."

Ignoring him, Tamaki continued to speak, striding towards the red team confidently. His metal armour rattling with each step he took. "Was that your voice? Rather proclaim it, that he which hath no stomach to this fight, Let him depart. His passport shall be made, and crowns for convoy put into his purse." He raised his face, revealing his sapphire-like eyes under his pale blond hair, staring down the members of the athletic club. "We would not die in that man's company that fears his fellowship to die with us." He announced, saying such words with the dignity of a true king.

 _It's silly, but he's good._ Kyoya furrowed his brows. _Throughout history, this play was staged before battles to raise the people's morale._

"But listen!" Tamaki's voice rose to a shout. "He that outlives this day and comes safe home, will stand o' tiptoe when the day is named. Old men forget; yet all shall be forgot, but he'll remember with advantages, what feats he did that day; then shall our names. And gentlemen in England now abed shall think themselves accursed they were not here. We few, we happy few, we band of brothers; for he today that sheds his blood with me shall be my brother!"

Immediately, chatter and whispers broke out in the red team as they turned to each other in wonder and once again filled with fire for the afternoon events.

"What do you think?"

"W-Well, maybe we could give it a try."

"Can we make a comeback?"

"Maybe if we win the rest of the events..."

"Now, soldiers, march away. And how thou pleasest, God, dispose the day!"

With Tamaki's voice transforming into a rallying cry, hands and fists were raised in the air as they cheered, each of them rekindled in hopes and spirits ready to take on the white team once again.

"May the white team win!" Standing on the field, the student council president cried. The only member on the team without a mask on their face as they made their performance.

"That's quite a fanciful cheering squad." One of the athletic club members of the white team commented. "The poor student council president..."

"Well, at least the masks are hiding their feeble personalities." His friend sweatdropped.

"Ootori-san, our opponents have unexpectedly regained their spirits," Ayame said, glancing at the cheering red team.

"Ootori!" One of the white team members leapt to their feet. "I thought you said they would use up their energy at the cheering contest and self-destruct."

"Not to worry," Kyoya said, as calm as ever. "They self-destructed early on, so we now have a bigger lead than expected. Besides, we have our white team elite - Honey-senpai participating in the obstacle course." He smirked, peering down at the field as the lolita approached the starting line.

"Wow, what a coincidence." Honey chimed as he spotted Mori, towering above the rest of the contestants. "You're doing the obstacle course too? Won't you get stuck in the tire tunnel?" He asked.

"Mitsukuni." Mori acknowledged his cousin with a small frown. "How could you go along with Kyoya's strategy? The unfair psychological tactics go against the Haninozuka way." He stated.

"Yeah, that's true," Honey admitted. "Kyo-chan's treachery illustrates how serious he must be." Tapping his cheek, he tilted his head to the side. "Perhaps in his anger, he forgot that he started out saying there was no benefit for him to participate in the sports festival." He chuckled.

"Next up is the obstacle race!" Standing next to the cameraman, Kotaro informed. "The much-anticipated battle between cousins Haninozuka and Morinozuka is now starting! On your mark, get set..."

With the sound of a starting pistol, the contestants rushed forth approaching the first obstacle surrounded by the waves of cheering from the bleachers. "The red team's Morinozuka takes the lead! Haninozuka is in second place, but here comes the first obstacle, three level 20 vaults!"

Planting his hands into the leather vaults, Mori swiftly jumped over all three gracefully.

"As we expected, Morinozuka clears all three vaults without any difficulty. Haninozuka with his petite fram has fallen behind!"

Honey braced himself, and with a swift cry for a move he called 'Usa-chan Jump,' he sprung into the air and consecutively leapt over all three vaults.

"He flew!" Kotaro shouted. "Impossible! He's a human jack-in-the-box! Maybe the rumours he was a rabbit in his previous life are true?"

"Haninozuka easily passes Morinozuka, who is stuck in the tire tunnel, and heads for the next obstacle, 'Whole Cake eating'!"

"Eh?! That's not an obstacle for Honey-senpai!" Hikaru and Haruhi protested.

"Yay!" Swiftly sitting down, Honey stabbed the fork into his cake about to take a bite when Mori suddenly appeared next to him and swiftly shoved the entire cake into his mouth and began to chew, leaving Honey dumbfounded.

"Cake is mean to be enjoyed," He pouted, sticking a piece into his mouth. "Or it's rude to the patissier."

"I did; it was great," Mori replied simply, dropping the platter onto the table and once again took off.

"I meant..." Finishing the last of his portion, a dark aura began to surround Honey as he stood up from his chair and began to chase after the giant. "Cake should be enjoyed more slowly!"

"It looks like Haninozuka didn't like how Morinozuka ate his cake! Yikes! I never want to eat a cake in front of him!" Kotaro sweatdropped at the absurdity he was announcing. "An angry Haninozuka once again takes the lead at the net tunnel! The pole vault is the last obstacle!"

Holding the pole, Honey raced towards the high vault and dug one end into the ground, sending his body up into the air. However, in his anger and eagerness to win the race, he lost his form and balance. Instead of flying over towards the sports mat, he instead slipped and began to fall towards the field.

"Honey-senpai! Watch out!" Tamaki and Hikaru, as well as Miki and Kaoru, shouted in worry, only to see Mori zip by and completing the jump, all the while grabbing the plummetting Honey in the process. Landing skillfully on the mat, the crowd erupted.

"Wow! Morinozuka catches Haninozuka, who lost his balance in the air! What beautiful cousinly love! What are the results?" He turned to look at the referee who raised the red flag in hand. "The red team wins! The point goes to Morinozuka for landing on the mat first! A rare first place for the red team!"

"No way!" Kaoru gasped. "Honey-senpai lost?"

"Calm down, Kaoru." Kyoya breathed a sigh. "One loss won't-"

"The red team wins first place in its second race!" Kotaro's announcement cut him off as Kyoya snapped up to see what was happening. "The white team was favoured in this event, but one man has led the tidal-wave comeback - the red team leader, Kuze Takeshi! A revived Kuze and his American football club players are earning points hand over fist for the red team!"

"Well done! Great work, Mori-senpai! Kuze-senpai!" Tamaki rushed to welcome the two back with a wide smile.

"You're an American football player, after all. Orange power to the rescue!" Hikaru pointed out sarcastically.

"This is no time for celebrating! I entered because you guys lost so many points in the first half!" Kuze shouted, raising a finger, he pointed at Tamaki. "I'll enter all the events in this half! We can't let Ootori do as he wishes!" With that declaration, he received an orange from Tohgouin as he began to stomp towards the next event.

Staying behind, Tarumi turned to whisper to Tamaki. "The truth is that he was moved by your words in the cheering contest," He informed causing Tamaki's eyes to widen as a smile surfaced on his lips.

Kyoya, on the other hand, was getting tenser. With Kuze's re-entry into the festival, the red team has already won first place in two events and their team spirit has been invigorated even further.

"And it's the red team once again! With the brilliant teamwork between Suoh and Hitachiin, the red team wins the three-legged race!"

"The red team takes tug-of-war! They've also won the tightrope and the balanced ball race!"

"The red team earns even more points in the men's 1000-meter race! They have made an amazing comeback! The white team leads now by only 12 points, with 258 - 246. And there is only one event remaining! Thirty points will be awarded to the winner of the relay race. All eyes are on the anchor, the position that both team leaders will take." Kotaro grinned as he raised a finger to the sky, holding the microphone. "The team that wins this relay will win the sports festival!" He announced.

"S-Suoh..." Having participated in so many events, Kuze was at his limit as he panted heavily, barely standing with the help of Tohgouin and Tarumi. Hikaru, Haruhi and Mori along with those two hurried offered him an orange, hoping that doing so would help him regain his strength.

"Kuze-senpai! Are you alright? There's just the relay left..."

Letting go of Tohgouin and Tarumi, Kuze rushed forth and bumped his forehead against Tamaki's. "I entrust the relay to you." He said sternly, still panting heavily from how tired he was. "I'll be watching your version of a valiant competition among gentlemen from here!"

"Good luck out there, Kyoya-kun," Miki sounded as she handed the white team's relay stash out with both hands and a bright smile.

No response.

"Kyoya-kun?" Leaning her body to the side, Miki popped into his peripheral vision, pulling him out of his mind and back into reality. He blinked a few times as his brows furrowed. He was agitated, but taking his anger out on her would probably both complicate things as well as provoke her to ask even more unnecessary questions.

Heaving a sigh, Kyoya took the stash without casting her a second glance. "Thank you," He muttered, turning towards the stairs that led down to the field.

"Do you best," Paying his distant attitude no mind, Miki waved.

"It must be difficult, being by Kyoya's side like that." Sitting on her spot in the bleachers, Matsuyama chuckled into her fingers elegantly, catching Miki's attention. "He's been so focused and driven ever since we were children. I hope you can forgive him for that." Tilting her head to the side, she smiled.

Glancing up, Miki blinked. "I like the way Kyoya-kun is," She stated with a matter-of-fact look. "I like how he can do anything he sets his mind to." Spinning around to face Matsuyama completely, Miki beamed. "I like how he is filled with 'possibility.'"

Matsuyama's eyes widened for a moment before softening. "I see." She chuckled, realizing what exactly about this girl drew in that childhood friend of hers. "Though if you'd like him to pay more attention to you, I'm sure just a word from you will do." She pointed out with an endearing smile.

Tilting her head in confusion, Miki remained silent for a moment. "What are you talking about Matsuyama-senpai?" She finally asked, completely at a loss for what the girl was saying.

"Oh, are you saying you aren't-" Pausing mid-sentence, the girl with braided twin tails gasped in realization. "I see," She giggled into her hands. "Kyoya must have his hands full with you as well. Take care of him, alright?" She stated, leaving Miki in an even more perplexed state.

Leaning against the railings of the bleachers, Kaoru glanced to the side, listening to his teammates discuss the events of Kuze switching off for Tamaki. He then peered down, spotting Kyoya with his back against the walls.

"Hey, Kyoya-senpai. Why don't you just withdraw from the race?" He suggested.

"Huh?"

"Fortunately, the chairman is watching." Kaoru reminded pointing at the general audience bleachers where the parents were. "If you act like you planned on giving the glory to milord in the first place, won't it work in your benefit?"

"That won't fool the chairman," Kyoya furrowed his brows as he snapped his head towards the field, beginning to take long but brief strides towards the starting point. "Besides, this wasn't about benefit," He grumbled through his teeth. "This was pride all along!" He announced in anger.

"Kao-chan?" Honey tilted his head.

"I understand now," Stifling a chuckle, Karou finally realized what Hikaru had kept for a secret. "Milord wanted Kyoya-senpai to genuinely compete without thinking about how it would benefit him. That's why he set up this sports festival."

"Kyoya!" Rushing over to take his place beside his best friend, Tamaki waved. "Good luck on our race! You must be disappointed it's not against Kuze-senpai, but-"

"You're the only one who'll be disappointed," Kyoya swiftly retorted. "I never wanted to compete in the first place. You always get by, but don't forget; there are those who find your pushy, nosy tactics bothersome." He spat harshly, a demon-like spirit surrounding him.

"Bothersome?" Tamaki's smile didn't even waver at the face of his bone-rattling vibe. "Oh, are you referring to how the white team unknowingly got pulled into your devious blackhearted schemes?" He chuckled as he raised his arms above his head and began to stretch side-to-side. "Oh! If I win, I get free year-round use of Kyoya's Kotatsu Passport! Don't forget a plus one for Miki too!" He grinned.

"And if I win, next week you'll wear only a fundoshi to greet customers, but you'll keep your European manners." He bargained, a vein popping on his forehead from the blond's foolishness.

"If I win, I get the window seat on the field trip in two weeks." Tamaki hummed, rolling his shoulders in preparation.

"If I win, you have to sit in Economy Class alone, and you have to squat," Kyoya answered.

A small silence ensued before Tamaki snapped around, comical tears bursting from his eyes. "How come my punishments are much harsher?!" He complained. They all reek of loneliness and you keep adding bonuses!"

"It's only fair considering all the trouble you've caused me!" Kyoya shouted.

"Kyoya-senpai is fighting like a little kid," Hikaru and Kaoru chimed with a sweatdrop. Up in the bleachers, the members of the host club had come together as the two second-years were down there arguing.

"I never thought Kyoya-senpai could act like that," Haruhi commented. She glanced to the side, sensing an exceptionally jolly Miki, listening to their argument with a beaming smile.

"You were having fun too!" Tamaki pointed out. "You snob! You're never honest!"

"Shut up!" Losing every sense of calmness he had in him, Kyoya snapped with all the built-in frustration he had piled up over the years. "Do you realize how much I have to work behind the scenes to rectify your selfish behaviour? Grow up, you idiot! Who gave you the idea of Henry V anyways? Someone with your level of foolishness would never be able to concoct a well-thought-out plan like that!"

"What is that supposed to mean?" Tears stopping, Tamaki was also riled up from their heated argument. "Renge-kun was the director, and I found the play! It was tabbed in a book of 'Shakespeare's Greatest Works' I found on my desk a few days ago" He announced proudly.

 _Found a few days ago...?_ Kyoya's eyes narrowed. His first instinct was to glare up at the bleachers, but Kotaro's voice through the PR as well as the sound of a starting pistol prevented him from doing so.

"And now for the final event! The first runners are off! The red team takes an early lead, will their counterattack carry them through the race?"

Haruhi's eyes flickered up for a moment as she hummed. "Tamaki-senpai said that at any public event, Kyoya-senpai feels obligated to make the Suoh family look good. It was to his benefit to let Tamaki-senpai win the crown last week." She told the host club members who were on the white team, thinking back to the conversation they had after their conference.

 _I thought... It'd be good to have an event where Kyoya doesn't have to worry about his family position. Don't you want to see Kyoya competing passionately for just himself?_

"Oh no! The fourth red team runner dropped the baton during handoff! The white team is catching up... and now the anchors have grabbed the batons!"

 _Kyoya was the first friend I made when I transferred to Ouran High School. He was so nice. He took me everywhere and even got out a kotatsu for me. He was like a Buddha._

 _Then I realized that it was only because I was a Suoh._

Miki's hazel eyes darted over for a second, widening slightly.

 _But I still remained friends with him, because he's so much fun._

 _He's stoic on the surface, but underneath he's ambitious and calculating. Isn't that only possible because he hides such great passion inside?_

 _I thought it would be great to be friends with such a passionate guy._

 _I wanted to talk more._

 _I wanted to become friends with him - the kind of friends who competes against each other without pretenses._

As Tamaki's voice from that day resounded through the air, both he and Kyoya bolted across the finish line at seemingly the same time. The two boys immediately bent forward, with their hands on their knees, they attempted to catch their breath after a fierce race for first. Kyoya took off his glasses, finally regaining his composure and somehow feeling ten pounds lighter.

"It's... Ootori! Ootori Kyoya is the winner!" Kotaro shouted as the giant monitor played shot-by-shot photos of those last few seconds of the race, clearly depicting Kyoya crossing the line mere centimetres before Tamaki. "The white team wins!"

With his announcement, the crowd erupted in applause and screams. Both red and white team alike cheered for the brilliantly played close match between the two.

"Wahhh! I lost," Even though Tamaki was making crying noises, the smile and laughter that escaped his lips were hard to hide. "It hurts, but it was a lot of fun!" He chuckled, peering up and watching as he put on his glasses once again. "Wasn't it fun, Kyoya?" He urged. "Isn't it nice having a youthful battle once in a while without regarding how it could benefit you?"

Kyoya didn't respond. Instead, he stared at the blond's smiling face in astonishment. Then, another sound of cheering, one much more prominent caught both of their attention as the members of the host club dashed onto the field, congratulating both of them.

Tamaki was quick to react when he raised his arms in the air. "Rejoice, men! The red team has garnered second place!" He rallied, leaving Kyoya to his own thoughts for a moment.

 _Even though I won, I feel more like a loser... Probably because of how I won._ His eyes turned half-lidded as they flickered down to the ground, deep in thought. This didn't last long; however, as a sudden pair of arms appeared and wrapped around his neck from the back along with a sudden increase in weight and a playful call for his name. He quickly rebalanced himself, in fear of hurting who the predicted person was.

"Kyoya-kun!" Miki giggled, jumping onto his back. "Congratulations on winning!" She chirped, her unwrapped leg dangling from below due to their height difference.

"Miki..." Kyoya muttered, watching her rest her chin on his shoulder with a radiant smile. "Why did you assist the red team?" He asked, surprised by how calm he sounded compared to the initial agitation that was present prior to the race.

"Hmm? What are you talking about?" Miki averted her eyes to the side, rolling her head on his shoulder. "I just asked Suzuno to leave my copy of 'Shakespeare's Greatest Works' on Tamaki-kun's desk," She stated in an overly relaxed manner. "My literature tutor used to talk about how great Shakespeare plays are, so I've always wanted to see one for myself."

 _So, she was a red team spy._ Kyoya narrowed his eyes as his brows drew close.

"Besides," She continued. "I told you, didn't I? The Sports Festival is meant to help you de-stress, you wouldn't be able to do so if the red team had simply lost." Shifting her eyes back to him, she gave him a mischievous grin. "So, Kyoya-kun? Do you feel less stressed?" She giggled her usual bell-like giggle, still clinging onto his back.

Kyoya's eyes widened as the realization finally struck him.

 _She wasn't a white team lieutenant, neither was she a spy for the red or white team._

 _She wasn't the Ace._

 _She was the Joker._

 _The Wild Card of the game._

Darting his focus between the strawberry blonde next to him and the blond, who was eagerly conversing with the teary-eyed red team members who were moved by that intense race, Kyoya huffed out a defeated smile.

 _There really was no winning against these troublesome siblings._

Reaching up, he brought Miki's head closer, giving a quick nuzzle as the side of their heads, cushioned by their hair, touched. "Yes, Miki." He replied. "Yes, I do."

 _I've always thought of school as a simulation ground to practice the manipulation of people. But even if I find just a handful of people, I consider ones I can bring into my life..._

 _...That's more than enough for me._

A/N: Did you guys think that the Valentine's/White Day Short Story collection was your weekly dose of 'Rapunzel' chapter? Nuh-uh! No way! I wouldn't do that to you guys. Of course, I would give you guys a proper plot relevant chapter!

I have some good news too! The frequencies of chapter updates may be increasing back to once every 3-5 days again! It honestly depends on how many chapters I have backed-up, but with the recent empty in my schedule, I have more time to write chapters. So be on the lookout for those! I want to finish writing this story by early April, just to provide a challenge for myself and to squeeze the production of this story into a neat 6-month time frame. With that being said, the future chapters will be tackling some heavier topics. Nothing triggering, per se, but there will be a lot less laughter and more heart-to-heart moments between the characters. Though I would like to mention that I will be glossing many events between Tamaki and Haruhi. If you'd like to see those, I would honestly recommend you to go read the manga. This book, in the end, is about Miki. Her perspective and adventures into the outside world as well as her love story with Kyoya. Because Miki is Tamaki's (half) sister, she will be participating in the events of the manga as well as play a part in his love story with Haruhi, but they will be a lot less detailed than the previous scenarios when everyone in the host club was together. Don't worry, I will still elaborate a little on the events that transpired for the story to make sense, but that is just a heads-up for you all.

With that, hope you all have a wonderful day!

XOXO,

Astra


	39. 34 Tanuki repays the Favour!

_-Chapter 34-_

Tanuki repays the Favour!

And so, merely a few days after the sports festival, the doors to the host club opened to the sights and sound of Scotland. Each of the hosts was dressed up in warm highland dresses with blazers and plaid kilts, completed by the bagpipe they held. The picture looked seemed unbalanced; however, as it seemed like they were missing someone. A certain blond that sulked in the corner behind the change room curtains curled up like a pillbug.

"Marvelous!" Tsubaki clapped. "A bagpipe troupe! The tartan kilts suit you all so well!"

"Oh?" Sora tilted her head, eyes wandering around the Scottish themed room. "Where is Tamaki-sama? Is he not greeting today?"

"Ah! Don't go there!" The twin immediately broke into chuckles. "Today is not a good day for milord, the more he tries, the more ridiculous he looks!" They jeered, slapping their knees in their fits of laughter. "He can only say things like, 'let's join together in the sumo wrestling ring of love!' or, 'our love will need no referee!' That's about the only things he's up for today!" They told the girls who listened with rounded eyes, a little curious to see what exactly they meant.

"Are you two quite finished making fun of my misery yet?" Trembling with a mixture of both anger and embarrassment, Tamaki gathered the courage to step out into the clubroom, throwing the change room curtain behind him in a dramatic fashion, unveiling his mostly naked body only covered by a dangling piece of thin white cloth that covered his private area. "In any case, this is not a sumo mawashi - it's a fundoshi. Apologize to the sumo wrestlers!" He declared.

At the sight of his... clothing, the guests were thrown into a wave of chaos as most of their faces turned bright red.

"Tamaki-sama is in a fundoshi!" Someone cried.

"Eee! Get the camera!" Another shrieked.

"I'm already on it!" Renge grinned, hurriedly snapping down this rare moment.

"Kyoya! Was today's cosplay your idea!? You get to wear warm, preppy clothes while I'm in a fundoshi!" Tamaki complained flailing his arms in shame. "No fair! I want to wear a kilt too! You planned this! The contrast in attires makes it even worse!"

Kyoya, on the other hand, seemed rather relaxed compared to the high-strung Tamaki. "Are you saying you're embarrassed to show your body?" He hummed in amusement.

"What?!"

"Oh my, that's not good Tamaki-kun."Cupping the side of her cheek, Miki giggled. "You always tell me it's important to keep my promises." She said, causing Tamaki to jolt.

Pressing a finger to his chin, Honey turned away seeming disappointed. "You agreed that if you lost against Kyo-chan in the relay, you'd wear a fundoshi..." He said, adding even more guild onto Tamaki.

"He can't even keep a gentlemanly promise... I always knew he was a bad apple," Finally, the twins whispered not-so-secretively, casting Tamaki a snarky side glance, as the blond quaked in anger at a loss for words.

"Um... Tamaki-senpai," Haruhi approached him.

"H-Haruhi!" Suddenly becoming aware of her presence, Tamaki jolted out of the way and hurried to cover himself with the curtains that swayed in the late fall breeze. "It's not that daddy is going back on a gentlemanly promise!" He stammered.

Ignoring his nonsense, Haruhi extended a hand, holding a little plastic bag with a bouncy ball inside. "I got this free gift at the supermarket," She told him. "I'll let you have it, so please calm down for a while. You're getting in the way of customer services."

And with that Tamaki was once again hidden in his emo-corner behind the change room curtains as the rest of the hosts were lost in conversation with the guests. In his depression, he tossed the bouncy ball against the wall watching it bounce back at full force.

He blinked.

He tried tossing it again at a different angle only to watch it bounce back in a different pattern.

His eyes widened.

 _It's so bouncy!_

It didn't take long before he forgot about his appearance and was back on his feet, chasing the bouncy ball around with the wonder of a child. "What if I throw you this hard?!" He exclaimed happily. "Wow! It's so bouncy! How about from far away?"

Peeking behind the curtains, the rest of the host club sweatdropped at how easy it was.

"Okay!" Hikaru mumbled.

"Lucky... I want to play with that bouncy ball too..." Miki sighed, crouching next to Haruhi.

"That's not the point here," Kaoru sighed, already used to the scatterbrain thought process the strawberry blonde has. "That fool..." He turned back to face the rest of the hosts, closing the curtains behind him. "He doesn't even sense our discomfort."

"I never thought the second-years would choose France for their field trip," Honey's eyes turned to a saddened downcast.

"How did milord react when he found out?" Hikaru asked.

"He was his usual self," Kyoya shrugged as Miki nodded in agreement. "Perhaps he half expected it when he found out the destination would be decided by popular vote. It's where he grew up," Voicing turning softer, his brow drew close. "Tamaki thinks his mother still may be somewhere in France."

"But his grandmother has forbidden him from seeing her right?" Haruhi continued, also wearing a sorrowful look. "I wonder how Tamaki-senpai feels...?"

A small silence overtook the hosts as they considered the sorrow Tamaki must be feeling for a moment.

"We must act normally for the week until departure, so as not to upset milord," Hikaru stated, holding a hand in a fist.

"Yes, we have to act normal!" Honey agreed.

"It'd be nice if something would happen to keep milord's worries of France at bay," Kaoru suggested.

"Hey, everyone! This bounces a lot!" The excited man in a fundoshi turned around with gleaming cheeks as he gestured the super bouncy ball in his hands. "It goes all the way up to the ceiling!"

"Remember, Hika-chan, Kao-chan! Act 'normal'!" Honey shouted, shoving the twins forward as they executed their mission on their daily dose of teasing Tamaki.

"Right!" Hikaru dashed forward, lunging for the bouncy ball. "Milord, let me play with it!"

"No! It's a gift from Haruhi!" Tamaki declined, wrapping the ball in his palms to prevent the twins from reaching it.

"So what? Give it here!" Kaoru demanded, also reaching for his hand.

"Alright, Miki-chan, you too!" Honey then turned to the strawberry blonde pushing her in the direction of the fighting trio. "Remember to act 'normal'!"

"Eh?" Miki blinked cluelessly, pointing at herself in confusion. "Um..." Her eyes snapped to Tamaki as he was engaged in a fierce battle with the twins near the open window, trying to protect the bouncy ball in his palms. Amid chaos, she shouted the first thing that came to mind.

"Tamaki-kun! I want to wear a fundoshi as well!"

.

.

.

Haruhi mentally facepalmed, heaving a sigh.

"I guess that was pretty 'normal' for Miki-chan..." Honey laughed uneasily.

Tamaki, in his flabbergasted state momentarily forgot about the bouncy ball as it slipped past his fingers. "Ah!" He snapped around. "My bouncy ball from Haruhi!" He cried. Everyone quickly rushed to the window, watching as the ball sprung out the window and into a cluster of shrubs next to the pavement. However, after a moment of silence, the ball bounced back out of bushes in a flash.

"Huh?" Tamaki cocked his head to the side. "The ball came out of the shrub on its own..."

"Shrubs don't usually throw balls." The twins pointed out, crowding at the window sill.

Then, before anyone could say anything else, a pile of yams came tumbling out of the shrubs and onto the walkway like a pile of offerings, shocking them. Finally, a little raccoon-like creature scurried out of the leaves and sat down next to the yams, staring up at the club members with its beady eyes. Mori's eyes widened at the sight of it.

"Oh! It looks like Haruhi!" Hikaru and Kaoru hummed.

"What?"

"No, it's a real Tanuki." Kyoya rubbed his chin, observing the creature.

"Eh? So that's a real Tanuki," Miki gasped almost leaning over the window sill. "You're right; it looks exactly like Haruhi!"

"What?!"

The little creature leaned down to push a few of the yams closer to the school building, before turning around and darting back into the bushes.

"Oh! It's running away!" The twins gasped.

"Tanuki-chan gave us the ball and some yams!" Honey cheered.

"Oh?" Quickly grabbing the nearby curtains to cover himself, Tamaki leaned over. "Is he a friend of Haruhi's? We must thank him."

"What?!" Haruhi grumbled as a few veins became more prominent on her forehead. She was getting tired of this line of jokes.

"During morning practice..." Mori began, still staring at the pile of offerings. "I gave an injured tanuki a rice ball. He's gotten better; I'm glad."

.

.

.

 _The tanuki was returning the favour?!_ The host club members gasped, leaning back as the fairytale-like revelation hit them like a truck.

And so, just as the host club had hoped. A diversion has occurred to steal Tamaki's attention away from the France Trip coming up.

 _'Morinozuka Takashi (3-A), Tanuki Repays the Favour!'_

Word of Mori's good deeds and the tanuki's gratitude spread like wildfire thanks to the newspaper club's OU Spot. The regulars of the club were immediately smitten by Mori's good deed while the club members admired and praised him for his kindness, comparing him to the Old Man in the Japanese folktale 'Hanasaka Jiisan.' Tamaki even going as far as to ask for his autograph.

However, a few days later, this diversion became a serious problem. Two days after the introduction of Tanuki-san, everyone entered Music Room #3 to find the room in ruins. Expensive plates and teacups were smashed and shattered, and the embroidered table cloth was covered in muddy paw prints.

"Aah! Our club room has been attacked!" Tamaki gasped.

"Why is the security in here so lax?" Kyoya sighed, about to step forward to inspect the damage when an arm appeared before him, blocking his entrance.

"Wait!" In a serious voice, Miki ordered, snapping into her 'detective mode.' "This is a crime scene! No one is allowed to enter until we have gathered all the clues and created our list of suspects."

"Well, there is a pile of offerings there..." Hikaru gave an awkward laugh as he pointed at the center of the room, where a mountain of acorns, yams and mushrooms resided.

"Acorns..." Kaoru muttered.

"Tanuki-chan probably thinks he helped clean up," Honey tapped his chin thoughtfully. "Remember when he washed Takashi's shirt while he was at kendo?" He recalled. "There were acorns there."

"And when he did Mori-senpai's homework..." Haruhi added, remembering the presence of acorns on the pages.

"So then, the prime suspect of this crime is..." Rubbing her chin, Miki snapped over with sharp eyes as if it were a groundbreaking reveal. "Tanuki-san!"

 _As if that wasn't already obvious!_ The twins sweatdropped.

"It's his signature mark," Tamaki chuckled, finally being able to head in after Miki's 'brilliant deductions.'

"He doesn't show up often, but he sure insists on being noticed when he does," Hikaru stated.

"I can't tell if he's a shy or a showoff." Kaoru shrugged.

"I bet Haruhi would understand the tanuki's feelings," Voices joining together, the two whispered among themselves, purposefully letting the brunette hear. "They must be friends."

"Uh, I don't have the answers so don't get ahead of yourselves." She replied with deadpanned eyes before remembering something. "Ah, but..." She pulled out a sealed bag from her school bag with a delighted smile. "This morning I found a pile of chestnuts on my desk. We're having chestnut rice for dinner tonight!"

"I'm so happy for you, Haruhi." Tamaki encouraged with a doting grin.

 _It's proof that she's been accepted as a friend!_ The twins sweatdropped again.

"Why can't he repay the favour by digging up a buried treasure or a hot spring?" Being the only one with a practical thought process and miser world view, Kyoya pulled out his cellphone and began to click away. "Complaints from other students are increasing; we should hire a specialist and get rid of the problem."

"No, we can't!" Snatching the phone out of Kyoya's hands, Miki held it against her chest with a frown. "I didn't solve this case so that Tanuki-san can be sent away!"

"No, no, you didn't solve anything." The twins waved their hands.

"It's a modern-day folktale, Kyoya! A dream of civilization!" Tamaki protested, flailing the book 'Hanasaka Jiisan.' "Tanuki-san only wants to repay a good deed."

"Don't be ridiculous, you two." Kyoya sighed. "Then Tamaki, you take care of it."

"I... I will speak to him myself." Mori announced, carefully pulling a little cardboard box out of his bag.

"Huh? How will you talk to a tanuki?" The twins and Miki all tilted their heads, peering over his shoulder, watching as he opened the lid to the box to reveal...

 _Tweet! Tweet!_

Inside, was a fluffy baby chick with butter yellow feathers, flapping its wings as it greeted Mori in adoration. Mori gingerly brought the creature out of its box and placed it onto his hand as it continued to chirp.

"Ah! Piyo-chan!" Miki clapped her hands, greeting the chick.

"Oh, you brought him over!" Honey smiled, approaching it.

"He's gotten quite big." Haruhi hummed, petting its head.

"I thought... the animals could communicate with each other," Mori admitted, cupping Piyo in his hands as he stared into its little eyes as the chick chirped back.

"Oh, so you're relying on others," Hikaru sighed nonchalantly.

"How could Piyo and Tanuki-san talking solve the problem," Kaoru added, mirroring his brother's actions. "Be realistic, Mori-senpai."

"Surprisingly, Takashi is an idealist!" Honey chimed, laughing uneasily.

Hearing this, Mori took a shot in the heart as he leaned against the wall for support. As he began to contemplate his naivety, Tamaki spoke up.

"No, it's exactly as Mori-senpai says." He furrowed his brows. "Together, we will persuade Tanuki-san!" He declared, earning a wry look from the rest.

"I knew it," The twins grumbled. "Milord, you can't persuade animals!" They pointed out. "Diversions are good, but this is annoying."

"If animals can understand each other, animals and humans can too! Think about it!" He presented his poor reasoning as his eyes turned thoughtful, almost nostalgic. "An injured wild tanuki found on Ouran's grounds. Why is it insisting on returning Mori-senpai's kindness? Tanuki-san was probably lonely..." He suggested. "Separated from his family, and lost in an unknown area. That's why Mori-senpai's kindness touched him so much." Snapping his head up, he raised a finger and pointed at the members of his club. "This is no plan for mere capture!" He announced. "This calls for operation, 'Protect Tanuki-san and return him to his native mountain!'"

And so for the next three days, the host club split up into 'Tanuki Search Parties,' each using their own methods trying to lure out the cuddly creature from hiding. Tamaki was paired up with Kyoya, Honey with Mori, Hikaru with Kaoru, and finally Haruhi with Miki.

The two girls have been staking out at the pavement where they first ran into the Tanuki at the beginning of the week, using Haruhi's homemade box trap as bait to try and capture him.

"I wonder if Tanuki-san will come today," Miki hummed, dusting off the dirt and leaves from her yellow uniform dress. "I would like to see him one more time before we leave for France."

Haruhi blinked a few times at the mention of France as she studied her upperclassman, watching as she gazed up at the cloudy sky. _That's right._ She remembered. _Miki-senpai is Tamaki-senpai's half-sister._ It was difficult to recognize such a fact at times, especially when their appearances were so different and their family circumstances seemed like something straight out of a soap opera. _I wonder, how does she feel about Tamaki-senpai's mother? Does she blame her for what happened? Or..._

"Miki-senpai," Haruhi called out, holding her knees to her chest. "How do you feel about going to France?" She asked.

"Huh?" Miki blinked, taken off guard by the brunette's question.

"At the end of the day, you are still part of senpai's family, right?" She pointed out, resting her chin on her knees. "Are you not afraid of going to France?"

Hazel eyes rounding, Miki's vision flickered away. "I..." She began but paused midway. "I... I'm afraid to go," She admitted, holding her hands to her chest with a bitter expression. "But I know, Tamaki-kun has it much worse than I do right now. So I..." Closing her eyes, she took a gentle breath before flashing her usual radiant smile at Haruhi. "So I'll be alright."

Haruhi gasped slightly.

"Hey! Haruhi! Miki-senpai!" Before she could say anything, however, Hikaru and Kaoru came rushing by, leaving their station.

"Did the tanuki come this way?" Kaoru asked, leaning down.

"No, not at all." Shaking her head, Miki chuckled wryly. "We haven't seen as much as an acorn."

"Ugh... I wanted to capture him today." Hikaru grumbled, crouching down next to the trap. "I thought having Haruhi wait with a bunch of food would work for sure." He grinned, teasing the brunette.

"Yeah, yeah. You think the tanuki and I are friends." Haruhi grumbled, trying not to get too irritated over that comment.

"Tomorrow, milord sets out for France." Hikaru then pointed out, resting an elbow on his knee. "Thanks to the tanuki, time has gone by fast."

"Yea... But we still don't know how milord feels." Kaoru reminded with a saddened look.

"Tamaki-senpai's speech the other day might have been about himself" Haruhi stated, staring down at the pavement with thoughtful eyes. "Senpai probably has felt really lonely too," Her brows furrowed as she brought her chin to her knees once again. "I wonder if he wants to go back to France one day?"

Miki's eyes widened, hearing those words from Haruhi.

 _Tamaki-kun is... lonely?_

Her eyes flickered downward, flinching slightly.

Hikaru, on the other hand, jolted up from his spot with gritted teeth. His sudden actions crashed Miki's train of thought as she peered up, watching him stomped away, seeming a little irritated.

"Kaoru," He said a little hastily. "Let's look over here. There's no point in being in a group of four." He stated.

"Oh, okay!" Kaoru hurried to follow. "I'll see you both later; meet us in the club room if it starts to rain."

"Okay." Haruhi nodded while Miki held still, watching as Kaoru chased after his twin who seemed to have gotten quite far.

Hikaru's reaction... She swore she had felt the same thing at some point. Where she paced away from someone or somewhere, hoping to outrun her thoughts and the twinge in her chest. She averted her eyes to the side, trying to recall the events. If she remembered correctly, Kyoya later called those feelings...

 _Jealousy._

Quickly jumping to her feet, Miki stared in the direction where the brothers had disappeared to, having the urge and worry to follow them.

"Miki-senpai?" Haruhi raised an eyebrow at her sudden movement, catching her attention.

Holding her hands together, Miki gave an apologetic smile. "Sorry, Haruhi. I forgot that I needed to speak with Kaoru about something," Winking, she turned on her heel, her strawberry brown hair trailing her movements.

"Ahh, but it might rain soon!" Haruhi called after.

"It's alright! I'll head back if it does too, so don't worry about me!" Miki waved before pushing off the ground and sprinting after the twins.

"Hikaru! Wait up!" Chasing after his brother, Kaoru followed him away from Haruhi and towards the central garden. "Hika-" He paused, feeling a cold droplet fall from the sky and onto his cheek. "Hikaru, it's started to rain." He said, noticing the thin rain that began to drizzle down. "Let's go to the club room-"

"Haruhi is always talking about milord!" Hands balling into fists, Hikaru snapped as his voice trembled. "Of course, I care and worry about Milord too. But that's because we've been with him a lot longer. He's the one who brought us into the host club. So why is Haruhi so..." He pressed a palm up against his forehead, seemingly in pain as he was unable to finish his sentence. "Why do I get so upset about these things lately?" He asked. "I'm so tired... It hurts... Why do I feel this way?"

Kaoru watched as his twin lowered his head in agony. The rain falling from the sky made it difficult to see whether or not he was crying or not, as the droplets trailed down his cheeks, mixing with the tears. He bit his bottom lip, unable to watch his dearest brother in that state any further.

"Because you like Haruhi," He replied with a knowing, yet painful smile. "Hikaru, you like Haruhi as a girl, and you're probably jealous of milord."

Hikaru stared at his brother, utterly confused by the words that escaped his mouth. His lips parted but closed again. Then, turning on the ball of his foot, he walked away. "I'm going back to the clubroom," was all he said.

"O-Okay."

With his head down, Hikaru brisked past a figure hidden behind a wall of tall hedges without even picking up their presence in his chaotic mindset. Kaoru was quick to follow, but when he turned the corner, he noticed Miki staring forward with blank eyes. She glanced to the side, exchanging eye contact with him.

She was in a state of confusion.

She couldn't understand the motives behind what Kaoru had done.

Didn't he love Haruhi as well? Why would he allow Hikaru to realize his feelings for her? Wouldn't that decrease his chances of winning Haruhi's heart? With so many questions flying through her mind, she was eager to ask them.

But one look at Kaoru's face, she knew she had to restrain herself.

He looked like he was on the verge of tears, golden brown eyes glistening in the rain. "Miki-senpai..." He muttered shakily. "I had to stop myself from saying anything many times before because he's so clueless about his feelings, but now I..." He closed his eyes as more of his tears mixed with rain trailed down his cheek. "I..."

Not knowing what else to do, Miki gently reached forward and curled her arms under Kaoru's and reeling him in for a hug, feeling his body tense up before relaxing on her small frame as he rested his chin on her shoulder. Though he wrapped his arms around her long hair and neck, his arms were still trembling. "What should I do...?" He sniffled, leaning his face into her damp hair. "I... am deeply regretting what I said..."

"Kaoru, I... I don't understand... Some things about this... Therefore I can't give you my opinion." She admitted. "This is all I can do for you right now." She muttered, gently rubbing his back in an attempted to soothe him. "I'm sorry."

Kaoru shook his head, feeling slightly better as he felt the warmth emitting off of her. "It's fine, Miki-senpai..." He said. "This is fine..."

"Does anyone else know?" Miki then asked, glancing to the side at his head that rested on her shoulder. "About how you feel, I mean."

Finally peeling away from his upperclassman, Kaoru wiped away the rain and tears on his face. "Honey-senpai does," He revealed. "He asked me about it a while ago."

"Then, why don't you try asking him for advice as well? I'm sure he could give a better insight into the situation than I can." Tilting her head to the side, Miki suggested, watching as he struggled to wipe away all the evidence of his sadness. "But even if I will be leaving for France tomorrow, I will be on stand-by for you. So call me if you ever need to." She offered with a reassuring smile.

Hearing this, Kaoru couldn't help but let out a small chuckle through his tears. "Even though you are in France?" He raised an eyebrow.

"Of course!" Holding her hands in fists, Miki gave him a curt nod and a determined expression. "If you need me, I promise to respond within two rings. Three, if I'm a little far from my phone at the moment."

Entertained, Kaoru suddenly burst out into a small series of laughter. He chortled, wiping away the remaining tears at the corner of his eyes as he sniffled one last time. "Alright then, I'll be holding you to that." He teased, turning around and gesturing for her to follow. "Come on, let's head back in. We don't want you catching a cold before your big trip."

"Oh, that's right!" Miki gasped, remembering it was raining and her weak body would for sure catch a cold if she didn't go warm up. She smiled, quickly catching up to him with a skip to her step.

"Is this your first time going to France?"

"Mhm! Tamaki-kun said I'll have lots of fun, so I'm looking forward to it! I'm super excited to see the Eiffel Tower, the Louvre Museum, the Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Paris. Oh! And the..."

Back in Music Room #3, everyone else, par Hikaru, Kaoru and Miki have returned as they hurriedly dried themselves off after getting dampened by the rain. Honey and Mori have managed to capture the tanuki after Honey had lured him in with cake while Mori grabbed it. After much consideration, he had decided to adopt the little creature and take care of it until they find out which mountain to return him to.

Tamaki dried down his blond hair with the towel, watching as the three members of his club played with the tanuki. Making sure that neither of them was listening, he turned to his best friend. "Kyoya, I won't be going on tomorrow's trip." He revealed in a quiet voice. "I find that I just can't... Sorry, you take charge in my place. And..." His voice trailed off as his sapphire eyes wandered to Haruhi, Honey and Mori. "Please don't tell the others. I'll ask everyone in the Second Mansion to lie to Miki; I don't want them to worry." He stated with a hint of sadness laced in his voice.

Kyoya turned away, imagining how she would react if she heard of the words he was saying. "I think... It's okay to worry in a situation like this." He sighed. "But, it's your decision; I'll bring back an Eiffel tower figure for you."

"Haha, sounds good." Tamaki chuckled. "Bring me back a six-foot one on your back."

"You wish, idiot."

A/N: Shorter chapter for a change. Probably the last short chapter for the next long while, so be prepared! Just a little heads up, this is where I mean the story will be branching off. There are two plot lines in this arc. Haruhi, the twins, Tamaki, Honey and Mori are staying back while Kyoya and Miki are heading to France. I won't be going into detail about what happens word for word back in Japan, because our main focus is with Miki. But I'll let still let both her and you guys get occasional updates on what transpired from a mixture of Kaoru and Honey. I hope you guys don't mind that!

With that, have a great day!

XOXO,

Astra


	40. 35 Adventure in France, the Great Sea

_A/N: Italics are thoughts or spoken in French_

 _-Chapter 35-_

 **Adventure in France, the Great Search!**

In the private lounge before departure at the International Aiport, the second-years of Ouran High School waited as the private plane destined for France was being prepared.

"Kyoya-san, Miki-chan, I heard Tamaki-sama won't be joining us this trip," Sora stated, holding a hand to her chest. "Is that true?"

Miki nodded worriedly. "Shima-san said he has a horrible case of diarrhea; she said he probably slept with his stomach uncovered." She explained, twiddling with her cell phone in her hands, seemingly waiting for something to come through.

"How tragic," Tsubaki cooed, cupping her cheek. "That's too bad; I had hoped we could go shopping together in Paris."

"Kyoya-san, what are your plans? Will you join us?" Sumire then asked.

"I'd love to, but," Kyoya's eyes flickered down to a stack of papers he held. "I have some personal matters to attend to on our free time." He replied thoughtfully.

First stop of the France trip was set for Côte d'Azur, famous for its dazzling beach resorts such as Saint-Tropez and the independent microstate of Monaco. Ouran High School was staying at Cannes Beach, the perfect tropical paradise for the late autumn. On the first day, before anyone could wake up for the day of sightseeing, a car was parked in front of the resort already waiting. Kyoya stepped out, completely dressed.

"Master Kyoya," Tachibana, the head bodyguard of Kyoya's division bowed at the sight of him. "Good Morning."

"Where would you like to go today?" Aijima, the second member of his trio bodyguards asked.

"I gave you the map last night; I told you we'd be visiting all the places we can." He said.

"Yes, we understand that." Tachibana bowed as he routinely opened the car door. "But do you realize how many retreats and summer homes are scattered around Côte d'Azur?" He pointed out. "We should omit places on the map where a possible candidate is unlikely."

Heaving a small sigh, Kyoya turned to look at him as he climbed into the car. "We must exhaust every option available to us. Do you think that the director of the board would allow the 'Missing Person' on a map? There is also a possibility that she is using a fake name." He reminded.

"Well, if that's the case, wouldn't it be better to ask the police or a detective agency for help?" Tachibana then suggested.

"That might be dangerous for Suoh," Kyoya shrugged as he settled into the car. "Besides, this is too trifling of a matter for the police. I merely decided to kill some time by paying my respects to Tamaki's mother." He announced, closing his eyes as he aloofly turned to the window. "If we can't find her, then that's the end of it."

The men in suits remained silent in the car as Hotta; the third guard began to sniffle. _He says that but..._ They thought. _The reality is that he wants to let Master Tamaki know how his mother is doing, and he's very anxious to do so. Our young master doesn't have many true friends._

"Why has the atmosphere gotten so tense in here?" Kyoya questioned nonchalantly. "First of all, Hotta. Why don't you step out of the car?" He suggested, causing the bald guard to jolt in terror.

"Please, sir. No!" He shrieked.

 _He read out minds..._ Tachibana and Aijima sweatdropped.

By the time Miki had woken up in her shared room with Ayame, Kyoya was already long gone. No matter where she searched in the breakfast hall during their three days stay at Côte d'Azur; she couldn't even find a trace of him or where he went. They were soon about to set off for Paris, yet she hasn't seen as much as a shadow. However, that wasn't the biggest issue she had weighing on her mind. On top of being worried about Kyoya's disappearance, she was also concerned with Tamaki and what Haruhi had mentioned about him being lonely, as well as the issue between Hikaru and Kaoru. Despite her promise to head out into town with Sora and Sumire, as well as her excitement about visiting France. She had been camping by her phone the entire time, waiting on an update from either Kaoru or Honey.

"Miki-chan? Hello? Eath to Miki-chan!" Sora's voice snapped Miki out of her daze as her hazel eyes darted up. "You've been staring at your phone the entire meal, you know? You've barely eaten."

"Oh, I'm sorry," Miki blinked in surprise, remembering that she was still in a cafe with the two girls. "What were you talking about again?"

"Kotaro-kun," Sora explained, resting her chin on her hands and letting out a bashful laugh. "I wanted to confess to him while we are in Paris. What do you think?"

"You love him, don't you?" Legs swinging under the table, Miki pointed out with an 'obvious' tone. "Be honest and tell him directly." She suggested with a blank face.

Hearing this, Sora chuckled wryly. "When you say it like that, you make me feel as if it would actually go well." She hummed, stirring her iced tea with her straw once again.

"You've known Kotaro-san for so long; I'm sure it will go well," Sumire reassured.

Drawing a long sigh, Sora collapsed onto the table, minding the drinks. "Ahh... We've been childhood friends for so long, but I've never had the courage to say anything."

"Eh... Is that so?" Miki hummed, her eyes rounding.

"Yes, it's just that... Whenever we talk, I always end up saying things I don't mean... And to find out that he likes Miki-chan's type of girls..." Peeking up from her arms, she cast Sumire an envious look. "You are lucky, Sumire-chan. How is everything going with the drama club president?"

"Imaji-senpai is as kind as ever," Sumire covered her lips with the tip of her fingers. "The business deal between our parents are going along smoothly as well. It makes me a little relieved, knowing our future is secured." She smiled, staring at the reflection of herself in the hot cup of tea.

Her words reminded Miki of one of her other worries buried deep in her mind, she averted her eyes for a moment, staring into the lively cafe where the golden rays of sunlight shone into.

Kyoya had initially become friends with Tamaki because he was a Suoh, someone his family required him to appease to. If that was the case, then why did he approach her? He mentioned that she was a benefit to him, but she wasn't a Suoh, not publically at least. Then why was she a benefit to him? Why did he even approach her that day in the hallway? Why did he just disappear without telling her anything?

"What about you Miki-san?" Turning to her side, Sumire called out to the strawberry blonde. "Have you found your answer on how it feels to be in love?"

"Forget that," Leaning in, Sora grinned mischievously. "Have you fallen in love with anyone yet?" She questioned, eyes twinkling with hope.

"Sora-san..."

"What?" Raising an eyebrow, Sora plopped back down onto her seat with an eager beam. "She is always around the members of the Host Club; she is bound to fall in love with one of them. Tell me, tell me. Is it Tamaki-sama? You two seem rather close with each other."

Miki immediately shook her head at the thought of loving Tamaki.

That was incest.

"Well, why don't you try this, Miki-san." Sumire leaned forward to help. "Think about someone, anyone right now. Who is the first person that popped into your mind?"

Miki blinked.

"Kyo-" She opened her mouth, about to answer when the sound of her phone's ring tone began to play, stopping her sentence midway. The three girls peered down at the closed flip phone playing a tune as Miki quickly snatched it up.

 _Incoming call from: Haninozuka Mistukuni_

"Is that the call you've been waiting for?" Sora raised an eyebrow.

"It's fine; you can take it." Sumire urged, standing up to her feet and letting out a stretch. "Sora-san and I need to head back anyway. We promised to meet Ayame-san at the historic art museum." Quickly gathering her bags and leaving some change as tips, she took Sora by the arm. "We'll see you later Miki-san!"

"Be safe heading back!" Sora called out.

"Okay, you too." Miki waved, watching as her two friends vanished into the crowd. She then peered down at the screen of her cellphone that continued to ring. Flipping it open, she answered it eagerly.

"Hello? Honey-sen-"

"WAHHHH! MIKI-CHAN!" Honey's voice poured through the speaker on the top half of her phone, flooding her eardrums and scaring her half to death. She blinked rapidly, bringing the phone back against her cheek once he had calmed down.

"Honey-senpai, what happened?" She asked eagerly. "Are Hikaru and Kaoru okay?"

"Hika-chan got into a big fight with Kao-chan, and he went to go stay at Takashi's! We are trying to talk to him, but he just won't answer." Honey explained through his distress.

"Eh?" Miki gasped, her hand twitching for a second.

"I'm getting as many stuffed animals and cake together and heading over to Kao-chan's place right now!" He sounded like he was on the verge of tears.

"I understand; I'll call him right away." Nodding, she pressed her lips together and pushed the end call button. Not even wasting a second, she quickly dialled Kaoru's number and pressed her phone back to her ear, tapping her fingers on the table eagerly as the dial tone continued. After three rings which felt like an eternity, Kaoru's voice was finally heard on the other end.

"Hello?"

"Kaoru, is everything alright?!" She jolted up from her spot in the cafe, shouting as if he were sitting on the seat opposite to her.

"Miki-senpai, calm down." Kaoru sweatdropped on the other end of the phone. "Aren't you in public right now?" He reminded.

"Huh?" Miki glanced to the side, finally noticing the pairs of eyes that were glued to her after her recent outburst. Laughing uneasily, she quickly bowed her head in apologies muttering a 'sorry' in French before taking her seat.

"I heard you fought with Hikaru," She explained. "Are you alright?"

"It's okay, Miki-senpai. I'm fine; thank you for worrying." Kaoru reassured, shifting his phone slightly. "I said really terrible things to Hikaru, but if I don't show him how serious I am, he won't be able to make his move." He said in a slightly self-deprecating voice.

"Huh?"

"Honey-senpai asked me, what I want to do... Forgetting about Hikaru and milord's feelings for Haruhi, but what I wanted to do." Kaoru began, his voice sounding oddly calm despite having such a huge fight with his beloved twin. He took a deep breath. "I thought about everything, and I've decided that... I'm going to tell Haruhi how I feel about her." He announced, causing Miki's eyes to grow wide.

She paused for a moment, unable to find her voice. Then, after a few beats, she smiled.

"I see, good luck then!" She cheered.

After talking for a little while, Honey had shown up at the Hitachiin mansion, and Miki hung up to let the two of them speak. However, despite the words of encouragement she had given Kaoru, her mind in complete disarray from the conflicting information she was receiving and had known.

Kaoru also loved Haruhi. So if he were confessing to her now, why did he allow Hikaru to realize his feelings for her in the first place? Wouldn't that just complicate things and lead to a possible fallout between them? Why would he tell him?

Propping an arm up on the table, Miki stared out onto the crowded streets that resembled her chaotic mind. Under normal circumstances, she would immediately ask Kyoya, but the boy was currently nowhere to be found as he didn't even leave her any information on his location. She pouted at the thought.

Her eyes flickered once again to her rose coloured flip phone. Then, letting out a sigh, she gave in to the urge and picked it up once again. Quickly dialling a number from memory before bringing the device to her ear, waiting. It took precisely two rings before the call went through and a calm voice hummed from the other end.

"Hello, Milady. How may I help you?"

Yuzuru sat in his office at the Suoh Corp. building, a little lost in thought. His fingers were interlaced, holding up his chin as his brows furrowed.

"President," One of the employees, addressed him. "It's time for your meeting. Is something the matter?" He asked.

"Oh?" Snapping out of his contemplative state, Yuzuru blinked. "No, I'm just a little worried about my son-"

Just as he was saying this, the doors of his office opened to reveal Tamaki, followed by the voice of his secretary. "President, please excuse me." She bowed her head. "Your son is here."

"Tamaki! What's wrong?" Yuzuru's eyes rounded at the sight of the blond as he stepped further into the office. "It's rare for you to come to the company."

"I'm sorry to drop by without warning, but I'm in a bind..." Tamaki muttered, lifting his head to reveal teary eyes. "What should I do, Dad? I'm really bored." He sniffled, reminding Yuzuru of the child he once was.

Bursting out into a fit of laughs, Yuzuru wheezed. "Well, that must be the case. Miki is on vacation; everyone in the second mansion is on break." He laughed endearingly. "Come, let's go out to eat after my meeting. What do you want to eat?"

"Nabe!" Tamaki cheered.

"Oh, fine..."

"I see, so that is why you called." Arden's voice was thoughtful on the opposite end. He was taken by surprise when Miki had decided to call, even more so as he remembered she was currently in the neighbouring country of France. "If I may make my own input on the situation, I believe that Master Kaoru did what he did, out of the love he holds for his brother." He explained.

"Love?" Miki tilted her head. "But isn't that incest?" She asked.

Arden sweatdropped, realizing the root of the problem. He heaved a long sigh, shifting his phone to the other ear. "There are many different types of love, milady — more than just one of romance. For example," He hummed. "Do you love Master Yuzuru?"

"Yes." Without even thinking twice, Miki answered.

"But is it in the same way you love, Miss Kanazuki, per se?" Arden then asked.

Miki blinked as she searched within herself. Quickly concluding, Miki shook her head gently. "No, it's different." She replied. "I love Reiko-chan, but I love her as a very dear friend of mine."

Chuckling lightly, Arden breathed in as he braced himself for a long lesson. "Do you have any paper near you as of now?" He suggested.

"Ah, hold on a second." Rummaging through her bag, Miki pulled out the mini-sketchbook and pencil she brought around with her, in the case of inspiration for a design sketch striking her at any moment. "Yes, I do." She chirped, her face melting into a small smile.

"Alright, please draw three circles on your piece of paper," Arden instructed, speaking slowly as to allow Miki to follow. "Now, please label each of the circles with these words. 'Philia', 'Storge', and finally, 'Eros'."

Miki followed his instructions, drawing out the circles and labelling each of them with a determined expression. "Okay, I'm done." She announced.

"Very good." Arden praised as if he were right beside her, overlooking her work. "Each of these words represents the basic types of love, and in the circles, you will write who should belong in them. I will guide you with one example for each, as to provide some guidance." He explained. "First is 'Philia.' This represents the love between friends. So this is where Miss Kanazuki would go, as an example."

Miki nodded in understanding, writing Reiko's name into that circle.

"Secondly, is 'Storge.' This one represents the love held between family members. This is where Master Yuzuru would fall."

"I see," Miki hummed, pen moving quickly to fill her father into his section. "Then, would Tamaki-kun fall in here as well? Would it still be considered incest?" She asked.

"As long as that love doesn't cross into the third kind, 'Eros,' it wouldn't. If so, one would use the term 'in love.'" He felt his eye twitch, wondering who in the world taught his liege the word 'incest' in the first place. "It is a phrase only used when you are certain of your passionate feelings for another. 'Eros' represents romance and passion; this is the love that Master Hikaru has towards Miss Fujioka for example." He referred.

"I see," As she continued to jot down those who filled into each circle, Miki said. "So, Kaoru loves Hikaru in a Storge sense, that is why he decided to reveal his own feelings..." She tapped the back of her pen against her chin. "But why?"

"Perhaps he didn't want to see Master Hikaru in pain anymore," Arden theorized. "Milady, when you love someone, you'd do anything to prevent them from being in pain. If anyone on that list seems in pain, wouldn't you want to do something as well? Isn't that exactly why you were so worried about Master Kaoru?"

Eyes widening, Miki swiftly nodded. "Yes, I would want to do something." She agreed.

Letting out a soft laugh, Arden breathed out a long sigh. "Milady, please keep in mind that love of any kind is very complicated." He said softly.

"I understand," Miki replied before tilting her head, she was still focused on filling out the circles when a thought crossed her mind. "Arden," She called out. "Do you love me?"

The butler froze at that question. There was a small silence before he replied tenderly. "Yes, milady. I very much do."

"Which kind?"

"Hmm..." Prolonging his response playfully, Arden chuckled. "I would say the fourth kind, 'Agape.'" He replied confidently.

"Agape?" Miki repeated, a little thrown off by the sudden inclusion of a new type of love.

"It means 'unconditional love,' Milady," Arden said in a gentle voice.

Miki eyes rounded in the golden sunlight as she processed his words. "Thank you." Lips curling into a sparkling smile, she giggled.

Spending the next few minutes filling out the 'Love Chart,' Arden had assigned her with, Miki was nearly done. Most, if not all of her family, was sorted into the 'Storge' section. While all of the members of the host club, and friends she has made along the way have been placed into 'Philia' section. However, her pen froze as one person came to mind. She thought long and hard, eyes scanning the list of names to find one other person whom she could match the feelings he gives her.

"What about Kyoya-kun?" Miki whispered, as her brows furrowed in confusion.

"Pardon?"

"Kyoya-kun," She repeated, tapping her pen through the names on the 'Philia' list once again. "I... I want to put him in the 'Philia' circle, but... I don't feel the same towards Kyoya-kun as I feel towards Reiko-chan or Kaoru, per se. Neither do I feel the same towards him as I feel towards Tamaki-kun." She revealed, becoming somewhat distressed. "I feel... different about him..."

Arden fell silent at Miki's words.

"Milady..." He spoke gingerly. "How you feel about Master Ootori, I believe that is something; you must find out for yourself. No amount of my guidance will bring benefit to you in your current state." He answered. "Now, if you will excuse me. I must return to my duties as Lady Elena is calling for me." He said, voice turning lighter. "And you should be heading back to the hotel soon, shouldn't you?"

"Ah, yes." Head snapping up, Miki quickly glanced at the clock. "I should be going soon."

"Well, then. I will talk to you later, milady." Arden addressed.

"I'll talk to you later..."

Clicking the hangup button in a slight daze, Miki stared at the end call screen with blank eyes. The revelation fell upon her like a pile of bricks, though she felt as if already knew.

She felt as if some part of her already knew that she felt differently towards Kyoya.

What she couldn't understand, was how she felt towards him.

She knew that what she felt towards him; it was nothing like she's ever felt before.

She knew he was special.

She gazed at the two circles that were scribbled to the brim with names, then to the empty circle labelled 'Eros.'

Could it be...?

But she didn't know what Eros felt like.

She needed signs, proof, someone to explain to her what it was.

She blinked a few times.

Just what was Kyoya to her?

Late into the evening, hours before the Ouran High School's depart for Paris, Kyoya had finally returned from another long day of searching. He spent the entire first half of the trip, nearly flipping Côte d'Azur anew in an attempt to find Tamaki's mother.

"Well, my main target was Paris anyways." He grumbled as he stomped into the spacious hotel lounge.

Tachibana, Aijima and Hotta followed through, internally worrying about his health yet admiring his persistence.

"Kyoya-kun?" Surprising Kyoya, a strawberry blonde head popped up from one of the couches face towards the large window and out into the night ocean. His eyes snapped over, spotting Miki sitting on the couch dressed in a thin chiffon nightdress and her drawing tablet resting on her lap. "Welcome back," She chirped, greeting him with a sweet smile.

"Miki?"

"Ah! Tachibana-san, Aijima-san, Hotta-san." Noticing the three guards standing by the entrance of the hotel, Miki greeted them as well. "It's been a while."

"Y-Yes, good evening Miss Miki!" Hotta replied nervously while Tachibana and Aijima wondered how she even remembers their names.

"What are you doing? Still up at this hour?" Kyoya raised an eyebrow, watching as she floated over gracefully.

"I couldn't sleep," Miki averted her eyes to the side. "So I figured I'd sit out here and free-hand sketch for a bit as to not wake up Ayame-san." While her excuse wasn't a lie, it wasn't the entire truth either. She had been waiting for him. Both out of worry for where he had been and to help answer her lingering question from earlier in the day. Glancing back at him, she then blinked a few time, noticing something.

"What?"

"Kyoya-kun, your panda eyes got worse. You now look more like a tanuki. " She pointed out bluntly, causing Kyoya's eye to twitch in irritation at her ever-present straightforward attitude. The bodyguard trio, however, went to panic out of worry that the innocent girl would get completely annihilated by the already exhausted Kyoya.

However, to their surprise, he gave a relatively standard answer.

"I've been busy."

"Doing what?" Miki pursued, cocking her head to the side. A sense of anguish and sorrow began to well up within her; the more she looked at him. It wasn't just the panda eyes; he was exhausted as if he hadn't been sleeping at all for the past few days. More than that, he looked a little thinner, as if he hadn't been eating properly. "Kyoya-kun, where have you been?" She asked, brows furrowing slightly. "I haven't even seen your shadow since we've arrived, and you already look like that." Her lips curled into a frown as her gaze dropped. "Tamaki-kun is at home and wouldn't answer my calls, and you didn't even tell me where you went off to..." She muttered, grip tightening on her tablet.

Drawing a breath, Kyoya reached a hand out and placed it behind her head, reeling her into his chest. "I see," He sighed, patting her head gently. "I apologize for making you worry."

Despite being in his arms many times over, Miki once again felt hyperaware of herself. She blinked at how strange she felt. It was like that time a while back when she hurried out of the clubroom during the school festival. However, this time around, she wanted to stay. She wanted to remain right where she was, with her cheek pressed against his chest and his hand threading through her hair.

It was soothing; it felt safe.

Tachibana, Aijima and Hotta watched as Kyoya lanced his fingers through her fluffy hair with care, wearing a gentle yet stern expression. _Our young master has such a soft spot for her..._ They thought, tearing up slightly at how heartwarming the scene looked.

"Hotta..." Turning away from Miki to glare at the trio, Kyoya muttered. "Why don't you step outside of the hotel?" He suggested.

"Please, sir. No!" Hotta shrieked.

 _He read out minds again..._ Tachibana and Aijima sweatdropped.

"I was out killing time by searching for Tamaki's mother," Kyoya explained, turning back to the girl in his arms. "I merely decided to pay my respects; it's nothing big."

"Searching for his mother?" Peeling away from him, Miki tilted her head. After a few moments when what he said had sunken in, she gasped. "I want to come too!" She immediately demanded. "There are episodes in _Crime? Crime Drama_ about finding missing people! I'm sure my knowledge could be of assistance!"

Kyoya felt his eyebrow twitch.

"Miki, we aren't playing around here." He scolded.

"And neither am I!" Puffing out her cheeks like a child, Miki retorted. "Besides, I have something I needed to discuss with her as well, remember?" She reminded, holding a hand in a fist before her, striking a power pose. "That's why I would like to come too!" She declared firmly.

Eyes widening, Kyoya remembered their conversation that night on the balcony of Madrid. Brows furrowing, he huffed out a breath. "You won't be able to do much sightseeing as we will be busy trying to locate her." He warned, trying to put up one last wall of defence.

"It's alright!" Miki nodded determinedly. "If it can make Tamaki-kun happy, I don't mind! Besides, I could always visit France on my own time if I really wanted to." Lifting an all-knowing finger, she beamed.

"Very well then," Sighing in defeat, Kyoya yielded. "You may come."

"Hurray!"

 _Formidable._ The bodyguard trio thought. _She is truly formidable._

And so, the second-years of Ouran High School arrived in Paris and were separated with different itineraries according to their classrooms. Class 2-A was brought to Barbizon, the Paris suburbs and visiting the Château de Fontainebleau.

"How charming!" Sora gasped. "France in the autumn has such a nice atmosphere, don't you think?" She asked, dancing through the streets as her body swayed with the wind. "I can understand how the painters were seduced by this rural landscape."

"I agree," Ayame nodded, resting a hand to her chin, still maintaining her intelligent aura. "Millet, Rousseau, Corot..."

"Diaz, Daubigny, Dupré, Troyon." Kyoya continued her list, approaching the group of girls. "The seven stars of Barbizon school who laid the foundation for the impressionists who followed later." He informed with an unreadable expression.

"Kyoya-san!" Sumire greeted.

"Nineteenth-century Paris was overrun by plagues and riots, so the painters who have grown tired of the metropolitan areas found a sense of calmness outside the city, taking their inspiration from nature itself." He opened a hand, gesturing their surroundings. "Thinking of it that way, the host club should not just be a place to relax, but a place to learn something new, shouldn't it?" Giving a close-eyed smile, he suggested as he initiated the vacation marketing campaign.

"Oh, but it is!" One of the girls present, cupped her cheeks dreamily. "I feel like I am becoming better educated just by speaking with you, Kyoya-san! It's most enlightening."

"I am honoured," Kyoya replied modestly.

"Ootori! Everyone!" Kotaro approached the group with a few other guys. "Shall we go explore the forest area?" He offered.

Shaking his head gently, Kyoya's brows drew close. "Thank you for the offer, but I would like to rest here a while." He declined humbly.

"Oh, in that case, we'll stay too." Another guest proposed.

"No, please go and enjoy the forest air," He recommended before lowering his gaze and bashfully readjusting his glasses. "To tell the truth, I've always dreamt of immersing myself in a book while surrounded by pure air such as this." He said, feigning embarrassment as his intellectual aura went into full swing.

"Oh, I see." Realizing that they shouldn't interrupt him, the girls waved as they followed their classmates through the path into the forest. "We'll see you later." They chided.

"What about you Miki-chan?" Before leaving Sora, peered over the shoulder of the strawberry blonde. "Do you want to join us?" She questioned before noticing that she was drawing in her tablet.

"No, I think I'll stay here." Shaking her head, Miki beamed up at her friend. "The view here is simply too breathtaking to ignore," She explained enthusiastically, holding her pen up to a few cottages to judge the scale. "I want to draw some inspiration from this place for future designs."

"I see," Humming slightly, the girl with long brown hair leaned in to whisper into Miki's ear. "I'm going to confess to Kotaro-kun when we are alone," She informed. "Wish me luck!"

Eyes widening, Miki glanced up to meet Sora's nervous grin. She nodded gently. "Good luck, Sora-chan!" She encouraged, receiving a peace sign in reply, as she quickly followed the rest of the group into the forest trail.

Seeing as the crowd has finally left, Kyoya plopped down onto the chair directly across from Miki in the outdoor garden. He let out a sigh, running a hand through his hair in a drained manner. "Finally...I'm exhausted. " He muttered. "Why bring the class to such a staid tourist area? We've all been here at least once."

"Eh? Really?!" Darting up from her work, Miki blinked in surprise. "You've all already been here?!"

"France is a common vacation spot. Moreover that..." Kyoya shrugged, pulling a notebook out of his overcoat pocket. "Tachibana, Aijima, Hotta. Has tomorrow's route been selected?" He asked the three as rustles began to fill the previously tranquil garden. Miki snapped her head around in confusion, eager to see where the sound was coming from only to see a head pop out of the bushes, the tree bark behind her peel away, and the branches of another began to shuffle.

"Yes, Master Kyoya. We will take the train to the hot springs resort area of Vichy-Deauville." Tachibana replied. As the other two cleaned up their disguises, causing Miki's cheeks to glisten in admiration.

"Wow!" She gasped, jumping to her feet and dropping her tablet only for Aijima to catch it in a calmly. Her eyes twinkled with wonder as she approached Hotta, who began to roll up the tree printed paper. "Is that what spies use on their missions?" She asked curiously, holding her hands to her cheeks, not knowing what to do with them. She wanted to reach out and feel the disguise paper, yet she was also afraid to. "Can I touch it? Can I touch it? Please?" Like a curious puppy, she jumped from foot to foot asking Hotta, who nervously turned to Kyoya for help from the overwhelming enthusiasm he was being attacked with.

Leaving Hotta to Miki's harassment, Kyoya continued his conversation with Tachibana. "Yes," He nodded. "Given the few days we have, I think that will be our limit. But I heard Tamaki's birthplace was the suburbs of Paris. If his mother is the type of person who doesn't want to live far away from Paris, these two places should be good candidates." He narrowed his eyes, index finger ghosting over the map thoughtfully. "These places are also worth investigating." He pointed out.

"Yes, but Master Kyoya," Furrowing his brows in worry, Tachibana approached his young master. "You must be quite tired. Each day you study that list late into the night. Perhaps you should rest tomorrow?" He advised.

"I can rest in the airplane on the way back," Kyoya denied his proposal, continuing to flip through the guide book. "Besides, for the sake of that idiot waiting in Japan, I'd like to bring back a considerable present, all things being equal..." He muttered, eyes turning to a downcast.

 _Oh..._ The three bodyguards realized. _Master Kyoya is talking without pretenses... He let it slip that he has Master Tamaki's best interests in mind. He's tired... He must be very tired..._

Suddenly, Kyoya's phone rang, catching both his and Miki's attention. "A message from Tamaki," He hummed. "I wonder what he wants?"

Still holding onto the roll of disguise paper Hotta used to blend in with the trees, Miki leaned over his shoulder to see what Tamaki had sent, considering that he hadn't picked up her phone calls for the past few days. 'I 1dr f Haruhi S doiN OK? (ToT)' was all she saw. Before she could even read the rest, however, Kyoya grabbed the top half of his flip phone, blocking her view.

"Kyoya-kun?" Miki blinked, noticing how his body was trembling with anger.

"Sending me idiotic text messages, not knowing how hard I'm working here..." He grumbled as his eyes turned into the ones of the demon lord's. He tore his phone in half, breaking the device. "I'll kill him!" He roared.

"Kyoya-kun!" Miki jumped back in shock. "Your phone! Your phone!" She cried.

"M-Master Kyoya, I understand that you are tired, but please calm down!" Tachibana rushed to calm the boy down before he did anything he regrets.

"Um... Look, there's a blonde woman walking a dog!" Hotta pointed out in an attempt to diffuse the situation. "Maybe she could be-"

"Hotta..." Whipping his head around, Kyoya gave an ice cold glare at the bald guard. "Are you an idiot?" He questioned sharply. "If she were here, I wouldn't have to be working so hard!" He yelled.

'F-Forgive me, sir!" Being yelled at again, Hotta bowed his head apologetically.

The blonde woman that Hotta spotted hummed at the five people who sat in the garden of an inn, she smiled softly, feeling a little refreshed by their energy. "That's a lively group," She commented, turning to pet her golden retriever on its head. "I wonder if that boy is a student from Japan? Don't you think so, Hachibei?" She wondered, running her hand through the dog's soft fur. "Shall we head back?"

"Woof!"

"Now, now, Kyoya-kun," Seeing that he was only going to get more stressed, Miki tried to calm him down. "Since we have some time today, why don't we head out to town?" She suggested.

"I thought I warned you that we wouldn't be doing any sightseeing." He snapped his eyes over, only for the agitation and irritation to diminish slightly.

Tilting her head, Miki blinked a few times. "I never said we are going sightseeing. We still need to pick up souvenirs for everyone, remember?" She reminded, tapping her finger against her chin. "Besides, don't you need to get a new phone?" She winked mischievously.

"Let's see..." Miki sounded, as she scrolled through the notes on her phone. "Hikaru and Kaoru wanted some books and any extra gadgets we can find, Honey-senpai and Mori-senpai wanted stuffed animals, Haruhi didn't specify anything." She curled her fingers under her chin. "What about Tamaki-kun?"

"Who cares about that idiot?" Walking alongside her, Kyoya grumbled as he clicked away on his new phone, trying to finish setting it up. He glanced over at her, finally noticing something different about her appearance. "You aren't wearing your usual dress," He commented.

Miki blinked. Sure enough, she wasn't wearing one of her flowy chiffon dresses. Instead, she wore a black skirt, white stalkings and a dark green overcoat. "Oh, this?" She hummed, observing her outfit. Comparing to her usual get-up, this one blended in perfectly with the chic style of France. "Shima-san said it would be terrible for my health if I were to wear a chiffon dress this close to winter, so she had Suzuno repacked my bags for me." She smiled wryly, remembering the mountain of lectures she received from the old housekeeper.

"It's only suitable," Kyoya shrugged, turning his attention back to his phone. His mood has been visibly lifted by the mere conversation between them. "Your body is theoretically weaker than it should be at our age."

"I know," Miki chimed, averting her eyes to notice a boutique and spotting a few stuffed animals at the front. "Kyoya-kun, let's go check out that store." Spinning around, she pointed at the shop.

Peering up, Kyoya cast the boutique a glance before breathing a sigh. "Hotta," He addressed the sunglasses man. "Accompany her."

"Yes, sir!" Hotta straightened himself.

"Are you not going to come?" Miki cocked her head to the side, a little confused.

"I need to finish setting up my phone," Kyoya explained, feeling his eye twitch at the reason why his phone was even broken in the first place. "I leave the souvenier gathering in your hands," He smirked, watching as her blank face transformed into a radiant smile.

"Okay, leave it to me!" She fist pumped energetically. "Come on, Hotta-san; let's go!" Grabbing the bodyguard by the arm, she dragged him off in the direction of the shop.

"Ahh! Miss Miki, please do not run!"

Seeing as he would be free from her for a moment, Kyoya leaned his back against the wall of a nearby shop as he waited. He instructed Tachibana and Aijima to continue gathering intel on Tamaki's mother while he focused his energy on restoring his phone's data. However, that didn't take as long as he'd expected. Because when the device finally registered his information, the screen flickered to life with a notice.

 _You have 1 Voice Mail from Haruhi Fujioka._

Miki's fingers hovered over an assortment of chocolates, humming as she struggled to pick just one for Haruhi. As much as she wanted simplyjust to buy all five kinds, she knew that would earn her an earful from the frugal brunette. Hotta stood behind her, carrying two stuffed animals. A monkey and a chicken, for Honey and Mori. "Miss Miki..." He mumbled, struggling to carry the two in one arm. "What else are you looking for?" He cried.

"Hikaru and Kaoru's books couldn't be found here, but I might get an accessory to go along with these chocolates for Haruhi," Chuckling slightly, Miki took the chicken plush from him. "They have some darling ones here." She informed the sunglassed-man, pointing at a display of that held many beautiful designs. "Hotta-san, do you have someone you'd like to purchase a gift for?" She asked with a curious expression.

"Not really, just wife, miss," Hotta replied in a respectful voice.

"Eh?" Cuddling the chicken in her arms, Miki tilted her head with a soft smile. "Would you like to get something for her as a souvenir? We can add it into the pile." She offered.

Feeling a jolt and a shiver down his back as if Kyoya's subconsciousness had heard that offer, Hotta stammered. "I-I do not dare!" He shouted.

"If it's Kyoya-kun you're worried about, I'll keep it a secret for you." She smiled sweetly.

The lack of self-awareness, how innocent she acts, and how sparkling her smile was, it was a little terrifying as a combination in this girl. Hotta sweatdropped at the notion of hiding something like this from Kyoya. "N-No, it's alright, really..." He stuttered. "I don't need to get them anything."

"Okay then," Seeming a little disappointed, Miki complied. Plucking up a box of neatly wrapped chocolates from the shelf, she dropped both that and the chicken stuffed animal back into Hotta's arms. "Could you help me find a basket to put those in?" She requested. "I'm going to pick out a bracelet out for Haruhi before we leave."

"Right away, Miss!"

As Hotta rushed away, he revealed the glass window at the front of the store. Miki's eyes rounded curiously as she saw a couple walked by arm in arm. The French woman had free-flowing blonde hair that reached her back, as well as a few on her forehead as a thin layer of bangs.

 _It suits you._

Kyoya's compliment from weeks ago resonated within her mind as she slowly turned to one of the mirrors in the boutique, staring at her own reflection. Then, reaching up, she pulled apart the braided crown that rested on the top of her head, letting the hair untangle and slip down her back with the rest of her strawberry brown hair. She smiled at the change in appearance, deciding to keep it that way for a while before turning to the display shelves.

As Miki skimmed through the bracelet designs available, her phone in her cross-shoulder bag let out a beep. She blinked, quickly rummaging through her back for the device. Once she fished it out, the words 'You have one new message' plastered the screen. She swiftly clicked into it.

From: Hitachiin Kaoru  
To: Me

Yahoo, Miki-senpai~ ! Just letting you know, everything between Hikaru and I worked out. I didn't trust him enough. Hikaru was much more mature than I am. I thought I had to destroy so many things between us, but everything is okay now. We can still be close! Thanks for worrying!

Enjoy France !

P.S. We have a little surprise when you get back!

P.P.S. Spend some time with Kyoya-senpai, won't you? (｡•̀ᴗ-)✧

Lips curling into a content smile, Miki's body relaxed. Though she was a little confused about the last part, it was as if a piece of baggage had been suddenly lifted off and she felt ten times lighter. Breathing a sigh, she texted up a simple response before hearing a Japanese voice speak.

"I said, my order is 22749, what part of that don't you understand?"

Turning her head, she spotted a Japanese woman, dressed in a neat blouse and black pencil skirt shouting at the cashier.

" _I'm sorry, madam._ " The teenage boy at the cashier said. He looked about the same age as Miki, trying his best to break through the language barrier with gestures. Though through his body language, one could immediately tell he was terrified by her urgency. " _I really have no idea what you are saying._ "

"I have a huge order here, could you just find it in the back for me, please?" The woman looked like she was on the verge of tears, stomping her feet in fury.

"Excuse me," Wearing a sweet smile on her lips, Miki cut into the conversation, addressing the office woman first. "Would you like me to help? I can get by speaking French." She offered.

"Oh, yes please!" Tucking a loose strand of hair out of her face, the office woman gasped for a short breath. "Could you tell him I'm here to pick up order number 22749, and I'd like to include the final bill?" She said, gesturing a few boxes of chocolates with frustration.

Miki relayed her words to the cashier. She watched as his eyes widened and his mouth formed an 'o,' and he nodded in understanding. " _I see._ " He exchanged eye contact and an apologetic nod with the woman. " _Yes, right away! Please wait a moment._ " He assured before hurrying to the back room.

"Thank you so very much! Any later and I wouldn't make it to a meeting in the city." The office woman bowed her head to the strawberry blonde.

"Where are you headed to?" Miki's eyes twinkled at the mention. "Paris? Will you be near the Eiffel tower?" She asked, voice filled with child-like enthusiasm.

The woman's eyes rounded as she took a few moments to study the girl before her, then she gave a small chuckle that slowly grew into a fit of chortles that shook the boutique. Through her laughter, the stress and worry built up within her seemed to have melted away.

Miki blinked. "Why are you laughing?" She cocked her head to the side. "Did I say something funny?"

"No, it's nothing," Wiping away a tear that had managed to escape her eye, she shook her head. "And yes, I can see it." She replied. "The Eiffel tower is very close from the office."

Just as Miki was about to open her mouth, the boy returned from the back room with a cardboard box in hand. " _Here you go,_ " He lowered his eyes, refusing to meet her gaze.

With all of her aggression vanished like smoke, the woman gave the cashier a tranquil smile and a gentle nod of her head. "Merci," She thanked before nodding at Miki and exiting the boutique.

"Au Revoir." Miki waved.

" _Thank you very much for helping out earlier,_ " The clerk immediately expressed his gratitude, extending a hand out to grab Miki's, shaking it with a signature European passion. " _Are you a half? Your french is very good._ "

" _No, I'm actually half Spanish._ " Miki corrected, letting her arm loose to his relentless shaking. " _But I have family that speaks French, so they've given me some lessons before._ " She explained.

" _I see,_ " The boy hummed, letting go of Miki's hand and took out a wooden box from below his desk. " _Here, take this as a thank you gift._ " He suggested, sliding the box over the counter.

" _I couldn't,_ " Pushing the box away, Miki refused. " _Wouldn't that be unfair of me?_ "

" _It's an unused product, please accept it. Think of it as a gift of gratitude._ " The clerk insisted.

Feeling troubled by the request and sincerity, Miki pursed her lips and peered down at the wooden box. " _What is it?_ " She followed up, sliding the lid open to find a silver tag necklace. She cocked her head to the side, a little confused.

" _It was a popular gift last season; customers would give them to people that correspond with the message carved onto it._ " The boy explained, pulling out a similar necklace from under his uniform. " _For example, mine is from my boyfriend._ "He announced with a wide grin.

Humming, Miki turned the tag around, spotting words she couldn't understand carved onto the shiny surface.

 _Ich liebe dich._

" _The manufacturing company was based in Germany, so the messages are all in German. Though I've heard that one, in particular, is meant to be given to someone very important to you._ " He said.

" _Someone very important..._ " Miki repeated, staring down at the necklace in a daze.

"Is this Haruhi?" Outside the boutique, Kyoya pressed the cold metal shell of his phone to his ear. He heard a vague voice mail from her, simply asking him to call her back when he had the time. As both Tachibana and Aijima were off gathering clues from the locals, he had decided to call her back.

"Kyoya-senpai?" Haruhi gasped.

"I'm sorry it took me a while to contact you," Kyoya replied, peering behind him and into the shop. "My cell phone broke. I just checked my voice mail."

"Um... Am I really connected to France right now? International calls are amazing." Hesitating, Haruhi muttered with a hint of astonishment.

"Don't worry about it. Tell me what you want." Kyoya sighed, spotting Miki speaking with the cashier at the back of the store.

"Well... About Tamaki-senpai..."

"Tamaki has diarrhea." Cutting her off, Kyoya said.

"What?! Diarrhea?!"

"He's been in his hotel room the whole time since he got here. He's hardly gone outside, so don't expect any souvenirs or good stories from him." Kyoya lied, leaning his back up against the glass behind him. He found it a little unsettling, seeing Miki converse with the teenage clerk so enthusiastically. "That's all, I'm busy, so I'm hanging up now."

"Wait, please wait a second!" Haruhi called out in a panic.

"What is it?" Kyoya grumbled, sounding a little annoyed.

"Um... Well..." Haruhi stammered. "There's..." She sounded like she was about to say something. However, her voice was cut off by a new discovery.

"Haruhi? What's wrong?"

"Just now... In front of my house..." Haruhi muttered in a mixture of daze and confusion. "The person with diarrhea..!" Her voice rose to a shout near the end as she realized the inconsistencies between the information she has given and the sight she was seeing.

"Ah," Seeing as his lie had been exposed, Kyoya closed his eyes and heaved a sigh. "He did mention that he was feeling so bad that he might go back to Japan. I'll leave the rest up to you," Then without waiting for a reply, he hung up.

 _Unbelievable._ He thought, shutting his flip phone. _He completely ruined the nice thing I did for him._ _But, this development has its merits._ He smirked. _He should be getting yelled at by Haruhi for hiding out all this time._

"Sir!" Tachibana shouted, approaching the boy. "About Master Tamaki's mother-"

"You found her?" Kyoya pushed off from the wall, seeming a little hopeful.

"No, but we found a woman at a nearby retirement home who says she used to work as a maid for her," Tachibana explained.

Lips curling, Kyoya narrowed his eyes in amusement. "Grab Miki and Hotta; I'd like to hear her story." He instructed.

 _Another nice development._ He hummed.


	41. 36 Adventure in Paris, the City of Lo

_-Chapter 36-_

Adventure in Paris, the City of Love!

"Yes, I served at the Grantaine family mansion until two and some years ago." In the tranquil gardens of a retirement home, an elderly woman sat between Kyoya and Miki, speaking with poise despite her aged body.

"Two and some years ago?" Kyoya raised an eyebrow.

"Yes, soon after Master René left for Japan." She explained, smiling at the two on either side of her.

"René?" Miki tilted her head.

"That is Master Tamaki's name," She closed her eyes as a soft breeze rushed by, causing her short greyed hair to sway in the wind. "Master René Tamaki Richard de Grantaine." She said, causing Miki to blink curiously as she realized she was the only one with an alternate name. "Following Madame Anne-Sophie's wishes, we closed up the residence. And when that happened, most of the service staff went back to where they came from as well."

"Where did the Grantaine family go after that?" Kyoya pursued.

Shaking her head gently, the woman's wrinkled eyes saddened. "I don't know," She replied. "They didn't tell us either." She then glanced up to observe both kids. "So you both are Master Tamaki's friends from Japan? Is the master doing well?" She asked.

"Yes," Nodding her head eagerly, Miki moved forward from her seat. "Tamaki-kun is doing very well; he's smiling every day." She reassured her with a beaming smile of her own.

"He drags everybody around each day," Kyoya crossed his arms and leaned back. "It can be quite troublesome.

"Oh, I see." She chuckled. "I can certainly imagine. But..." Her eyes turned distant, as her gaze dropped to the cement path. "It wasn't always that way. He was a bright and happy boy by nature, but on days when his mother was sick, he was very quiet. He didn't smile, no matter who tried to talk to him. He would simply sit in her room and play the piano until she'd wake. The words she'd tell him, I don't believe I'll ever forget in this lifetime." She breathed out gently. "'You must live life to the fullest each day, and keep a smile on your face every day. That means that you would share your joy with everyone around you.'"

Miki blinked as Anne-Sophie's words towards Tamaki resonated within her. Her gaze flickered downward, shifting left and right.

Kyoya stood up slowly, reaching out as he shook the woman's hand. "Thank you for taking the time to tell us your story; I will be sure to tell Tamaki that we've met you."

"I'm the one who should thank you," The woman shook her head. "I now see that you two are very close to Master Tamaki, willing to spend your precious vacation here, searching for his mother." She smiled, taking Miki's hand and caressing her knuckle with her thumb. She stared at the blonde, then studied Kyoya. "I will tell you what little I've heard about the Grantaine family." With a serene expression, she closed her eyes to recall. "In a place not too far from Paris, near a large forest, where the marronnier and wisteria flowers are plentiful, and in the fall, the golden wheat fields spread across the horizon, in a place that nurtured many painters in the past. That is where the Grantaine family currently resides."

Both Kyoya and Mikis' eyes rounded. They snapped their heads towards each other, exchanging a knowing glance as the realization struck them like a bolt of lightning.

 _Barbizon._

"Head back towards Paris and get us to Barbizon right away!" Kyoya shouted in the car, not even bothering to hide the demonic anger in his eyes anymore.

"B-but Master Kyoya," Hotta stammered. "You said that there was no way she would be there. You said-"

"Shut up, Hotta!"

As dawn broke in Barbizon, France, Tachibana called out gently to a groggy looking Kyoya. "Master Kyoya," he said. "It's morning. Perhaps you should wake up now."

Receiving no response, he tried again only to be responded with a grumble as his eyes shot open to reveal a hollow stare. "I'm awake," Kyoya muttered quietly, wrapping the blanket tighter around his body. "Or rather, I never slept. It's impossible to fall asleep in such a cramped car and with a head on your shoulder." He nudged his chin sloppily at the strawberry blonde head resting on his shoulder, still lost in dreamland.

"Should we wake her up?" Tachibana asked gingerly, his hand hovering over Miki's shoulders about to shake her.

"Let her sleep," Kyoya mumbled, feeling irritated and jealous of her carefree nap. Though once he saw her peaceful expression and heard her soft breathing, the sheer anger from the cranky demon lord within him seemed to have settled down slightly. "She should be waking up soon anyway."

 _He doesn't want to disturb her..._ The three men thought as tears of sympathy blurred the corner of their eyes. _He wants to let her sleep in a little._

"I repeatedly suggested that we go back to the hotel first," Tachibana then pointed out, retracting his hand. "We returned to Paris last night, so we could have rested at the hotel and then started again in the morning." He advised.

"Tamaki's mother might have left her house. If we had stayed in Paris, what would we have done then?" Kyoya explained. "Tomorrow we'll be on the plane back; I don't have a moment to waste. More importantly," Putting his glasses back up, he blinked his tired eyes. "If we had gone back to the hotel, I wasn't confident that I would be able to wake up again." The exhausted boy with low-blood pressure explained.

 _That makes sense..._ The three sweatdropped.

As Kyoya had predicted, it didn't take a few moments until Miki began to stir. Her body was well-adjusted to rising early, thanks to Tamaki's morning wake-up calls. "Mmm..." She sounded as her eyes batted open. "Good Morning," She greeted with a small yawn.

"Good Morning Miss."

"Good Morning..." Seeing as he could finally move freely, Kyoya leaned to the side as he pressed a hand to his forehead.

Hearing his voice sounding a little off, Miki peered over only to cover her mouth in shock. "Kyoya-kun, your panda eyes..." She pointed out bluntly, earning a series panicked hand waves from the bodyguard trio, though it wasn't like she'd notice. "They look terrible, are you alright?"

Not having the energy to argue or jest with her, Kyoya shook his head as he placed his hand on the car door handle. "I'm reaching my limit..." He murmured as he opened the door and staggered out of the vehicle. "In any case, it's far too early to knock on the door and pretend to ask for directions. I can't breathe, my body hurts, and Hotta snores like a hacksaw." He complained.

"Sir, I apologize..." Hotta apologized with comical tears in his eyes.

"Kyoya-kun, where are you going?" Fully awake now, Miki hurried to follow him.

"I'm going to sleep right here," He declared, collapsing onto the cobblestone sidewalk. "Wake me up when the sun rises a little higher." He instructed before completely shutting down out of fatigue.

"Master Kyoya, you're right by the street!" Tachibana cried out.

"Ahh, Kyoya-kun you can't do that!" Rushing over to his side, Miki gently shook his arm with no avail. "Wake up, Kyoya-kun! You are going to get kidnapped if you sleep here." She scolded lightly.

"Master Kyoya..." Just as Tachibana and Hotta were about to move forth to help Kyoya back into the car, a golden retriever brushed against their leg that looked almost identical to Antoinette, the second Suoh mansion's beloved dog. "Eh?" They hummed, watching as the dog rushed to Kyoya and Miki's side.

Miki was even more confused by the dog's presence. She was about to call it Antoinette, when...

"Hachibei?" A voice called out from behind, and the three men in suits immediately hid away behind the car. "Hachibei, please don't run on ahead." The voice, a female, sounded as she approached.

"Woof!" The dog named Hachibei barked, snuggling up to Miki and licking at her face.

"Hehe, stop that you!" Miki giggled, routinely petting the golden and once again finding its mannerisms strikingly similar to Antoinette's.

"Oh?" The voice chimed next to her, catching Miki's attention. She pushed the dog away momentarily as she whipped her head around, before being met with a familiar yet unfamiliar looking woman. She had soft blonde hair, tied into a bun and her widened sapphire blue eyes twinkled like the ocean on a starry night. Miki felt her heart stop as she stared incredulously at the woman, realizing that she knew her.

Anne-Sophie de Grantaine.

"You two are... the two from the other day." Anne-Sophie crouched down, studying Miki as the dog sniffed Kyoya, nudging its nose at him. Then, her thin lips rose into a stunning smile. "I don't live too far away; would you like to use my place for him to rest?" She offered.

Miki simply stared blankly, unable to formulate a response of any kind. She had been imaging this moment ever since she was little, the moment when she could meet this woman to apologize and to hopefully make amends for the past.

However, now that this moment has finally arrived and the woman whom she had longed to meet was standing before her, her voice now seemed to have vanished in the back of her throat.

Her hands, however, they were quaking in a mixture of anxiety and fear.

"Are you alright?" Anne-Sophie leaned sideways, asking softly. "While it is a safe town, I wouldn't suggest allowing him to sleep here. Why don't we take him back to my place to rest up?"

Finally allowing her brain to process her proposal, Miki slowly began to nod her head with dazed eyes.

Breathing out a soft chuckle, Anne-Sophie's eyes crinkled. "Very well, though I am going to require your assistance. My parents are currently out, so we have to work together to carry him back." She explained.

Surrounded by the sound of a nostalgic piano tune, Kyoya began to slowly stir from his sleep. He turned to the side on the soft couch he slept on a little confused to the piano and voices he heard.

"So? Have you learned it, Lawrence?" A gentle voice asked. "Maybe next time we can practice this piece."

"It's beautiful; thank you as always, Anne-Sophie."

 _Anne-Sophie? I've heard that name somewhere..._

"What are you doing after this, Anne-Sophie?"

"I was thinking of going to the fields a little today."

"Don't overdo it; it seems like you still come down with a fever from time to time."

"I'll be alright." There was the sound of a door unlocking and creaking open. "I'll be walking with Lawrence partway. Would you mind watching the house? I don't want him to be alone."

Then, the door closed.

After a few moments, Kyoya jolted up as he realized he was no longer sleeping on the hard cement streets of Barbizon and was instead on a soft, comfortable sofa. He blinked as he observed the environment he was in. It was a pleasant little cottage styled home, decorated with plenty of greenery and flowers. "Where am I...?" He muttered in a slight daze before sensing a rushed breeze and a pair of arms that threw themselves around his neck.

He raised an eyebrow, almost immediately snapping out of his drowsy state. He opened his mouth, about to say more when he noticed the trembling of her body. She was shaking like a leaf. "Miki?" He called out, gently patting her shoulder, trying to pull away and see her face. The last time he remembered seeing her in a state like this, was almost half a year ago when she was attacked at the beach in Okinawa.

He could vividly remember that moment when she was genuinely terrified.

Not knowing what else to do, he replicated his actions from that night. Reaching a hand up, he ran his fingers through her loose hair in an attempt to soothe her like a child. "What happened?" He inquired.

Peeling her body away, Miki's brows drew close. "Over there," She managed to point and speak, even though her voice was slightly hoarse and cracked under the pressure of her nerves.

Grabbing his glasses on the coffee table, Kyoya slid them on as he followed her eye line. There was a shelf full of photo frames, each filled with a photo of Tamaki. There were ones from his childhood, ones of him hanging out with the students of Ouran and even one of the recent sports festival.

"These are recent." Kyoya's eyes widened as he remarked.

"Perhaps father has been sending Anne-Sophie-san photos?" Miki suggested.

Resting a hand to his chin, Kyoya hummed. He was about to speak again when the sound of the front door clicking open caught their attention. Anne-Sophie, as well as her golden retriever, Hachibei waltzed in. The blonde woman was dusted in a mixture of mud and dirt, carrying a basket of potatoes and onions, shocking the two.

"Hello, are you awake?" She smiled kindly, stepping towards the kitchen attempting to exchange a glance with Miki, only for the ladder to avoid her gaze.

"Uh... Um..." Kyoya's finger twitched, a little confused by the conflicting information he was given. The dog that accompanied her bolted towards Miki the moment he spotted her, tackling her to the ground. She laughed half-heartedly, hurrying to pet the dog in a routine manner.

"Even if it is a safe town, it's dangerous to sleep out on the sidewalk." She reminded, carrying the basket into the living room. "It was quite difficult carrying you all the way here, even with this girl's help."

"Uh, sorry about that. But, um..."

"Look! These are potatoes we harvested from our fields! And onions too! You're both hungry, aren't you? I'll make something to eat." She chided, stepping into the living room before noticing something. "Oh, and look at these!" She eagerly placed the woven basket down as she fixed up a few roses that were arranged in a glass bottle. "These flowers bloomed in the garden this morning. Aren't they gorgeous?" She asked, almost with a remarkable amount of enthusiasm that rivalled Miki's when she spoke about her favourite drama.

 _Wasn't..._ Kyoya felt his eye twitch. _Wasn't she supposed to be an invalid?!_

"Um... You're speaking to me in Japanese..." He pointed out.

"That reminds me!" Her ocean-like eyes widening, she covered her lips. "Speaking of Japan, I forgot to ask you something really important." Holding her hands before her, the corner of her lips rose into a beaming smile as she asked. "Do either of you have a kotatsu in your house?"

Kyoya jolted back, being washed over with a sense of déjà vu.

"I see..." Anne-Sophie murmured with crest-fallen eyes. "So Kyoto isn't the wonderland of Japan. That was a lie. So Namahage, Shisa, and the Goryokaku fort aren't in Kyoto either..." She said dejectedly as if her years and years of fantasies had been destroyed in one single blow.

"Oh... But Kyoto is still quite a grand city of tourism and cultural heritage..." Kyoya justified.

 _I always thought Tamaki inherited his personality from his father._ He thought to himself. _But his mother is also a little..._

Suddenly clapping her hands together, the cloud above the woman's head lifted as her eyes began to sparkle. "But I learned something new, so I'm happy about that!" She cheered happily before turning to Kyoya. "Ah! Would you like some more soup?" She asked.

 _She's as quick to recover too..._

"No, thank you very much. May I have more tea?" Kyoya requested.

"Yes, with pleasure." Anne-Sophie stood up, holding the teapot in hand. "What about you, dear?" She tilted her head at Miki slightly, the silky strands of hair that framed her face swayed with her movements. "Would you like more soup?" She offered.

Kyoya's eyes narrowed, observing Miki. She had stayed silent during their entire visit, either occupying her attention with Hachibei or staring at the soup before her in an unmoving gaze. He could practically smell the fear that coursed through in her veins but never made it to her facial expression or skin. He instead moved his attention to her hands that were clawing at her skirt despite the blank expression on her face. They were still trembling, scrunching the black tulle in her clammy palms. It was strange for her to remain in such a reserved manner, though it wasn't difficult to guess why. His eyes shifted to Anne-Sophie. The woman that stood before them was one she felt guilt towards almost her entire life — one who she felt that her very own existence was a sin to.

"I apologize, she's caught a bit of a cold," Reaching a hand from under the table, Kyoya gently placed his hand over her shaking ones as he made up an excuse for her silence. "So I'm afraid that's why she's in such a daze."

Miki flinched slightly at the feeling as she snapped out of her mindless trance. Her eyes flickered down gingerly to his hand that layered over hers. They felt cold to the touch as if it were calming the unsettling flame that scorched her skin from the inside out.

"I see, travelling around can be exhausting for your body after all." Nodding gently, Anne-Sophie brought the teapot over into the open kitchen as she switched out the used tea bag. "How about I heat up some more soup? It's important to keep eating when you are feeling ill." She suggested, still urging to interact with the girl.

Biting her bottom lip, Miki wrapped her thin fingers around the back of Kyoya's hand, gripping onto him as if he were her source of courage. Her eyes trailed up, meeting Anne-Sophie's as she gave one firm yet clumsy nod.

Anne-Sophie tilted her head to the side, her smile widening. "Alright, then." She chirped merrily.

Seeing as everything was going to be alright, Kyoya attempted to retrieve his hand. He tugged on it slightly, only to find it firmly in the grasps of Miki. He felt his eye twitch as he cast her a side glance. Though, it didn't seem like she noticed at all. As much as he didn't mind holding her hand like this, he would much prefer if his hand weren't under such an iron grip. "You seem to be living a healthy life." He breathed out a sigh, continuing the conversation.

"Huh?" Anne-Sophie cocked her head to the side.

"Oh, um..." Realizing how strange what he said was, Kyoya elaborated. "I overheard that you've been working in the field, but you have a delicate frame."

"Moving out here has helped me." The blonde woman smiled peacefully as she began to fill up the teapot. "It's true I wasn't very strong. Until very recently, I was living close to Paris in a mansion." She peered down, staring the floating tea bag in the brownish liquid. "I was blessed with servants, and I never did anything more than the bare minimum. But my father's companies started having troubles. And the most important thing to me..." She paused. "I had to give up because of this weak body. I was receiving aid from a certain place, and it was possible to continue living as I had before. But there is no way I would be forgiven. A person who would seel her son..."

"But, after I moved here, my body gradually became healthier." She assured, filling up Kyoya's teacup in the process. "I always dreamt of living a life close to nature. We do have a visiting housekeeper, but I've started trying to do as much on my own as possible." Pacing back to the kitchen, she began to heat up the soup. "When I feel well, I teach piano to the neighbours. It's small, but I've rented a field too. My father and our family are working hard to rebuild the company, and my mother is supporting them too. I can't just lay about while everyone is working so hard. I can't contact my son directly, but I know he is leading a happy life." She said wistfully.

 _Something is not right..._ Kyoya thought, his lips pressing into a line. _I understand the Grantaine family owes something to the Suoh family, but if Tamaki accepted the offer because of his mother's health, since she's better now, wouldn't the situation change?_ He narrowed his eyes, staring into the tea he was given. _I've always wondered about this, but while it's true that the most powerful person in the family is the Suoh family is Tamaki's grandmother. His father, the president of the Suoh corporation and chairman of Ouran Academy, is a talented person who expanded the family business. Though the chairman is at fault for somethings, there is no need for him to do everything that his mother demands. In reality, he must be secretly contacting Tamaki's mother behind his grandmother's back. But why doesn't he let Tamaki know?_ _And judging by the grandmother's reaction, she has an immense distaste in Miki despite being the heir that pressure the chairman into creating_. As he thought this, his gaze darted to the girl beside him who accepted Anne-Sophie's soup with a polite bow of the head. _Now that Miki is under the chairman's control and the Fernández family has fallen, what is going to happen to her?_ He hand clenched into a fist as his train of thought continued, his mind dreading the fate that awaited the two most important people in his life. _The cause of all these problems, how can that man not care even after making so many people suffer? What is the chairman thinking? Is he waiting for something to happen? If that is true, what is he waiting for?_

"I'm sorry to have troubled you," Outside the little cottage-style home, Kyoya bowed his head with Miki at his side, still firmly clutching onto his hand while the other petted Hachibei. "The meal was delicious." He added.

"Oh, no... I'm sorry to make you both listen to my silly story." Anne-Sophie shook her head gently. "When are you returning to Japan?"

"Tomorrow, on the noon flight," Kyoya replied.

"I see, then take care of yourselves." Her eyes crinkled, eye line shifting to Miki. "Remember to stay rested and warm." She reminded sweetly.

Seeing that bright beam on her cheeks, Miki bit her lip. "U-Um..." She stuttered, voice coming out louder than she expected. "I have a question I wanted to ask!" She announced.

"Huh?" Anne-Sophie blinked. "Of course, but don't push yourself, alright?"

"I apologize if this sounds intrusive, but..." Her brows drew close, hazel eyes darting left and right. "Do you regret being forced into your situation? Being forced into letting go of your son? If... If there was a chance for retribution against those responsible... would you take it?" She asked rigidly.

"No." Anne-Sophie almost immediately responded. Turning her head, she stared off into the distance with a slightly saddened look. "I've heard that there was someone," she explained. "A child, whose life was hugely affected because of the choices I've made. I don't believe I warrant the choice of retribution if even they don't hold anything against me." Miki's eyes widened by her words. "Besides, I want to believe..."

"In that person?" Kyoya raised an eyebrow.

"Yes, that too..." She chuckled. "But I want to believe in myself, for I chose that man." She revealed, lips tugging into a spirited smile. There was no show of regret, anger or resentment, only peace, grace and compassion. Kyoya felt the hand around his loosen slightly.

"Heh. You are very similar." He chuckled into his free hand.

"Eh?" The woman tilted her head.

"A dear friend of ours," Kyoya explained. "He's a lot like you."

Watching as the two walked out the gates and be greeted by the three bodyguards, tears formed in Anne-Sophie's eyes. She paced back into the house, heading towards the shelf of photos as she picked up one that was laid picture down. "I didn't recognize them at first," She whispered. "But you have such wonderful friends... Tamaki."

"Are you alright?" Inside the car, Kyoya raised an eyebrow at Miki who sat next to him. She has been silent ever since they left the Grantaine home.

She sat with her eyes concealed by her thin layer of bangs, still gripping tightly onto his hand. "She doesn't hate me..." She muttered. "She doesn't resent me, Kyoya-kun!" The guilt that has been collected from years and years of self-doubt and anxiety was almost instantly washed away as a beaming smile overtook her troubled expression. "I-I'm so glad... I'm so glad!" Finally letting go of Kyoya's hand, she held hers to her chest, eyes turning glossy as if there were tears of relief and joy were gathering within. "I'm... I'm really glad!" She repeated, sucking in a deep breath of release as she leaned forward, pressing her stomach to her thighs.

Even though she couldn't accomplish her original goal, the sheer sense of comfort that overwhelmed her was almost worth the trip itself.

Watching as the usual energy resurfaced on her features, Kyoya huffed out a smile. He then turned to face forward. "Aijima, head for the Eiffel Tower." He instructed.

"Yes, sir!"

"Eh?" Sniffling slightly, Miki glanced back up as she wiped away the forming tears at the corner of her eyes. "I thought you said we weren't going to be sightseeing?" She reminded.

"We still have time until we need to head back for orientation," Kyoya explained, propping an elbow up on the armrest as he studied her with a look of amusement in his eyes. "Besides, I heard from Hotta that you were practically harassing a woman at that boutique over that place. You want to go; don't you?" He teased.

"Yes!" Miki almost immediately exclaimed. "Yes, I want to go!" She cheered.

"It's the Eiffel tower!" Despite the sun vanishing into the velvet night, the tower itself twinkled like the stars in the sky. Miki stared up flabbergasted, the usual spark in her eyes returned. She gazed up at the tower with a gaping mouth; her hands balled into fists due to the excitement. "It's even bigger than I could ever imagine! Like a beam of light that shoots up into the sky!" She gasped, resembling more of a child than a dignified lady.

"Would you like to head to the top?" Kyoya stood with his arms crossed. After taking a long nap at the Grantaine's, he wasn't nearly as tired as before. The two of them stood in the story-book perfect night of Paris, due to it being off-season, there weren't nearly as much people as per se during the summer. He watched as the girl extended a hand up, reaching out towards the top with a yearning gleam before shaking her hand and retracting her hand.

"I don't think I should this time," She said with a wry smile. "I couldn't accomplish what I wanted to, so I don't think I deserve that reward just yet."

Kyoya hummed.

"But, this only solidified my resolve," Almost immediately bouncing back with energy, Miki spun on the ball of her foot to face Kyoya. Her fluffy strawberry brown hair rustling in the wind behind her with her movements. "Anne-Sophie-san was such a nice person; I want to help Tamaki-kun to accept her into the family." She said.

Kyoya's eyes widened. With her back against the lights, it was as if the determination and passion within her were visible in a brilliant golden glow. He found himself unable to peel his gaze away from her aura, though it was not like he wanted to.

 _She truly was fascinating._

"At least we have something to bring back to that idiot now," Heaving a sigh, he shrugged. "I'm not bringing back a six-feet Eiffel tower as a souvenir."

"Speaking of souvenirs, I haven't found the books for Hikaru and Kaoru yet." Cover her lips with the tips of her fingers, Miki reminded.

"Aijima and Hotta are looking for it right now."

"Eh? How did you know I could find them yet?" Miki blinked. "Are you secretly a mind reader?"

Kyoya felt his eye twitch at that absurd question. She was definitely back to normal. "Did you really think you'd find those books at a boutique?" He challenged, gently tapping her on the forehead.

"I guess not," Tilting her head to the side, Miki averted her eyes. The word 'boutique' seemed to have reminded her. There was something important she wanted to tell Kyoya, yet she just couldn't remember what it was.

"Boutique... Boutique..." She hummed, replaying the events of that little boutique in her head. The stuffed animals, the chocolate, the bracelets, the woman, the Eiffel Tower and...

"AH!" She suddenly let out a loud yelp, remembering what it was. Even though the tourists around them turned their head to look at the two, she paid them no mind. "Kyoya-kun, close your eyes!" She instructed.

Kyoya furrowed his brows. "Why?" He inquired.

"Just do it," Miki urged, rocking her weight back and forth on her feet excitedly.

Though he was still suspicious of her motives, it was still difficult to reject her when she would stare at him with puppy-like eyes. Caving in, Kyoya's forehead creased as he closed his eyes, wondering what she could be up to. "Very well," He huffed.

Seeing his compliance, Miki nodded in satisfaction.

Kyoya raised an eyebrow, listening intently to the shuffling of her movements over the crowd that surrounded them. He heard a click of her cross-shoulder bag opening and her rustling of her searching for something. Then, there was the sound of sliding before he felt something thin and cold brush up against his neck, followed by the warmth of what he could only presume to be her hands.

"There we go," Miki chirped happily as the warmth vanished. "You can open your eyes now." She said with her airy voice.

Eyes shooting open, Kyoya darted his attention to the slight increase of weight around his neck. A silver tag necklace rested on his chest, secured by a silver chain. Peering up, he gave Miki's twinkling face a questioning look.

"It was a thank you gift from the boutique, for helping them translate Japanese," Miki explained, holding her hands behind her back. Holding the silver tag in his palms, Kyoya ran his thumb over as she continued. "The clerk told me to give it to someone very important to me. I thought about it, and I chose to give it to you, Kyoya-kun. Because," She beamed. "You are very, very special to me."

Gingerly, he flipped the tag around, eyes widening at the words carved onto the back.

 _Ich liebe dich._

 _I love you in German._

"Do you like it?" Tilting her head, Miki asked.

Seeing such an innocent glow in her eyes, Kyoya felt his heart stop for a moment. He took a step forward, closer to her. "Yes, I very much do." He said as the corner of his lips tugged upward. "Thank you."

Miki jolted slightly as a sudden sense of self-awareness flooded through her body. She stared up into Kyoya's brownish green eyes, for the first time, noticing the slight strain present in her neck from looking up. Was he always this tall? Did he always look like this? She thought as her lips parted slightly, the 'love circles' her and Arden worked on flashed into her mind. "O-Of course." She stammered, averting her eyes away. "I'm just glad you like it." She chuckled, brushing the loose strands of hair out of her face.

Seeing such an amusing reaction, Kyoya smirked. Taking his hand off the silver tag, he brushed his fingers across her jawline and down to her chin, bringing it to face him. He chuckled at her wide-eyed expression, hazel pupils reflecting the street light behind him. "I wanted to let you know something." He stated, brushing his thumb against the apple of her cheek. "The girl I have an interest in, I am now certain of my feelings towards her." His eyes softened to a gaze of adoration. "I'm in love with her." He declared seriously.

"Eh?" Miki sucked in a cold breath at his statement, seeing the same determination and passion surface on his face as it did when he previously announced his interest in this mysterious girl.

 _In love?_

 _It is a phrase only used when you are certain of your passionate feelings for another._

 _Kyoya-kun is in love with someone...?_

In Ouran Academy, Classroom 1-A, the students were busy chatting away as they got prepared for the school day ahead. Suddenly, the doors to the classroom slammed open, revealing Miki who was panting heavily. The students all snapped their heads around, a little curious why they would be getting a visit from the strawberry blonde.

Eyes quickly scanning across the students, she spotted a boy with ginger hair before lunging forward. "Kaoru! " She cried, tackling one of the twins to the ground.

"Miki-senpai..." Kaoru groaned, a little shaken up from the sudden attack. "Welcome back..." He managed.

Not wasting even a second, Miki crawled up, unaware of how she nearly knocked her poor underclassman unconscious. "Are you both feeling alright? How did everything go?" She inquired.

"W-We're fine, Miki-senpai." Hikaru, who had witnessed his twin become a literal cushion for a fall, sweatdropped. "Thanks for worrying."

"Hikaru," Miki blinked, sensing something different about the boy. She took a few moments, staring at him thoughtfully, trying to pinpoint what was off. "AH! You dyed your hair!" She exclaimed, pointing at the dark ash locks instead of his usual ginger. "Was this the surprise Kaoru told me about? It looks good on you." She complimented.

"Thanks," Almost scarily used to his upperclassman's slow reaction time, Hikaru chuckled. A hand subconsciously reached up as he began to twiddle with his hair. "Did you change your hair too?" He asked, gesturing the thin layer of bangs above her eyes.

"Mhm!" Miki chided.

"Miki-senpai..." Still stuck under Miki and glued to the ground, Kaoru twitched in pain. "Please get off me." He requested.

"Eh?" Noticing that she was still sitting on her friend, Miki jumped. "Ah! I'm sorry." She said, scrambling to help him up.

"Speaking of which," As he stood back up, Kaoru began to rub the back of his head. "How did you know it was me?" He asked.

"Huh?"

"I thought you needed to hear our voices before identifying us" Hikaru added.

"What are you talking about?" Cocking her head to the side, Miki's eye line shifted between the twins who now had different hair colours. "I could tell the difference between you two since a while ago." She stated with a straight face.

The twins blinked as they turned to look at each other before staring back at her in disbelief. "How?!" They asked in unison.

"Because I am closer friends with Kaoru, after all." Without missing a beat, Miki pronounced.

Hikaru felt his body jolt in irritation at the blunt statement while Kaoru struggled to choke back a chuckle. However, all was in vain as he opened his mouth, bursting out in a fit of laughter.

"That's true," Throwing an arm around Miki's shoulder, Kaoru pulled her in for a side hug and a playful wink as he wiped away the tears at the corner of his eyes. "We are closer friends." He announced.

"Mhm!" Miki nodded, hugging the ginger back.

"Ah! Miki-senpai!" Hikaru frowned jokingly. "That is not fair; why are you hugging Kaoru?" He snickered, deciding to let go of her previous comment.

"That's because I love Kaoru!" Miki said.

"I love you too, Miki-senpai!" Kaoru chortled.

"Hmph! I love Kaoru more!" Not wanting to lose, Hikaru grabbed onto Kaoru's other arm with a wide grin.

"Gather around; we will start handing out the gifts we brought back from France," Kyoya announced with an unbalanced smile.

"YAYYY!" Hikaru, Kaoru and Honey threw their arms up in the air, cheering loudly at the notion as they quickly gathered around Kyoya and Miki. Tamaki, on the other hand, was curled up like a pillbug at the back of Music Room #3, surrounded by the gloom of his emo-corner.

"Hikaru and Kaoru, here are the books you wanted plus some miscellaneous items." Counteracting Tamaki's aura, Kyoya sounded almost scarily giddy as the atmosphere around him sparkled.

"Thank you, Kyoya-senpai!" Going along with this abnormality, Hikaru and Kaoru cheered as they took the books, ignoring Tamaki's sulking.

"Honey-senpai, Mori-senpai, here are the baked treats and stuffed animals." Holding out a box and two stuffed animals, Miki beamed brightly as usual.

"Hehe, thanks Miki-chan!" Taking the giant monkey, Honey giggled as Mori held the chicken one.

"For Haruhi, I have some chocolates and an accessory." Taking out two nicely wrapped boxes, Kyoya's aura glimmered even further, scaring the brunette. "Miki picked it out; I thought it would look good on you as well." He smiled, taking a jab at Tamaki who had caused him so much trouble during his trip.

"Um, thank you..." Haruhi muttered, a little scared by that smile.

"Um... Kyoya, what about me?" Finally choosing to leave his corner, Tamaki held a finger to his lip like a baby. "My six-foot-tall Eiffel tower?" He asked with puppy eyes.

"Hikaru, did you change your hair colour?" Ignoring the blond, Kyoya ruffled Hikaru's hair almost terrifyingly affectionately. "It suits you." He said.

"Hahaha, really? I think so too!" Hikaru went along, laughing cheerfully as he fixed his hair. "I knew you would say that, Kyoya-senpai. It's awful that somebody else somewhere didn't even notice." He commented, taking another jab at Tamaki who began to shed comically tears.

"That's an outright falsehood!" The blond protested. "I was the first one who noticed! Liar twins!"

"Liar?" The word seemed to have triggered the hosts as Hikaru, Kaoru, Honey and Mori turned to glare at him sharply. "Who's a liar?" The twins inquired.

"Ack!" Tamaki jumped back.

"Did you hear?" Hikaru whispered just loud enough for their flamboyant president to hear. "Rumour has it that he was hiding the fact that he didn't go on the class trip."

"I heard it was premeditated," Kaoru hushed, casting the blond a side glance. "Oh my, how ghastly! That's heinous..."

"It hurts so much. He doesn't trust us at all." Honey stared down sadly, adding to the damage.

"I went to apologize to each of you last night!" Tamaki shouted. "Right, Miki? You were with me! I even picked you up at the airport!" Snapping to his sister, who was pointing out the different kinds of chocolate to Haruhi.

"Tamaki-kun..." Robotically turning her head, Miki continued to wear that close-eyed radiant smile she was known for. However, her aura was no longer twinkling. Instead, it was as if enraged lightning bolts crackled the skies where she stood under, looking like she was ready to murder the blond with that passive aggressive smile.

"Please don't talk to me right now." She instructed.

"Eeek!" Tamaki shrieked, fearing that the demon lord within Kyoya had begun to rub off on his precious sister.

"Is she mad?" Honey asked.

"She's mad." Kaoru sweatdropped.

"Haruhi," Whipping his head around, Tamaki tried one more time as he gleamed hopefully at the brunette. "You forgave me, didn't you? You eve gave me rice balls, didn't you?" He reminded.

"Um..." Haruhi jolted as she stared up at Tamaki, her face flushed and her hands began to fidget. "Um, I..." She stammered. "H-Hikaru, Kaoru, what books did you get?" Averting her eyes, she changed the topic, sending Tamaki another shock in defeat.

"Haruhi?" Hikaru raised an eyebrow, realizing that something was off. "What's wrong? Did something happen?" He asked.

"Um..." Haruhi's brews drew close, her cheeks gaining a beet red glow. "No, nothing..." She quickly blurted out.

"Oh, right. I almost forgot." To ease the situation, Kyoya spoke as he rested his hand to his chin. "I met a certain blonde woman in France." He informed the club members.

"Yes?" The twins raised an eyebrow each.

"She had a dog that looked a lot like Antoinette. I heard it had a brother or sister living in Japan." Casting Tamaki, who was tracing a finger on the wall a side glance, he huffed out a breath. "She said she thinks about her far away son every day. She lives with her parents and that dog." He said.

"I bet she was beautiful, huh?" Picking up on what Kyoya had meant, Honey beamed softly as he held the new stuffed monkey close.

"Yes, she was very beautiful and a very kind person," Miki replied, holding her hands to her chest with a nostalgic expression. Tears gathered in Tamaki's eyes as he heard the first news of his mother in years.

"Was she in good health?" Haruhi then asked, gripping onto Hikaru's sleeve. "Did you find her in good health?" She asked, almost desperate to know.

"Yes," Kyoya announced. "She's doing very well, and was smiling a lot." Then, he turned to look at Tamaki who rose from his curled up stance. "She is also praying that her son in Japan is living the way, he wanted to." He said.

"I'm... glad..." Tamaki whispered, droplets of his years of worry streamed down his cheeks and dripping to the ground. As if the anxiety and uncertainty that loomed over him, vanished with the words from the two. "She's smiling... I'm so glad..." Faced away from the hosts, he reached up, wiping away the tears with his sleeve.

A/N: As I was writing this chapter, part of me realized how similar Miki and Anne-Sophie are as characters. They both give off a very airy and cheerful vibe despite being in such tough situations, always eager for new experiences, smiling and giggling. Heck, even their physical conditions are similar. (For those who don't understand why Miki's body is weaker than it should be, it's because her immune system never got very strong as she's never been exposed to the outside world much. It's nothing crazy like Anne-Sophie immune system deficiency, don't worry.) But it's pretty interesting, isn't it? How these two can connect really brings a lot of interesting topics to the table, things I'm eager to explore more as the story continues.

It was really upsetting for me as an author to write this chapter as well, how much Miki's cheerful persona just broke down in front of Anne-Sophie. While I really wanted to just let her and Anne-Sophie rekindle and get to know each other straight off the bat, it just wouldn't feel right. Both for pacing reasons and her characterization. She's still a normal person with fears, insecurities and flaws. During this chapter, we tackled the first two, the next chapter will drag some of her biggest flaws out into the limelight. So please look forward to that!

Just a little personal update, I've been reeeally busy lately. Don't worry, this doesn't mean updates are stopping anytime soon. I just worry about the quality of the chapters themselves. I've been noticing the difference, and well, I'm not the happiest about it. If they start to slip up, please do not hesitate on telling me. I'm always open to constructive criticism.

With that, have a great day!

XOXO,

Astra


	42. 37 Aphrodite wants to Understand!

_-Chapter 37-_

 **Aphrodite wants to Understand!**

_The girl I have an interest in, I am now certain of my feelings towards her. I'm in love with her._

"In love..." Miki uttered in a daze as she tapped the back of her pen into her mini-sketchbook. Despite how there should be much more on her mind, such as Tamaki's lies against her and the rest of the club, she just couldn't shake her mind off Kyoya's words. She stared down blankly at the three circles on the page; two filled to the brim with names while the other was empty. If this were Kyoya's love circles, it would where this mysterious girl would go. She was still trying to sort out her own feelings, trying to categorize Kyoya into one of these circles. Her pen hovered over the 'Eros' label.

She didn't know enough about romantic love to know if he belonged in there yet.

"Miss Suoh," Clearing his throat, Mr. Kobayashi called on Miki for the third time, jolting the girl out of her train of thought. "Would you mind reading this next section, please?" He raised his eyebrow.

"Huh? Oh." Standing up with dazed eyes, Miki stood up and looked down at her traditional literature book. She blinked cluelessly, not knowing where in the world they were at in the lesson.

Sensing his sister's troubles, Tamaki leaned back a little and covered his mouth with the book. "Page 227, Paragraph Three." He whispered.

Miki's hazel eyes flickered to the seat before hers. She stared blankly at Tamaki, about to accept his help when a feeling of unexplainable sadness and frustration overtook that thought. She snapped her head back up to the teacher. "I'm sorry; I was not paying attention." She announced bluntly, causing the blond to jolt back in the shock of rejection.

Heaving a long sigh, Mr. Kobayashi gestured for her to sit down with a sweatdrop at how straightforward that answer was. "Sit down," He said. "I appreciate your honesty, but please pay attention in class."

"I'm sorry," Miki nodded apologetically.

"Miki!" After class, Tamaki spun around on his chair happily, having already recovered from the previous blow he had been dealt. "Let's head to the club together!" He gleamed. The bell had since rung, and students were beginning to gather their things to head either home or their after-school clubs.

Subconsciously brushing her hand over the 'love circles' she has drawn to cover them, Miki watched Tamaki as he folded his arms on the backing of his chair and offering a sweet smile. Biting her bottom lip, her gaze landed on the word 'storge,' familial love. She furrowed her brows.

"Miki-chan..."

Amongst the crowd of students, Sumire and an oddly quiet Sora approached the strawberry blonde. The latter, who usually had a mischievous smile curled on her lips was frowning and looking like he was on the verge of tears.

"Is something the matter? Please sit down." Spotting a distraction to avoid his request, Miki turned to invite two. "Sorry Tamaki-kun, could you head to the club without me?" Miki requested.

"A-Ah, sure..."

"I already went over the production list this morning," She reassured him. "You should start getting ready, or Kyoya-kun is going to be mad, you know?" She reminded.

"O-Okay..." Dejected by how he was shot down by Miki, Tamaki moped as he pushed up from his seat. "You'll be there, right?" He asked, turning back with puppy eyes.

Miki nodded.

"Kyoya," As he and his best friend paced down the busy halls of Ouran High School, Tamaki called out as he wiped away the tears at the corner of his eyes. "I think Miki is acting a little strange," He proposed.

Walking at his side in a much more dignified manner, Kyoya cast the blond a side glance. "What makes you think so?" He asked.

"She has been waking up excessively early on her own every morning, this weekend, she skipped our usual 'weekly drama day,' she wouldn't visit my room to hang out during her free time, and whenever we eat she's always speaking with Suzuno..." Tamaki listed off before perking up. "Could it be that... she is actively avoiding me?!" He gasped as the realization hit him like a truck.

"Who knows?" Mentally questioning his best friend's stupidity, Kyoya hummed as he averted his eyes. "Perhaps it's because of how you faked your diarrhea to avoid the school trip." He implied.

Rubbing his eyes, Tamaki sniffled. "B-But, I just didn't want her to worry..." He reasoned. "And I apologized afterward. I even made sure to prepare some of her favourite tiramisu and commoner's coffee when she got home!" He said.

"As I've said, I believe it's okay to worry in a situation like this. She was rather upset about that fact, was she not?" Kyoya replied, sensing Tamaki's depressed mood. "Just give her some time." He advised.

After Tamaki and Kyoya had left for the clubroom, the usual upbeat brunette took a seat in the blond's place as her best friend sat next to her. Miki tilted her head, puzzled by the visible frown that seemed to have etched into her friend's face since their return to Japan. "What's the matter, Sora-chan?" She inquired. "You seem upset." Watching as Sora's brows furrowed, tears forming at the corner of her eyes.

Sumire drew a small sigh, still holding onto her best friend as she gently rubbed her best friend's back. "Let's just not talk about this, alright Sora-san?" She suggested.

Rubbing the back of her hand across her eyes, Sora wiped away the tears that circled as she nodded. "No, I want to ask her," She admitted hoarsely, biting her lips as her shoulders and head sunk. "I really do, but..." Her voice trailed off as the moisture rushed back to her eyes. Swiftly, she buried her face in her palms and began to weep silently. "I-I..." She whispered. "I got rejected by Kotaro-kun." She revealed.

"Eh?"

"I told him about how I felt, I confessed to him on the trail... and..." Her eyes began to water up further as she buried her face into her hands. "And he told me that he didn't see me the same way." She sobbed, hands clenching on her skirt.

"Sora-san..." Sumire's lips curled into a frown as she side hugged her best friend.

Miki blinked a little. "Oh, I'm so sorry." She paused for a moment, receiving nothing in response. "And?" She urged for the brunette to continue.

Sora's eyes snapped up, cheeks still stained with dried tears. "Well... We've been childhood friends for so long." Her voice cracked. "Miki-chan... What do I do?"

Rubbing a hand against her chin, Miki fell silent for a moment as she grew thoughtful. "Do you still love him?" She asked.

"Huh?" Sora peered up from her palms. "O-Of course I still do... But..."

Resting her hands on her sketchbook, Miki nodded curtly. "If you still love him, then just tell him again." She explained.

"Tell him again...?" Sora and Sumire repeated in unison.

"When?"

"Now," Miki replied bluntly.

"Eh?" Whipping her head around, Sumire gasped at how straightforward, and absurd Miki's words were.

"N-Now?" Sora's brows drew close, feeling uncomfortable with the direction of the conversation. "B-But... I've loved him for so long... I just... I don't want anything to change between us..." She said, holding her hands before her chest.

"Then that's all the more reason to; it's not good to give up, after all." Eyes flickering down to her sketchbook, Miki hummed. "By the way, you mentioned that you loved him right?" She inquired as she gazed up at her confused friend. "May I ask, what does love feel like?"

"M-Miki-san, I don't think that..." Sumire was beginning to panic as she covered her lips.

Sora's coffee brown eyes immediately rounded. A chain of emotions flashed across her eyes, shock, disbelief, sorrow and finally anger. "How could you ask that at a time like this?!" Jolting up from her spot, Sora slammed her hands on the Miki's desk. It startled both Miki and Sumire, as well as the remaining students in the classroom as they turned to look at the trio. Sora didn't care. She was too worked up by the insensitive words Miki had asked.

"Eh?" Miki blinked.

"Sora-san, calm down a little." Sumire stood up with her, trying to ease the brunette's anger and frustration. "I think what Miki-chan meant is... is..." Unable to come up with a plausible reason for Miki's words, she turned to the blonde for aid.

Miki was beyond confused by Sora's anger. _Why was Sora so angry?_ She wondered as her eyes darted between the two of them.

Realizing that she wasn't going to respond, it only fuelled Sora's already present sadness and frustration. "Miki-chan..." She muttered with quaking lips. "Miki-chan, you idiot!" Pushing her hands off the desk, Sora spun on her heels and bolted out of the classroom with more tears swirling in her eyes.

"Sora-chan!"

"Sora-san! Ahh, this is why I told her not to ask you." Sumire held her hands before her mouth in distress, eyeing between the blonde and brunette as she was torn between the two of them.

"You should go after her, Sumire-san." Sensing Sumire's dilemma, Miki suggested with a wry smile.

"But you-"

"I'm alright," She cast the opened classroom door a concerned glance. "I think Sora-chan is upset with me, so it'd be best if you went after her."

Hands sliding down to her chest, Sumire's brows drew close. "Miki-san, do you not understand why Sora-san is upset?" She asked gingerly.

"Not really," Eyes averting to the side, Miki shook her head cluelessly.

"Oh, dear... I knew you couldn't understand, but..." Watching the strawberry blonde with a slight sense of sympathy, Sumire murmured. She thought for a few seconds before opening her neatly organized school bag and pulling out a magazine. "Here, please take this." She offered with two hands and a polite smile. "I'll be going after Sora-san. But, if you want to learn a little something about love. Please give this a read." She said.

Miki took the colour magazine in both hands with a curious look. It had the words ' _Girl's Ro-Romance!-Winter Edition_ ' slapped on as the title, following by a subtitle of 'The Romance Bible for Girls of the 21st century'. The cover had an image of a couple happily walking in the snow while holding hands. She blinked awkwardly.

"I didn't know you enjoyed reading these types of magazines." She commented, turning the magazine around and observing it from all four directions as if it were her first time seeing a trashy teen magazine.

Giggling nervously, Sumire quickly closed her bag. "It's a hobby of mine." She explained as she waved. "I'll be off then, see you tomorrow." With that, she left the classroom leaving Miki and a few others.

"See you tomorrow." Cradling the magazine in her arms, Miki waved in a slight daze.

"Welcome!" As the doors of Music Room #3 opened, the hosts are revealed in a beaming light to be dressed in traditional Turkish attire. The music room itself was decked out in glamourous tiled walls and intricately designed rugs and pillows. The guests gasped in awe as they entered the Turkish paradise.

"Tamaki-sama, we're so pleased to hear your stomachache has gone away." Tsubaki cupped her cheeks as she let out a dreamy sigh, unaware of Tamaki's ploy that he played during the school trip.

"It's so lovely to see you in a gorgeous costume after so long!" One of the other guests nodded, remembering the last time when they saw him, he was in a fundoshi. "The turquoise stones contrast nicely with your light hair." She complimented.

Lifting the girl's face by the chin, Tamaki gave a tender smile as a rose-like aura began to blossom around them. "Thank you, Princess." He said. "Ancient people believed that happiness descends from would put their hopes into these sky-coloured stones. But for me, you are the beautiful jewel that brings hope."

"Oh, Tamaki-sama..." The girl swooned.

"This is adorable!" On the other end of the clubroom, another small group of customers exclaimed as Kyoya handed out little blue eye-shaped amulets to them. "These are for us?" One of the girls asked.

"Yes, they 're nazar boncugu." Opening his palms, Kyoya explained. "They're a popular good luck charm in Turkey, believed to protect you from illness and bad luck." Readjusting his glasses on his nose bridge, he then gave a close-eyed smile. "Seeing that you are healthy and happy and frequent our club is our source of happiness." He said, causing the girls to blush with star-struck eyes.

"These are such unusual treats, Honey-senpai." Sitting on one of the couches, another two girls chuckled as the Honey and Mori duo began to serve up Turkish sweets.

"Yes! This one is dondurma, and this one is lokum. They're all sweet and yummy!" The lolita giggled, gesturing their desserts for the day with enthusiasm. "And if you want something to drink, try the ayran." He glanced up at Mori who arrived with a tray and a couple of cups. "It's a slightly salty yogurt drink. But really, my favourite is drinking çay tea with lots and lots of sugar!" He said, sending the girls through fangirling fits at how adorable he was.

"Hikaru, that dark ash colour in your hair really suits you." On another couch, the twins' regular guests commented as her eyes darted back and forth between them. "When you two stand beside each other, the contrast is quite refreshing." She said.

"Haha, now it's easy to tell us apart, right?" Kaoru laughed as he pressed his palm against his brother's performing their usual mirroring act.

"Once I changed my hair colour, I suddenly realized," Hikaru said, "We twins are two separate people. And because of that, we can support each other at a very close distance!" He explained, pressing his forehead against Kaoru's.

"Oh, Hikaru..." The girls sighed.

Suddenly a black flash darted across the room and appeared behind the twins, revealing Nekozawa dressed in his usual dark cloak. "Please excuse my intrusion into your conversation," He grinned, moving Belzenef forward to hold onto the twins' entwined hands. "How would you like Turkish coffee used to read your fortune, compliments of the black magic club?" He offered, scaring everyone present half to death. "Once finish drinking the coffee, take the coffee cup and flip it upside down. And you can tell your fortune from the pattern of the coffee grounds on the plate. So, who's future shall I divine first?" He asked as the guests, and the twins let out a loud shriek.

"Tama-chan, did you invite Neko-chan?" Honey tilted his head towards Tamaki, shifting Usa-chan in his arms.

"Yes! I thought it would be better if we invited an expert as we're dealing with an ancient culture." Tamaki affirmed.

"Does Neko-chan count as an expert...?" Honey sweatdropped, watching as the black magician chase down the twins and their guests for their 'coffee fortune telling.'

"I also wanted to ask the dance club to perform a Turkish belly dance," Tamaki hummed, rubbing his chin thoughtfully. "But unfortunately there was a conflict in their schedule. Oh Kyoya," He called out to his friend as he walked paced by with his usual notebook. "Will you show me the customer list and the accounts later? And I also want to talk to you about acquiring new tableware." He said.

"I don't mind, but..." Kyoya glanced over his shoulder, pen stopping for a moment. "Didn't you say you were going to the Roi Grand Hotel after school? Weren't you going to sit in on a meeting?" He raised an eyebrow.

"Oh! That's right!" Tamaki's eyes widened at the reminder. "Sorry, then just give me the accounts. I'll look over them at home!"

"Yes, yes."

Apparently, while the second years were in France for their school tip, Yuzuru had offered Tamaki the chance to join the Suoh Cooperation on their expansion. And the blond has decided to take part in the cooperation's service industry. He started putting a lot more effort into managing the host club. On top of his club activities, he's been going straight to the company building after school to observe Yuzuru's work while in his spare time, he holes up in his room, reading books about the service industry. These reasons piling up, all contributed to his lack of communication with Miki, who has been busy drawing and putting together her to submit to the overseas competition.

The two siblings were drifting apart, neither of them knowing how to fix the situation.

Haruhi kept her feverish gave fixed on Tamaki, sighing softly as she mentally cursed the somewhat cold-like symptoms she's been exhibiting around Tamaki in particular.

"Haruhi, how are you feeling?" Momoka's voice snapped the brunette out of her daze. "What did the doctor say?" She asked.

Glancing back at her customers, Haruhi rested a hand to her chin. "The doctor at the hospital said it was nothing." She explained. "I have no appetite, will the Turkish delight keep for a few days? I can't eat them now, but I do want to eat them." She said, causing the girls to awe in adoration and begin scooping up Turkish delight for Haruhi's doggy bag.

"Haruhi!" Tamaki approached the brunette, worriedly. "How are you feeling? You're still not over your cold?" He questioned.

"Uh, um..."

Reaching forward, Tamaki rested a hand against Haruhi's cheek as he pulled her in to rest his forehead against hers, unaware of the self-conscious jolt Haruhi demonstrated. "Hmm... It doesn't seem like you have a fever." He diagnosed before suddenly jolting back in shock. "Wahh! You got hot all of a sudden! This is terrible! Call an ambulance!" He shouted.

Immediately making distance between them, Haruhi shook her head and flailed her hands in a panicked. "No! Ahh! I'm fine!" She turned away sharply. "I-I better go fetch another pot of tea!" She excused herself, only for the blond to follow closely, eyes flooding with comical tears.

"Haruhi! It's alright; daddy will come with you!" He cried.

"Please don't!"

Miki blinked at the scene playing out before her eyes before turning her attention to the magazine Sumire gave her that she held in her hands. She was currently reading an article called 'Signs that you're in love,' and Haruhi's actions were fitting with a lot of what they were saying. She stared down at the list once again, scanning through the specific ones that aline: feverish body language, flushed cheeks, sneaking glances, loss in appetite. Check, check, check and check. Haruhi's behaviour mostly checks off the external symptoms of love. While trying to learn more about love herself, Miki instead seemed to have stumble on quite a revelation, though she wasn't the only one who noticed Haruhi's odd behaviour.

"Hmm... What do you think Takashi?" Honey's voice pulled Miki out of her little world as she noticed that the hosts, par Haruhi and Tamaki, have gathered around her work station. "Haru-chan has been acting strange for a while." He analyzed. "I don't know what happened between her and Tama-chan, but do you think it's that?" He asked, staring up at his cousin.

"It must be that. There is proof." Before Mori could answer, Kyoya hummed as he gazed at the couple that rushed around the clubroom, causing a small commotion among the guests.

"How so?" Miki cocked her head to the side.

"Hikaru's mood has completely changed. Kyoya gestured the twins behind him, the one with the darker hair was twitching in a mixture of anger and jealousy.

"Hikaru, restrain yourself." Kaoru narrowed his eyes, magically pulling a stopwatch out of his non-existent pocket. Hikaru flinched as his brother clicked one of the two buttons. "One minute... Two Minutes..." He counted slowly as the handle ticked away. "Okay, three minutes!" Kaoru announced, and suddenly both of them bolting towards Hikaru's school bag. Honey and Miki crowded around them; they watched as the ash-brown haired twin pulled out what seemed to be like a tanuki shaped piggy bank out of his bulky bag. Then he fished a 100 yen (1 dollar) coin out of his pocket and placed it through the coin slip, letting out a sigh in relief as the sound of the coin hitting the tin echoed shortly.

"Is that a piggy bank?" Honey asked curiously.

"Yeah!" Pacing over, Kaoru crouched down next to his older brother, watching him grin proudly at the piggy bank proudly with a sense of endearment. "We devised it to fix Hikaru's short temper." He explained. "And we call it the 'if Hikaru can hold himself back for three minutes, he saves 100 yen' bank!"

"Why is it called a piggy bank?" Miki tilted her head curiously as she stared at the tanuki-shaped tin can. "It looks a lot like Haruhi, so shouldn't it be a 'Haruhi bank?'"She pointed out.

Kaoru sweatdropped, realizing that he should've expected that level of cluelessness from her. "It's called a piggy bank because these coin banks are usually shaped like pigs." He informed her, patting Hikaru's shoulder. "But we chose to use a tanuki because once we get 100,000 yen, we'll be able to treat Haruhi to fancy tuna!" He winked.

"Isn't 100 yen each time a little too cheap? It'll take a hundred times." At this point, Kyoya and Mori joined the group as the former asked. The latter of the two was far more interested in the shape of the coin bank as it reminded him of his newest pet tanuki, Pome.

"Don't be naive Kyoya-senpai," Kaoru lifted an all-knowing finger as he sighed in an exaggerated manner. "It's the minimum needed to have Haruhi even look Hikaru's way. Right now, if he tells her how he feels, he's sure to be rejected! Even if Hikaru is more of an adult than I thought, he's still egregiously immature by the world's standards." He said, causing Hikaru to jolt back as the jabs Kaoru took transformed into metaphorical knives and plunged through his chest.

"Kaoru! That's saying too much!" He growled, face turning dark as the veins on his forehead began to pop.

Unfazed by his aggravated reaction, Kaoru tossed a book titled 'Anger Management: How to be a calm Adult' in his hands. "Here," He hummed. "If you get angry, you have to add one more book to your reading list." And with that, Hikaru could only bite his lips and stifle his anger as he hurried to the corner to begin reading the book as Hikaru instructed.

"Coach Kao-chan is an oni." Honey sweatdropped.

"Yeah, well. It's the whip of love." Kaoru said, scratching the back of his neck. "But the real problem is Haruhi's behaviour towards milord. She's clearly self-conscious." He gestured the brunette as well as Tamaki, who still haven't given up their cat and mouse chase around the clubroom.

"It's obvious." The lolita nodded in agreement.

"If Haruhi herself thinks it's due to a cold, she's probably unaware of it," Kyoya suggested, resting a hand to his chin as he averted his eyes. "But even if she's currently blind to this matter, Haruhi isn't as stupid as Tamaki. There's a possibility that she'll realize what's happened at some point." He theorized.

"She'll realize that she is in love with Tamaki-kun?" Miki tilted her head. "How though?"

"Like that." Nudging his chin towards the duo, Kyoya mused.

Miki and the host glanced over, spotting Nekozawa approach Haruhi with a flipped coffee cup in hand. "Fujioka, you seem to be holding your worries in your heart." He laughed in an eerie manner, stopping both the blonde and brunette in their tracks.

"Huh?" Haruhi jolted back.

Observing the coffee cup, Nekozwa grinned as Belzenef twitched in his hands. "According to my Turkish coffee divinations, I see a heart. This is most definitely a sign of having trouble in lo- EEEK! TOO BRIGHT!" However, before he could finish his divination, Kaoru appeared out of nowhere and shone a flashlight that also appeared out of nowhere in the black magician's face, repelling him as he crumbled to the ground with a loud shriek.

"Phew, that was close." Wiping away the sweat on his forehead, the ginger let out a sigh in relief.

"K-Kao-chan?" Honey called out, a little confused by his action.

"I'm on Hikaru's side," Kaoru pronounced with furrowed brows. "But it's not like I want to ignore Haruhi's feelings either. So if Haruhi truly likes Milord... When she understands it herself, I also understand that I have no right to stop it." He explained before suddenly bursting into flames that represented his determination as he snapped up with a balled fist. "But! That doesn't mean others should go out of their way to help them out! That's also what I think! And that especially goes for you two, Kyoya-senpai and Miki-senpai!" He pointed at the two with grilling eyes. "Just because you two are on milord's side, don't tell Haruhi anything unnecessary. Stuff like this needs to be left to take its natural course!" He announced.

"Y-Yes, sir!" Miki immediately saluted.

"I think you were the one who completely destroyed the natural course of things back there." Kyoya heaved a sigh as he shrugged. "Well, do as you please." He peered down to his notebook. "In any event, I have other things I need to research anyways." His words piquing Kaoru's interest. "Speaking of which, where is Yotsuboshi-san?" He raised an eyebrow, checking his watch. "She was supposed to have her appointment with Tamaki five minutes ago."

"Sumi-chan should be here too; I wonder where are they?" Honey added, looking a little concerned for one of his regulars.

"Ah, those two..." Miki averted her eyes, trying to find a way to explain the situation. "I don't think they'll be coming today." She said.

"Huh? Why is that?" Honey cocked his head to the side.

"I think I made Sora-chan mad at me." She stated.

After the day has ended, Tamaki had left for the hotel meeting while the other hosts have gone home for the day. Miki was left in the clubroom with Haruhi, who was staggering to gather her things, all the while sighing repeatedly. She blinked at the brunette's uncharacteristically sloppy mannerisms.

"Haruhi, are you alright?" She asked with furrowed brows. "If something is on your mind, you could talk to me."

"I think it might be an allergic reaction." Haruhi head sunk weakly, her brows drawing closer together.

"Huh? Why do you think that?" Miki tilted her head.

"When I see Tamaki-senpai's face, my heart starts hurting, or sometimes it starts palpitating. I feel feverish, and I can't speak clearly." She drew another deep sigh. "I suppose my body is sending me a warning signal..."

Miki watched as her underclassman begin to sulk about her 'condition.' It pained her to see Haruhi, someone she cared for, suffering like that. She wanted to do something about it, but she promised Kaoru that she wouldn't tell her anything. Her troubled hazel eyes trailed down her arm to her leather school bag that she held before her. She blinked a few times, an idea popping into her head.

 _Kaoru said not to 'tell' her anything._ She opened her bag, pulling out the neatly tucked-away magazine between her textbook and drawing tablet and offered it to Haruhi.

"Huh...?" Haruhi sweatdropped as she took the magazine with both hands. "What do you want me to do with this?" She raised an eyebrow.

"It was a gift from Sumire-san," Miki explained. "Though I believe you may need it more than I do as of now." Closing her bag, she turned to head for the exit of the clubroom.

"W-Wait, Miki-senpai!"

"Good Luck!" Glancing over her shoulder with a wink, the strawberry blonde quickly exited the room, leaving Haruhi to stare at the magazine in confusion.

That evening, in the second Suoh mansion, Miki stood with her back against the walls of Tamaki's room. She stared blankly ahead as she listened to Tamaki read the contents from one of the service industry manuals out loud to Antoinette.

She wanted to go in. She wanted to head in to talk to him, apologize and make up. But whenever the thought came to mind, another feeling, one that wrenched at her heart and sparked a small fire of rage in her chest accompanied.

She couldn't understand what that was. It wasn't sadness, yet at the same time, it wasn't anger. However, whatever it was, it prevented her from stepping into his room and setting things straight.

She bit her lip. Pushing herself away from the wall, she paced back into her room.

The next morning, Haruhi arrived at Ouran Academy with a permanently flushed face and a medical mask over the lower half of her face as well as a weak, dazed look in her eyes. "Good Morning..." She coughed, approaching the twins.

"What? What's wrong?" Hikaru and Kaoru sweatdropped at her appearance.

"I was up till midnight reading a magazine in the kitchen, and I really caught a cold," Haruhi explained, sniffling slightly.

"Huh? A magazine?" Hikaru raised an eyebrow.

"Hikaru..." Kaoru nudged his brother.

"Oh!" Jolting up nervously, he whipped his head towards her as she continued to cough. "Uh... Are you okay?" He asked tentatively. "Do you want me to give you a piggyback ride to class? We could set up a bed for you in the classroom." He offered, trying to be considerate in his own way as Kaoru deadpanned at the stiffness his brother exhibited in his body language.

"Ah! Hey, Haruhi! Hikaru! Kaoru!" Suddenly, a voice sounded behind the first year trio as Tamaki called out to them with a bright smile. Haruhi let out a loud shriek and jumped at his sudden appearance.

"Good Morning!" Miki, who was following behind waved softly.

"Haruhi, yesterday..." Immediately rushing over to the brunette, Tamaki began to speak. But he paused when he noticed the flushed face and medical mask. "Oh! What's wrong, has it gotten worse?" He panicked, taking a step forward as Haruhi stepped back.

"No!" Quickly waving her hands, Haruhi shook her head. "I was..." She averted her eyes to Miki. "I was up reading a magazine."

"A magazine?" With rounded eyes, Tamaki questioned, causing Haruhi's already reddened face to deepen in shade. Spinning on her heel, she turned to leave.

"No. No, no..." She said. "My heart is just hurting that's all! Sorry! I'm not feeling well, so I'm going ahead!"

"Haruhi!" Reaching a handout, Tamaki called out after her. "If you're not feeling well, I should take you to the hospital immediately..." He suggested. His words seemed to have halted the brunette in her tracks as she paused and spun around. Clutching her bag close to her chest, she quickly paced back towards Tamaki who was utterly confused by her actions.

"How... How was yesterday's meeting?" She muttered bashfully, pulling down her medical mask for her voice to be heard.

"Oh! It was really exciting!" Setting aside her strange behaviour, Tamaki beamed. "I could tell all the employees are proud of their work. It made me really happy. It was very inspiring!" He nodded with a satisfied grin.

Seeing him so happy, Haruhi couldn't help but find herself smiling too. "Oh... That's great to hear." She said.

"Y-Yeah..." Smitten by her gentle expression, Tamaki stuttered. "Also, Haruhi yesterday-" He leaned forward again, only to be cut off as Haruhi let out another loud shriek.

"Geh! Sorry!" Snapping back around, she began to rush off and against the current of people that made their way towards the school building. "I'm going to the nurse's office!" She announced as she squeezed her eyes closed.

"Oh! Wait, Haruhi! You should go to the hospital! I promise it's not scary!" Tamaki called out desperately, chasing after her as she weaved through the crowd, bumping into people.

"Oh, Haru-chan?" Honey called out.

"Haruhi?" Renge tilted her head.

"Fujioka?" Kazukiyo blinked.

However, through the sea of people that called out to her, one voice stood above the rest.

"Haruhi!"

Tamaki's voice.

Miki's eyes darted over to Hikaru, whose expression turned dark while Kaoru's turned worried. It seemed like they have arrived at the same conclusion.

Haruhi has finally realized that she was in love with Tamaki.

After Haruhi rushed off to presumably the nurse's office, Tamaki swiftly changed into a bear suit that resembled Kuma-chan. "Kyoya!" He cried comical tears. "Do you think this animal costume is okay? It's not scary, is it? We have to get Haruhi to the hospital."

"Yes, yes, it's fine." Kyoya sighed.

"Shall we say three hours for this one, Hikaru?" Kaoru sweatdropped as he pulled out the stopwatch. He glanced up at his twin whose entire body was twitching in anger. "Three minutes won't help." He concluded.

However, when the hosts arrived at the nurse's office to check up on Haruhi. The room was silent and empty; only the nurse herself sat at her desk as she typed away on her computer.

"Huh?" Tamaki sounded.

"Oh, Fujioka went home early." The nurse informed the group. "She went home before class started, so it's technically called an absence."

"What?!" Everyone, par Kyoya and Mori sweatdropped at her words.

"She rushed in, then ran away saying 'I've decided to go home early after all.'" She said, causing the hosts to flinch.

"Ehhhh?!" Everyone gasped.

"If you guys are so worried, why not give her cellphone a call?" The nurse then suggested, turning her chair to face them. She then raised an eyebrow, noticing how Tamaki was wearing a bear costume. "Why are you in an animal suit?" She muttered.

Immediately pulling out their phones, Tamaki and Hikaru began racing to dial Haruhi's number.

"Calling her on two lines like that would disrupt the signal," Kyoya pointed out with a small sight.

"She's not answering!" Tamaki shouted as he flailed his arms in worry, looking ridiculous with his headless Kuma-chan suit. "What should we do? What should we do?" He cried comical tears as he continued to panic.

"Let's go look for her!" Honey furrowed his brows in worry. "What if she got so sick she passed out on the street?!" He theorized, causing Tamaki's worry to double.

"Kyoya, contact the school for help on locating Haruhi! I'll be heading out to search for her!" Tamaki instructed, watching as his best friend instantly whip out his cellphone as if he had been expecting those words.

"Wait, Milord!" Hikaru called out. "Why are you the only one that gets to go? I'll come too!" He shouted.

"And me!" Honey added, waving his hand in the air.

"I can help too!" Miki jumped in, feeling partially responsible for Haruhi's state.

"No," Tamaki automatically shot those requests down. "You guys will stay here; we can't all just up and leave school at once." He reminded them.

"But what about you, Tamaki-kun?" Miki was quick to protest, speaking almost instinctively. "You have a meeting to attend after school, and currently you're at a very crucial stage in your career as the Suoh heir. If you just cut class like this..." Her voice trailed off as she realized this was perhaps the longest conversation they had in the week since she's been back from France.

Tamaki blinked a few times in confusion before breaking into a chuckle. Reaching forward, he gently ruffled up Miki's fluffy hair. "Even though you were avoiding me, you still paid so much attention to my schedule." He grinned endearingly. "Don't worry. I'll head to the meeting after I find her. If I mobilize the Suoh Cooperation's power, I'll find her in no time." He reassured. "So don't worry and go back to class, alright?"

Seeing such a kind expression in her brother's eyes, Miki could do nothing but nod.

"Good girl," Tamaki smiled.

And so, with Tamaki rushing off to search for Haruhi. The rest of the hosts returned to their respective classrooms to prepare for class. Though Hikaru took a little convincing, he still begrudgingly stomped back to class 1-A with his brother trailing behind, trying to calm him down.

On the second-floor hallway, Kyoya and Miki walked side-by-side through the mostly empty corridor as everyone was already in class preparing for their first lessons.

Kyoya watched as she kept her gaze glued to the pale pink tiled ground, heaving another sigh. "How long do you plan on avoiding that idiot brother of yours?" Kyoya inquired as cast the strawberry blonde a side glance.

Miki jolted at his question. Her shoulders jumped up slightly as she lowered her head. "I-I don't know." She admitted bashfully.

With half-lidded eyes, Kyoya breathed out a sigh. "Not that I care but, I recommend you put some effort into it soon." He said as he began to click a few things on his phone. "He's been sending me obnoxious text messages every night since the school trip." He turned his phone screen to show her one of the mountains of messages he has received from the blond.

From: Suoh Tamaki  
To: Me

Kyoya (┳Д┳) M1k1 avOIDed m3 dinA agin! ( ﹏⁰)｡ Wat 1f 7e h8s me 4eva?!

Help me (ToT)/

"Every night?" Miki sweatdropped at her brother's... peculiar way of texting, though part of her heart began to feel warm and fuzzy from knowing how much he cared about her.

"Every night." Kyoya affirmed, exiting the message and quickly pressing the 'delete all' button on the menu.

"I don't know..." Miki repeated, clutching at the skirt of her uniform. "I want to talk to him and work things out. But whenever I try, I get this feeling in my chest." She pressed her lips into a line as her steps came to a halt. Kyoya glanced over his shoulder, watching as her brows drew closer. "I feel, angry and sad... But the anger is different from what I felt towards Kuze-senpai and the sadness it feels... Different." She muttered just loud enough for the two of them to hear. "Why is that, Kyoya-kun?" She locked eyes with him, asking her question with a small head tilt.

Studying her through his the rim of his glasses, Kyoya hummed. "That's most likely disappointment you feel." He concluded, shifting his weight to face her completely.

"Disappointment...?" Miki blinked.

"Well, aren't you disappointed in Tamaki?" Kyoya elaborated as he crossed his arms over his chest. "You are disappointed that he didn't trust you enough to reveal his plans of skipping out on the school trip. However," He narrowed his eyes. "More than that, you are disappointed in yourself. Disappointed that you couldn't be the one he confided in on how he felt when he decided not to go on that trip." Then, the corner of his lips tugged into a smirk as he leaned forward, bringing his face closer to hers. "Am I wrong?" He asked smugly.

Slowly, Miki's grip loosened on her skirt as she brought her hands to her chest, searching deep within herself. "You're right, Kyoya-kun." She admitted, huffing out a wry smile. "I am disappointed, both in myself and Tamaki." Glancing back up, she nodded. "Thank you; I'll talk to him tonight." She beamed.

Seeing as things were resolved on that end, Kyoya moved back as his smirk dropped. "Another thing," He moved on to tackle the next issue. "I heard about what happened from Kazehara-san." He informed.

"From Sumire-san?" Miki cocked her head to the side. "What about it?" She asked.

"First of all, I would like to remind you to refrain from getting into arguments such as these with our regulars next time." He closed his eyes, pronouncing his words clearly. "It is bad for business."

"Sorry..."

"Secondly," Heaving a sigh, Kyoya readjusted his glasses. "This is why I said that nickname doesn't suit you." He opened and averted his eyes, muttering to no one in particular.

"Huh?" Miki pursued, her expression turning slightly blank.

"Aphrodite," Kyoya's brownish green eyes met her hazel ones as he spoke. "The Greek goddess of love, beauty, pleasure and procreation. It's a little rich to give such a nickname to someone who doesn't even understand the feeling of love, isn't it?" He questioned, watching as Miki bit her bottom lip. "You still don't understand why you angered Yotsuboshi-san, do you?" He stated more than asked.

Miki shook her head gently.

Drawing a breath, Kyoya averted his eyes out of the large windows that allowed light into the corridors of Ouran Academy. "Perhaps asking someone who has already confessed their love to someone will provide valuable insight." He suggested. "Do you know anyone who fits that criteria?" He asked.

Humming, Miki tapped her chin as she searched within her mind. Though it didn't take long before a particular person's face flashed into her mind as she lifted a finger. "Ah! I know who we could ask." She announced.

"So, you came to me for advice?" In Classroom 1-A, Kaoru sat with his elbow propped up on his desk. Part of him was glad that Hikaru decided to go out and search for Haruhi during the break, the notion of his two upperclassmen specifically visiting his classroom to ask him such an absurd question made his eyebrow twitch.

Miki nodded curtly, holding her hands in fists before her.

Kaoru sighed as he ruffled his hair, trying to word himself correctly. "First of all, Miki-senpai." He began. "Do you know how difficult it is to say 'I love you' to someone?" He asked in an oddly serious manner.

Tilting her head to the side, Miki blinked a few times. "Is it?" She questioned, looking a little confused. Her eyes flickered up to the ceiling as she began tapping at her chin thoughtfully. "But I told you that I loved you the other day, it really wasn't that difficult." She pointed out.

Kyoya's eye twitched.

"Well..." Before he could finish his sentence, Kaoru shivered as he felt a chill shoot down his spine as intense goosebumps began to form all over his body. He flinched, staring up hesitantly at the grim atmosphere that emitted from Kyoya. "I-It was purely platonic!" He directed his attention to the cross-armed demon lord, waving his hands in a panic. "Miki-senpai just meant that she loved me like a friend, right?" He rushed to justify, feeling threatened by Kyoya's demonic pressure that filled the room.

"Yeah, of course," Miki affirmed, straightening herself as she glanced over her shoulder at the glasses boy. "Why? What's the matter, Kyoya-kun?" She asked, clueless to how Kaoru was internally choking from how terrifying that display was.

"It's nothing," Kyoya averted his eyes as the room's atmosphere returned to normal. "Continue."

"If you'd like me to tell you that I love you, I could-"

"Continue."

After making a mental note to never step into that territory again, Kaoru continued as instructed. "It's pretty different, Miki-senpai." He relaxed in his seat, still trying to wipe away the cold sweat that chilled his body. "I meant in a romantic sense, the phrase 'I love you' is one of the most difficult and most courageous things a person can say. Because you are opening yourself up to be vulnerable to another person's feelings." He explained, propping his arm up on his desk again. "And in Princess Sora's case, she mustered up the courage to confess to Ichimaru-senpai. Yet got rejected in that state of vulnerability, and on top of that..." He stared up at her with a pointed gaze.

"I said such an insensitive thing to her..." Miki's eyes rounded, the realization finally striking her.

"Well, it's good that you understand now." Kaoru's lips tugged into a small smile.

"I need to apologize to her..." Miki muttered as her brows knitted closer together. "I need to apologize to her now! Thank you so much, Kaoru, Kyoya-kun. I'll go looking for Sora-chan now!" She quickly bowed before turning on the ball of her foot, taking off towards the exit of the classroom and past a few incoming students, disappearing through the doorway.

"And there she goes," Huffing out a small sigh, Kaoru laughed awkwardly, feeling extremely drained of energy from that simple conversation. He peered up at Kyoya who kept his gaze glued towards the direction where she left, a small smirk present on his lips. "You really like watching her, Kyoya-senpai." He commented, leaning back in his chair as he rested his hands behind his head. "Why are you so intrigued by her anyways?"

Kyoya glanced down at Kaoru's nonchalant expression, pausing for a moment. He then returned his eye line to the door where Miki ran out of, smirk deepening. "I find her fascinating," He revealed, causing the ginger to raise an eyebrow. "As a person who was imprisoned for most of her life, as annoying as it can be, it's almost thrilling to watch her struggle, make mistakes and move forward like an ordinary human being." His eyes narrowed as a challenged glisten sparked within his eyes. "It's truly never boring around her." He stated.

"Sora-chan!" Sliding open the door to Class 2-A, Miki cried as the few students who remained in the room turned to look at her, one of which was the brunette she was looking for. Sora sat in her spot, staring up awkwardly at the strawberry blonde who rushed in hastily.

"Miki...chan?" She muttered.

Once she got to her desk, Miki swiftly lowered her head to a deep bow as she squeezed her eyes closed. "Sora-chan, I'm so sorry!" She apologized sincerely.

"Eh?"

"I said some pretty insensitive things to you despite you already hurting from before," Miki explained, not showing signs that she'd lift her head at all. "I'm terribly sorry, would you please forgive me for my inconsiderate words?" She requested.

A little overwhelmed by Miki's genuine apology, Sora quickly waved her hands as she got up from her seat. "I-It's okay, really!" She stammered. "I believe I need to apologize too."

"Huh? Why are you apologizing?" Finally raising her head, Miki blinked curiously.

Smiling wryly, the brunette gingerly took Miki's thin hands in hers. "Despite knowing your troubles with understanding love, I still pestered you for advice. And when I didn't hear the response I wanted, I even went ahead and got angry with you." She explained with a slightly regretful expression on her face before lowering her head slightly. "I'm sorry, Miki-chan." She said before glancing up, meeting Miki's blank and curious stare. It didn't take long before the two girls burst into a fit of giggles, as the purpose of their little fight seemed so absurd and far away at that point.

"I guess we both were in the wrong, weren't we?" Sora stated as she wheezed to calm down from her laughter.

"Yes, I guess we were." Miki nodded in agreement, tittering into her hands.

"But there was one thing you were correct about," Wiping a few tears that formed at the corner of her eyes, Sora grinned. "I love Kotaro-kun. Therefore I shouldn't just give up that easily." She winked, seemingly rekindled the previous ever-so-present confidence that she held. "That's right," Her eyes suddenly widened as she clapped her hands together. "You wanted to learn a little more about love, right? Come on; sit down." She gestured the chair in front of her desk as she eagerly sat back down.

"Ah, about that..." Miki averted her eyes to the side as she fixed the chair to face Sora before taking a seat. "I have someone who, I don't know how I feel towards them..." She described a little reluctantly. "But when I read that romance magazine Sumire-san gave me; I could only find myself matching up with only a few symptoms." She explained, seeming slightly troubled.

"Seriously, she gave you one of those 'Romance Bible' magazines..." Hearing the unnecessary actions of her best friend, Sora facepalmed. Quickly, she readjusted her posture as she crossed her legs and leaned forward. "Listen to me, Miki-chan. Those things are just guidelines, a general rule of thumb that not everyone follows. Love is one of the most complicated and misunderstood subjects ever, and symptoms of it are often different for everyone." She informed, lifting an all-knowing finger. "For example," She hummed thoughtfully. "I usually end up saying things I don't actually mean when I'm around Kotaro-kun."

"Why?" Miki cocked her head to the side.

"Love is a powerful force that can turn even the most intelligent people into idiots," Sora stated, resting her elbow on her desk as she leaned her cheek against her palm. "It's that simple." She smiled.

Hearing those words, Miki's eyes flickered down to Sora's desk as she processed her friend's words. "I see." She murmured after some contemplation.

Nodding proudly, Sora broke into a grin once again. "If you have any troubles with understanding love in the future, feel free to ask me." She said. "I'll answer you to the best of my extent."

Standing up from the seat across from the brunette, Miki flipped the chair back around. "I will." She nodded. "Thank you, Sora-chan. And, good luck with Kotaro-san." Tilting her head to the side, she beamed brightly.

"You too, Miki-chan!" Sora winked, giving the strawberry blonde a thumbs up.

That evening, in the second Suoh mansion, Miki once again stood with her back against the walls of Tamaki's room. She could hear the faint sound of typing coming from his laptop as he was worked on the club management aspect once again. Holding her drawing tablet close to her chest, she took a deep breath before stepping out of the shadows and into the light that beamed out of her brother's room. Gently, she reached up to knock on his already open door, announcing her presence.

"Miki!" A broad smile quickly spread across the blond's face as he spotted his sister dressed in one of her usual chiffon dresses at the doorway of his room. Jumping to his feet, he welcomes her. "Did you come to hang out again? I'm just working on some budgeting with Kyoya, right now. But you could-"

"Tamaki-kun," Miki blinked as quickly interrupted him mid-sentence. "How is Haruhi?" She asked.

Sapphire-coloured eyes rounding slightly, Tamaki chuckled wryly as he recalled those events during the day. "We managed to find her at the park with some help from Kosaka-san," He explained. "After bringing her to the hospital, I brought her home with the help of her friend, Mei."

"Kosaka-san?" Miki raised an eyebrow, quickly searching through her memory for a face to match that name with no avail.

"She's a lawyer at the company," Tamaki elaborated, pacing over to his bed and plopping down with a relieved sigh. "According to her story, she's from the same university as Haruhi's mother." He chuckled.

"I see," Miki hummed as her eyes darted to the side, unmoving from her spot at the doorway. There was a brief moment of silence between the two before she spoke again. "Tamaki-kun," She called out. "Are you lonely?" She asked.

"Huh?" Turning his head slightly, the blond sounded as he continued to lay on his bed.

"Why didn't you tell me that you were planning to stay home from the school trip?" Pursing her lips, Miki continued as her eyes turned dull. "Can you not confide in such things with me? Am I not trustworthy enough for you? Do you-"

"Miki," This time, Tamaki cut his sister's sentence off as he slowly sat up. With a tender smile, he patted the space next to him, gesturing for her to sit down. He watched with a soft gaze as the girl obediently approached and took a seat next to him, resting her beloved tablet on her lap. Shifting his body slightly, he turned to face her. "The reason why I didn't tell you had nothing to do with whether you were trustworthy or not, I didn't tell you because I didn't want you to worry about me and my situation while you were off in France. That was your first time stepping out somewhere outside of Japan or Spain, and I wanted you to enjoy it. Do you understand?" He reasoned.

Brows knitting closer, Miki shook her head. "I don't understand," She replied bluntly, causing Tamaki's eyes to widen. "Tamaki-kun, are you lonely? Do you truly see me as family?"

"Of course I do, where is this coming from?" Tamaki quickly reassured.

"When we were looking for Tanuki-san, Haruhi mentioned that you might be lonely." Averting her eyes, Miki explained. Then, she instinctively reached out to grab the blond by his shoulders, allowing her tablet to slip down her lap and drop onto the carpeted flooring with a small 'thump.'

"Ah, Miki! Your tablet."

However, Miki didn't mind. Her narrowed eyes were instead shifting focus between her brother's two ocean-coloured eyes, feeling a mixture of bubbling anger and sadness boiling in her chest. "Tamaki-kun, listen to me," She shook him gently. "From now on, do not hide anything from me. No matter if it's good or bad, the best or the worst, you have to tell me, and we'll shoulder it together!" As she continued to speak, her voice only grew louder as she was borderline shouting from the bottled up passion on the subject. "Because... Because I'm your family, and it is my job to worry about you, whether you like it or not." She stated.

Hearing such a declaration, Tamaki flinched as he slowly processed Miki's words. Then with an endearing smile, he pressed his hand to the back of her head as he pulled her in for a gentle hug. "It seems like I made you even more worried by keeping things from you, huh? Alright, I promise from now on I'll tell you everything without holding back." Miki nodded slowly, wrapping her arm around his in a side hug. He chuckled softly at her actions, stroking her fluffy hair with his free hand. "And, to answer your question, I'm actually not quite sure myself. I may have been for a while, but now..." He peered down in his arms with a wide grin as Miki gazed up. "I have everyone from the host club, and you, my adorable little sister, with me. There is no way I'd be lonely."

Miki's eyes rounded as she processed his words. She bit her bottom lip, suddenly remembering her encounter with Anne-Sophie. However, in the face of Tamaki's sincerity and comforting aura, she broke into a radiant beam. Nodding her head curtly, she snuggled further into her brother's embrace. "Tamaki-kun, I love you." She hummed.

Taken aback by her sudden declaration, Tamaki blinked a few times before breaking into a laugh. "I love you too, Miki." He stated.

A/N: How did you all enjoy Miki's performance in this chapter? I sometimes think as writers; we forget to write times when our main characters are in the wrong. It's only natural because we want the lead of the series to be likable, but I thought it was pretty important to demonstrate just what Miki's experience did to her mentally. No matter how she acts now, being under house arrest for her was definitely not good for her emotional growth. As you can see, due to that, she is pretty bad at reading social situations as well as having trouble being sympathetic towards emotions she's never experienced before. I think she was able to go so far without slipping up thanks to Kyoya always being by her side to teach her right from wrong. He wasn't kidding when he told her the nickname Aphrodite doesn't suit her. I hope none of you found her annoying during this little mishap of this chapter; she's still growing and learning.

A little random life update. I recently got a kitten! My family already has a dog, but we decided to add a cat into the mix and see how that goes. This little guy is so freaking cute, and really attached to me for some reason. So there are times when I am writing, he just crawls over and lays right down on my keyboard, making it impossible for me to write. As much as I don't like how I can't write, it's so cute so I can't really be mad. His name is Mochi by the way~

With that, have a great day!

XOXO,

Astra


	43. 38 Let's gather, and go on a Treasure

_-Chapter 38-_

Let's gather, and go on a Treasure Hunt!

As mid-December approached, just a few days before winter break, Music Room #3 was as rowdy as ever as the hosts scrambled to prepare for their daily club activities.

"Wait, am I supposed to wear this on my head?" Hikaru complained. "No one will be able to see my face."

"Woah... Hikaru, this really limits my field of vision. And it's hard to breathe in this thing." Kaoru sweatdropped.

"Is this a mustache? How do you put it on?" Honey asked.

"Here, Honey-senpai, let me help you. Mori-senpai, please wear this bandana."

"Okay." Mori hummed.

"Ahh! Please don't play with the sash, Miki-senpai. See? It's coming loose!"

"Oh," Miki gasped. "Could you help me fix it, please?" She requested.

"Tamaki-senpai! What are you doing over there in the corner? Hurry up, everyone! It's almost time for the customers to arrive."

Suddenly, there was a light knock at the pale off-white door followed by a small click. "Good afternoon, Host Club!" The guests peeked in eagerly, earning themselves a view of the host club members in the midst of their preparation for a cosplay session of Japanese folk tales.

"The host club is a little different than usual today." One of the girls commented. "It's a little more restrained..."

"Yes, it's a little subdued..." Another one of the guests agreed.

"But Mori-senpai's Momotaro is really fantastic!" The first girl who spoke squealed as she watched Mori firmly tie the peach-printed bandana around his forehead. "He really looks like he'd vanquish the Onis and protect me!" She swooned.

"And um... Hikaru-kun, Kaoru-kun and Haruhi-kun are Momotaro's entourage - the monkey, the bird and the dog, right?" Momoka pointed out as the trio stuffed on their animal suit heads, the twins in particular seemingly irritated by the absurd costume idea.

"Honey-senpai is the 'flower-blossoming old man'! How cute!" Sumire cupped her cheek in adoration as she watched the mustached lolita serve up a cake with the first year trio.

"Miki-chan-senpai is Kaguya-hime, right?" Kimiko recognized as she fawned over the intricately embroidered kimono and golden accessories.

"That means Kyoya and Tamaki-sama are..." Sora had to stifle a giggle as she glanced over at the duo. "Urashima Taro and the turtle he saved." She named, watching as Kyoya conversed with the guests in his traditional hakama and fishing pole. All the while Tamaki was curled up in his emo-corner, sulking in a full-body turtle costume.

"Kyoya! What's going on?!" Jumping up and recovering from his depression mode, Tamaki shouted. "Today's theme was supposed to be Russian Folk costumes! When did it change and why did it change? And why am I the turtle?! It'd make more sense if I were Momotaro!" He flailed his arms in the air as comical tears streamed from his eyes.

Ignoring how hilariously ridiculous he looked, Kyoya shrugged. "It's impressive that you can take on the difficult role of a turtle." He gave a backhanded compliment. "If you weren't good-looking, you'd be a laughing stock."

"I'm already being laughed at right now!" Tamaki reasoned, pointing at Sora and a few other girls who were broken into a fit of giggling messes.

"Shut up! At least it's better than having to wear an animal head, milord!" Hikaru snapped, his face hidden under the bulky animal costume. "I'm a monkey! A monkey! It's not fair, we're both wearing animal costumes, but Kaoru gets to wear the flashy bird costume!" He complained. "Why the difference?!"

"I must be the twin who exudes elegance, Hikaru." Kaoru shrugged nonchalantly.

"What was that, Kaoru?!"

"Calm down, animals." Wearing his unbalanced smile, Kyoya spoke. "There was a request from an unexpected source yesterday, and I was moved by that person's enthusiasm, so I decided to try this." He explained, readjusting his glasses on the bridge of his nose. "Isn't it nice for a change? Another merit is its low cost." He stated.

"Regardless of whether it's different or someone is enthusiastic, there's no point if it's not beautiful!" Tamaki protested angrily.

"I agree! I agree! Who came up with such a lame proposal anyways?!" Hikaru growled. "Show yourself!" He demanded.

Standing to the side of the room, Haruhi timidly took off her dog animal mask and raised her paw-covered hand with a sheepish frown.

"H-Haruhi?!" Both Hikaru and Tamaki jolted in surprise, instantly regretting the racket they were making prior.

"I-I'm sorry." Covering her mouth the fluffy paw, Haruhi muttered dejectedly. "I thought I ought to start actively participating in the club, and Mori-senpai reminded me of Momotaro because it seems like he can talk to animals such as Piyo and Pome..." She explained before bashfully turning to Tamaki. "And um... The turtle, was it a bad idea?" She asked with flushed cheeks.

"Um..." Tamaki's face instantly turned beet red at Haruhi's innocent question. "N-No, it's not bad!" He quickly waved his hands. "It's not bad at all!"

"Hikaru, I'm sorry..." Haruhi then turned to the twin with ash brown hair as he took off his mask. "I didn't mean for you to feel bad. I thought monkeys were loud and fun so it would suit you perfectly. But I guess it was lame. I'm sorry..." She apologized regretfully, only for Hikaru's heart to palpitate and his cheeks to burn.

"It's... It's totally fine!" He said, scrambling to reverse the damage of his harsh words from before. "Yeah, besides monkeys are really clever! And if I think about it, the dog, the money and the bird are part of the Momotaro team!" He pointed out.

"Right, right! Let's go entertain the guests as a group of three." Kaoru urged as he took off his mask with a bright grin.

"Oh, but um..."

"Haru-chan, Haru-chan!" Interrupting the trio, Honey approached with a small wave. Taking Haruhi's arm, he gently tugged the brunette in the direction of his station. "You're the Flower-Blossoming Old Man's dog Pochi, right? Let's entertain the guests together, okay?" He beamed, leading Haruhi away as the twins felt their eyebrow twitch, feeling misled.

 _That rotten old man!_ They thought.

"What's gotten into Haruhi?" Kaoru hummed, watching as Haruhi began to engage in conversation with Momoka and Kimiko. "She's been oddly cooperative since recovering from her cold." He noted.

"It's good that she's more active, but her aesthetics sensibilities are a little..." Hikaru's voice trailed off, staring down at his monkey costume.

"Well, I think she was quite serious about these costumes." Kyoya glanced over his shoulder, informing the two.

"She really was," Miki agreed as she chuckled. "She came to Kyoya-kun and I with some ideas yesterday, and this one seemed the most sensible. So I worked extra hard to have the sketches ready for today." Throwing up a peace sign, she winked proudly.

"What were her other ideas?" Hikaru asked reluctantly, a little afraid to know.

"Hmm... Let's see," Tapping her chin with the accessorizing fan that came with her outfit, Miki's eyes flickered up. "If I remember correctly, she suggested a takoyaki cosplay where everyone can sit in a large container and huddle together. And a sushi cosplay." She flashed with an airy smile.

The twins deadpanned. "...Why food?" They questioned as they glanced towards the brunette.

"Did you match the sweets with the sweets with the folktales, Haruhi-kun?" Momoka asked, scanning the Japanese style treats laid out on the intricately carved table.

"Yes, I thought of them myself." Haruhi nodded curtly.

"It's kibi dango with taiyaki and cherry blossom coloured cakes, right?" Pointing at the dishes, Kimiko began to name them with an eager smile.

"The taiyaki are delicious!" Honey chimed in, taking one of the many sweet treats and began munching on them.

"Really, it's the first time I've had them!" Cupping the side of her cheek with a blissful exhalation, Momoka remarked. "I love Japanese sweets." She sighed.

"Oh, I see..." Eyes softening, Haruhi hummed. "What else do you like? What about you, Sakurazuka-san? What do you prefer?" She flashed a charming twinkle towards the two girls. "I want to know more about all of you. I hope you tell me lots of stories about yourselves."

With that request, Momoka and Kimiko couldn't help but become flustered by the attention and attentiveness Haruhi was putting in to host them. _Haruhi-kun is interested in me..._ They both thought simultaneously as they stared at the brunette with lovestruck eyes.

Hikaru sweatdropped from a distance. "An active Haruhi is..."

"Yeah, in many ways she's really dangerous..." Kaoru agreed. "It may have been better if she had stayed apathetic..."

The twins then turned their bodies slightly, spotting Tamaki curled up in the corner. The blond's heart was still pounding, unwilling to calm down after witnessing that adorable expression Haruhi wore moments ago. "W-What should I do? She's so cute." He muttered, tapping his turtle fins to his cheeks. "No, she's always been cute, but she's different now... And what she said when she had a fever..." He murmured.

With irritated eyes, Hikaru lunged towards Tamaki. "Hey, turtle." He spoke. "Don't just stand there - get to work!" He ordered.

"You're already huge, and now you're even more in the way with that big shell on your back." Kaoru agreed, prying at the shell resting on the blond's back with a stick that suddenly appeared in his hands.

"Ouch! Meanies! Stop it!" Tamaki cried, flailing his arms as he tried to swat the twins away.

"Now, now, kids. Don't pick on the turtle." Kyoya, following the tale of Urashima Taro, intervened.

Scurrying away from the devilish twins, Tamaki's sapphire eyes sparkled at the light of his saviour. "Kyoya!" He called out hopefully.

Kyoya's lips quickly tugged into a small smirk as his free hand formed a small circle, almost the size of a coin. "But before I help you out, why don't you give me gold and silver as a down payment?" He bargained with a greed-filled sneer, readjusting the fishing pole against his shoulder. "By the way, I don't want a jewelled as Urashima Taro got."

 _There is not a shred of imagination in him..._ The hosts sweatdropped as Tamaki fell back into his corner of depression, utterly shocked by how the story of their childhood was so easily destroyed by a greed-driven Urashima Taro.

"In a lot of folktales, the main character is often given a box of treasures, huh?" Honey tapped his chin.

"They really do." Miki nodded in agreement. "Then there was Kaguya-hime, who instead sent people to fetch treasure for her." She remarked, giggling into her kimono sleeve.

"Kaguya-hime was already a princess of the moon by the time the story began," Kaoru pointed out. "So it's understandable that she didn't need any more treasures." He said casually.

"Haha, Haruhi, try to dig up a treasure like in your myth." Hikaru teased as he patted the brunette on the back. "Say 'I'll dig here, woof!'" He grinned.

"That's impossible." With deadpanned eyes, Haruhi shot down that idea. "If I had a sense of smell like that, I would've paid my Ouran tuition myself."

As the member of the host club began to engage in a casual group conversation, joking and jesting with each other, the doors to Music Room #3 were thrown open, bringing in the chilling breeze of the winter air. "Fujioka! Got a minute?" Standing at the entrance was the red-haired delinquent from Class 1-D, Kasanoda.

"Kasanoda-kun..." Haruhi glanced over at her friend, noting his messy appearance as he dashed over. She assumed he was coming straight from his club activities at the gardening club.

As Kasanoda bent over trying to catch his breath, the twins greeted. "Hey, Bossa Nova-chi! What's up?" They waved, propping an elbow each on Haruhi's shoulder.

"I... I thought the Host Club would be best at dealing with something like this." Resting his hands on his knees, he wheezed. "The gardening club decided to create a new flowerbed," He explained. "We were cultivating the soil in the backyard... And we found this in the dirt..." Then, with a serious expression, he pulled out a piece of paper and unfolded it, revealing its contents to the host club.

Though the paper was aged, washed out and covered in dirt. However, one word written in ancient Japanese calligraphy stood out above the messy diagrams and pictures below with its thick strokes and deep inked-in colour, piquing everyone's interests.

 _宝_

 _Treasure._

"Is that a treasure map?!" Miki was the first to react, hopping forward as her eyes shimmered with excitement.

"Y-Yeah... I think so!" Kasanoda swallowed hard, nodding his head.

The rest of the hosts all jumped back as an imaginary lightning strike of revelation bolted down from the skies, especially at the coincidence linking their previous conversation with Kasanoda's discovery.

"Oh." Returning to her apathetic ways, Haruhi hummed, only for the hosts to turn and stare at her with expecting eyes. "Oh, right..." She gasped, quickly clearing her throat before striking a dramatic pose towards a light that shone out of nowhere. "There's no clear proof that it's a real map, and I'm a little skeptical as to how valuable this experience will really be, but let's get around to deciphering it right away!" She rallied, earning herself a series of cheers from the members of the Host Club.

The next day after school, the member of the Host Club including Kasanoda gathered in one of the many libraries to begin the deciphering process. "First we'll decide the division of labour," Kyoya announced, standing at the head of the table." This old book contains a record of the map. Just deciphering the book or the map might suffice, but as of now, it's unclear whether we need both or not." Placing the two clues they have on either end of the table, his gaze swept across the eager sets of eyes that stared back. "Mori-senpai, Haruhi and I will work on the text. Honey-senpai, Miki, Hikaru and Kaoru will work on the map." He announced. "Kasanoda-kun, you can help out whichever team you chose."

"Uhh... I'll help Fujioka." The redhead decided.

"Very well." Kyoya nodded. "Are there any objections?"

"Not at all!" Honey and Miki sang.

"Um, what about milord?" Raising their hands, Hikaru and Kaoru questioned, noting the absence of the usually flamboyant blond.

"Tamaki-kun is sitting in on a meeting at the Roi Grand Hotel," Miki explained with a wry chuckle and a head tilt. "He was quite upset about that fact. He left while clamouring to partake in the treasure hunt."

"What? Again?" They whined.

"Well, it can't be helped." Kyoya shrugged as he heaved a small sigh. "From now on, we must expect he'll be absent more and more. You two should understand that too." He said, casting the twins a side glance as an eerie silence loomed over the group.

After the division in responsibilities, the two groups got to work as they worked to decipher their respective pieces. Miki and Honey worked together on rescaling Miki's fully drawn outline of the entire Ouran campus, while Hikaru and Kaoru searched for contextual clues throughout the library.

"It's like the treasure hunt won't be quite as fun if milord isn't here." Kaoru huffed out a breath as his fingers ghosts over the spine of a few books.

"Yeah..." Hikaru's eyes dulled.

Seeing his brother in such a grim state, Kaoru decided to tease him a little in order to lighten up the mood. "You're being surprisingly cooperative." He grinned. "Have you disengaged your irritation mode?"

"Perhaps Kaoru's training has paid off." Miki chuckled.

"Yeah! And Haru-chan isn't flustered anymore." Honey added, glancing up at the girl who had her nose buried in a book. "Isn't that great?" He chimed.

"Sh-Shut up, you three!" Hikaru snapped, pulling a book out of the shelf. "Well, we'll go skiing with Haruhi soon." He reminded.

"That's right!" Honey instantly perked up slightly, holding Usa-chan closer to his chest. "Class 1-A is going skiing over winter break right?" He asked.

"I've heard about that!" Turning around slightly, Miki hummed. "Lucky, I want to go skiing too. I also heard that soaking in hot springs located in the mountains can be super relaxing!" She cupped her cheek dreamily.

Seeing his upperclassmen's enthusiasm, Hikaru averted his eyes to the side. "I'm honestly a little unsure of what's going on." He said, tapping the spine of the book against the back of his shoulder. "Haruhi was really self-conscious around milord until recently, but then.." He deadpanned. "I wonder why she made him the turtle."

Those words seemed to have triggered their memory of Tamaki in a turtle costume as the four of them broke into a fit of laughter. "I know!" Kaoru nodded, trying to wipe away the tears of hilarity that poured from his eyes. "That really makes no sense at all! I'd take it as an insult!" He slapped his knee.

"But, Tamaki-kun somehow pulled it off perfectly!" Miki clutched her stomach, trying not to collapse from how hard she was laughing.

"I know!" Honey agreed, rolling on the ground as he kicked his legs in the air. "The turtle costume looked so good on him too!" He remarked.

"And to cast Honey-senpai as an old man instead of Issun Boushi!" Hikaru snickered.

"Ahem!" Bothered by how loud the four students were being, the vice principal, who was on patrol in the library, cleared his throat. His presence quickly shut them up as they calmed down and returned to their duties.

"But if you think about it," Miki leaned back in her seat as her gaze trailed up to the ceiling above. "Haruhi had a particular reason for casting each of us as our respective characters. Like the correlation between Mori-senpai and Momotaro, so I guess she must've had her own reasons for casting Tamaki-kun as the turtle." She stated as she began toying with the pen in her hands.

Hearing Miki's speculation, Hikaru rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly. "I don't really care what the reason is." He pronounced. "Haruhi is really motivated now, and milord is busy. If that's the case, then we can continue like this for a little while longer, right? It makes me want to work on improving myself too." He said.

Moved by how much his once immature and rowdy brother has grown, Kaoru quickly captured him in a huge, followed by Honey and Miki. "Hikaru! You're so cool!" He fawned, leaving said boy a little embarrassed.

"Hikaru!"

"Perhaps Kaoru's training really is paying off!"

"Ahem!" Disturbed by their noise, the vice principal cleared his throat again.

In the end, it was Mori, whose favourite subjects were geography and history that deciphered the map. "It's safe to assume this map dates back to the later Meiji period." He explained, comparing the old, parchment-like paper to Miki's digital map. "The 'Ouran' marked here is the Ouran Technical School, which later became the Ouran University Division. Comparing this to the map of the current layout, it was located right around the current north campus area. That means this X on the map is near the bottom of the hill where Mitsukuni and Yasuchika had their showdown." He concluded.

"Well that narrows down the area in question, but it's still too vast." Honey frowned as he plopped back down into his chair.

"If that's true, we have no choice but to figure it out from the book." Haruhi continued, flipping through a few pages from the reference text. "I've gotten as far as figuring out that '30 feet from the susuki (Pampas Grass)' is essential." She reported.

"But there's no way of determining where the susuki used to grow..." Kasanoda pointed out.

"But the text has faded and been erased in several parts," Kyoya noted as he scanned the text thoughtfully. "Doesn't it look like the 'ki' might be a 'gi'?" He hinted.

"Susugi? What's that?" Hikaru raised an eyebrow.

"Oh! Susugi!" Eyes widening, Haruhi gasped.

"It's an Archaic word that's basis the of the word 'Cedar'!" Kaoru lifted a finger. "It looks like it grows straight up like it's marching forward, so it's also called 'the marching tree.'" He described.

"Oh! There is an old cedar tree right behind the high school division!" Taking her tablet from Mori's hands, Miki said as she zoomed in on the tree marking.

"Well, then if we walk 30 feet towards the bottom of the hill from the cedar tree, that'll be the location." Quickly standing up, an excited flush surfaced on Haruhi's cheeks as the group finally arrived at a plausible solution.

Suddenly, the doors to the library slammed open. Tamaki came tumbling in, with his clothes in disarray and panting heavily as if he had just run a marathon. With a severe expression, he rushed over to the bewildered group. "Has the treasure been found?!" He asked hastily.

"Tama-chan!" Honey exclaimed.

"Huh? What about your meeting?" The twins questioned, surprised by his sudden appearance.

"Today's meeting was a quick one. I couldn't stop thinking about it, so I came back as soon as the meeting was over." Adjusting his tie, Tamaki explained as he paced over next to Haruhi. "Have you progressed with the deciphering? Let me take a look; daddy is here to give his all too!" He cheered, glancing over the brunette's shoulder, unaware of how her cheeks were quickly heating up.

"W-We already have a hypothesis!" Desperate to create distance between them, Haruhi shoved the papers in the blond's face. "If you want to see it, here!" She shouted.

"Huh-Hm... I-I see..." Feeling a little rejected by Haruhi's action, Tamaki sniffled, but he quickly bounced back as he threw a fist into the air. "Then the excavation begins! Onward, men!" He shouted with a rallying cry.

"Yes, sir!"

 _Something doesn't sit right..._ The twins narrowed their eyes as they went through the motion of a fist pump. _Is he swooping in for the easy parts?_

Unbeknownst to the members of the host club, the news of Tamaki's grand return in search of the hidden treasure has made waves across the students of Ouran Academy. With word of mouth, the host club's treasure hunt spread like wildfire across the campus, and people were eager to join in on the excitement.

"What? A treasure hunt? With everyone in the host club?"

"A treasure hunt? Suoh's digging for it now? That sounds fun."

"Hey! I'm cancelling practice!"

By the time the Host Club arrived at the designated grounds dressed in proper winter coats, scarves and gloves, a large crowd of people have already gathered. In the mixture were the regular guests of the club, as well as a few familiar faces from past school events.

"Suoh! We'll help with the grunt work!" The athletic club members waved, equipped with shovels as they grinned at the blond.

"I brought some shovels from the gardening club!" Kasanoda informed as he rushed over with an armful of equipment from the gardening club's shed.

"Why don't we start digging here?" Tamaki suggested to the athletic club members, pointing at the spot where Mori and Honey had already begun working on.

"Eek! Good luck!" The regulars encouraged. In the corner, Renge had already gotten set up with the cameras to capture the moments of this excavation.

"Alright! I'm going to give it my best too!" Taking one of the shovels from Kasanoda, Miki struck a power pose.

"Don't get too ahead of yourself." Kyoya reminded, putting her in her place.

"Wow..." Standing at the side, the first year trio gasped at the sea of people that gathered around the empty plains of Ouran Academy. "Everyone started showing up as soon as milord returned. There are so many people; it's a bit chaotic." Kaoru commented in amazement.

"But we have the manpower we need now; I was a little annoyed I was going to get sore muscles..." Haruhi's voice trailed off as she noticed the two pairs of questioning eyes that stuck to her. "Oh! Um..." Rushing to an untouched site, she began to dig with her shovel. "Okay, Hikaru and Kaoru! Why don't we dig here?" She proposed.

The twins sweatdropped. "Hey, now..."

"Why'd you suddenly become so energetic about stuff?" Resting his shovel over his shoulder, Kaoru asked.

"I..." Haruhi paused for a moment, before tossing some dirt to the side. "I'm trying to mend my apathetic ways..."

"Why?" Hikaru pursued.

"'It'll be good experience.'" Haruhi murmured, readjusting the scarf over her nose and mouth in a bashful manner. "That's what Tamaki-senpai says a lot, right? If nothing needs to change, then it'd be fine if I kept slacking off." Her hand paused for a moment as it dug into the frozen ground. "But I have a goal for myself," She continued. "And I realized I have to encourage myself to push forward."

"So..." Hikaru's eyes widened. "Milord was the cause..."

"Hikaru..." Kaoru muttered under his breath.

"Suoh!" Suddenly, one of the people digging called out. "There's something hard in this hole over here! Give me a hand!" He requested.

"What? Really?" Tamaki's head snapped up. "Let's go, Mori-senpai!"

"It looks like they found something." Haruhi glanced over her shoulder.

"Let's go take a look, Hikaru!" Kaoru suggested.

However, Hikaru didn't stop. He stared down at the frosted ground with a dazed stare as his hands moved on their own accord. "No, I'll... Dig a little more over here..." His voice trailed off.

"Hikaru?" Haruhi tilted her head, clueless to what the older of the twins be feeling.

Meanwhile, the crowd of people eagerly gathered around as Mori lifted a box out of the ditch and handed it to Tamaki. "Oh! There's a box!" He gasped, cradling the rustic metal container in his hands like a priceless jewel.

"Maybe it's the legendary treasure chest?" Crouching next to him, Miki suggested.

"Maybe it's a cake!" Honey giggled.

"All right, I'm opening it!" Tamaki announced as he lifted the cover, appealing to the mixture of sheer suspense and excitement that lingered in the air.

With the sound of metal scratching against metal, the lid slid off of the box to reveal...

"It's empty..." One of the athletic club members asserted.

"It's definitely empty..." Honey agreed with blank eyes.

.

.

.

"It's completely empty! Unbelievable!" Suddenly, the group that gathered around broke into wild laughter as they stared down at the knee-slapping joke the people from almost a hundred years ago played on them.

"Suoh, take responsibility! Sing for us!" Someone from the crowd requested with a wheeze.

"W-What?!" Tamaki stammered, still trying to wipe away the tears that gathered in his eyes from laughing.

"What's that reaction? We tried so hard!" Someone else hollered.

Listening to the laughter that echoed through the vast field, Kaoru sweatdropped. "Maybe it was a prank people played a long time ago?" He suggested with a deadpanned expression.

"But everyone seems to be having a good time." Haruhi hummed. "Treasures don't necessarily have to be material things." She stated.

"Huh?" Kaoru turned to her.

"That is why I really think Tamaki-senpai is like Urashima Taro's turtle..." Haruhi's head tilted to the side and her eyes crinkled as she watched Tamaki from a distance with a mixture of admiration and adoration. "Everybody usually makes fun of him. And it's not like he's going to vanquish an oni like Momotaro, dig up a treasure like Pochi, or rise to the moon like Kaguya-hime. But..." Her lips tugged upward into a pleasant smile, and a pink flush spread across the apple of her cheeks. "He'll definitely lead us all to the underwater palace."

There was a moment of silence. Kaoru's eyes darted over to the blond, who was grinning brighter than the December sun. He heaved a gentle sigh, still hearing the sound of digging behind him. "Hikaru..." He muttered. "There is nothing to dig up..."

Suddenly, there was the sound of bubbling as a puddle of water began to gather and spill out of the hole Hikaru had been persistently digging.

Hikaru blinked. "Water..."

As if it were reacting to the call of its master, the ground began to shake, and a jet of scalding water erupted and shot straight for the sky, startling the trio.

"What?!" They jumped back, completely flabbergasted.

"What?! What is this?" Hikaru covered his ears; the area surrounding them was muted by the sound of the roaring water that consistently shot up from the earth like a water sprout.

"Wow! It's hot!" Kaoru yelped, trying to block himself from the scalding spring that jetted out of the earth.

"I-It can't be..." Haruhi's jaw dropped. "A hot spring?!" She exclaimed.

And so, with the power of money, the hot spring treasure Hikaru had discovered was open for business on the very same day. The boys who spent the afternoon hard at work, digging and searching for this treasure were provided with a chance of relaxation in the warm springs.

Carrying a shovel in his arms, Hikaru was on his way towards the gardening club greenhouse when he heard a familiar voice call out from behind.

"Hey, Hikaru!" He whipped his head around, spotting Tamaki and Miki, carrying a shovel each as they rushed towards him. "Did you come to put away the shovels too?" Tamaki grinned.

"Milord, Miki-senpai..." Hikaru's brows knitted close as he saw Tamaki's approaching form.

"So this is where you were!" Despite being covered head-to-toe in dirt from the excavation, Miki's bright smile never diminished. "Kaoru was worried about you, you know? Here, why don't I take the shovels back to the greenhouse while you guys go enjoy the hot springs?" Taking both Tamaki's and his shovel away, she began to skip forward.

"Are you sure?" Tamaki asked, earning a sound 'mhm' in return.

"Wait, Miki-senpai." Hikaru panicked, seeing the strawberry blonde about to run off. "Didn't you want to soak in the hot springs as well? I'll go put them away instead. " He attempted to wiggle his way out, not wanting to be alone with Tamaki at the moment.

Spinning on the ball of her foot, Miki glanced over her shoulder as her eyes averted upwards. "I do want to go in," She admitted. "But Kyoya-kun said 'definitely not' when I asked." She stated.

Hikaru sweatdropped, remembering that it was mostly open to those who assisted in the excavation, which means, most of the male population of the school. "Ah... I see..." His shoulders slumped. "Thank you then..."

"No problem," Miki gave a quick winked. "Enjoy the hot spring!"

"Be careful with those!" Tamaki called out after her, watching as she disappeared behind the doors of the gardening club's greenhouse.

"You really hit the jackpot, Hikaru. I can't believe the real treasure was a hot spring!" As they made their way back to the hot spring site, Tamaki couldn't help but praise the first-year as he affectionately ruffled his ash-brown hair. "Oh, I was going to tell you." He beamed. "Honey-senpai brought up that it'd be nice to sit in one in the snow. And fortuitously your class has a ski trip next week. So, we started thinking we'd piggyback on your plans." He announced, not noticing how Hikaru's golden eyes widened at the news. "Especially since Miki can't go into this hot spring. It'll be a good experience-"

"No, you can't!" Steps coming to a halt, Hikaru suddenly shouted.

"Hikaru?" Tamaki whipped his head around, taken off guard by the boy's sudden outburst.

Digging his nails into his palms, Hikaru's jaw clenched. "Milord, I... I'm in love with Haruhi!" Allowing his voice to escape past his lips, he declared loud and clear. "Compared to you, I might be a complete child, but... It's not like I want to treat her like a daughter as you do. I really do like her. So I'm sorry, but..." Staring down at the ground, Hikaru bit his bottom lip as his fists trembled. "But I really don't want you to come on this trip!"

"I don't want you to come!"

A/N: Hi everyone! I hope you enjoyed this chapter of Rapunzel. Though there weren't many Kyoki moments, the next few chapters will definitely provide a little more, I guess you could say fluff or development between the two of them. So look forward to that!

I'm here to actually make a little announcement. This story is actually quickly coming to a close as the final story chapter will be chapter 50, just to make everything nice and neat. But, that doesn't mean the story is ending. I currently have 3 epilogues planned as well as two side stories, one alternate ending and one alternate universe so the party won't stop there!

Did you know that yesterday, April 19th, marks _Rapunzel_ 's 6-month anniversary? Happy Anniversary everyone! Thank you so much for supporting my story for almost half a year. This story has done so much for me both mentally and aspirationally, and I couldn't thank you all enough for getting me this far. I really am blessed to have you all reading, commenting and supporting me as a writer and I can't wait for what's to come in the future.

Happy Easter everyone! Thank you once again!

XOXO,

Astra


	44. 39 The Snow, The Mountains and the H

_-Chapter 39-_

 **The Snow, The Mountains and the Host Club!**

"Mm..." Feeling a sense of warmth brush against her cheek, Miki sounded. It was the first day of winter vacation, and she was a little dazed. Usually, she'd expect an announcement of a certain person's presence accompanied by the sound of her bedroom doors slamming open, so she was a little confused by the gentle method she was being woken by. But instead of opening her eyes, she opted to lazily swat the disturbance away before burying her face deeper into her blankets.

However, the force that was trying to wake her up seemed to disagree with her choice of returning to dreamland, and suddenly, she felt at least twenty pounds of weight drop onto her body. "Wahh!" Taken surprised by the rude awakening, Miki jolted up from her bed in a panic, spotting the Suoh Second Mansion's beloved dog staring up at her with beady eyes.

"Woof! Woof!" Antoinette barked, her tail wagging eagerly.

"Oh... It's you, Antoinette..." Breathing out a sigh, Miki chuckled as readjusted the strap of her nightgown that slipped down her shoulder. "Good Morning." She greeted the dog, completely unfazed by how it was practically laying on her bed.

"Woof!"

As she spent a few moments waking herself up, she threaded her fingers through the golden retriever's soft fur. "Let's see, what time is it right now?" She asked no one in particular, glancing up at the clock above her desk across the room before gasping loudly. "Shoot!" She cried, "I need to get ready!" Swiftly swinging her legs over the edge of her bed, she slid into her slippers into a conventional manner. "Antoinette, could you go wake up Tamaki-kun?" She instructed the dog that tailed her to the entrance of the closet. "He was supposed to wake me up, but I guess he overslept."

"Woof!" And with a delighted bark as if saying 'sure,' the golden retriever raced out of the door into the room across the hall.

As Tamaki had mentioned, the second and third years of the host club had decided to piggyback on Class 1-A's plan and drop in on their ski trip at Momoka's private ski resort. However, instead of staying at a family lodge, they were staying at a proper luxury hotel not too far away from the site.

Once Miki finished changing and washing up, she quickly sat down at her vanity and began brushing through her long strawberry brown hair.

 _The girl I have an interest in, I am now certain of my feelings towards her. I'm in love with her._

She hated to admit it, but Kyoya's words were still nagging her. Despite her best efforts to understand the feeling of love, the topic proved to be more complicated than she initially thought. Not just that, but the recent revelation of her unnameable feelings towards him also became a thorn at her side. She never felt gibberish around him like Sora described, nor did she experience a heart-pounding nervousness as Reiko had. She would have completely ruled out the possibility of being in love with Kyoya if it were not for Sora's reminder.

"Love is one of the most complicated and misunderstood subjects ever, and symptoms of it are often different for everyone..." Miki recited as her brows furrowed slightly. Usually, this would be about the time when she'd begin braiding her bangs into a crown around her head. "Kyoya-kun is special to me, but... How would I know if I was in love with him?" She muttered, staring at her reflection in the mirror.

"Miss Miki," There was a small knock, startling Miki as she whipped her head around. Suzuno stood at the doorway with a small smile. "Miss Miki, are you ready to leave? Your friends should be here soon." She informed with a bow of her head.

"Ah, yes!" Quickly snapping out of her dazed state, Miki jumped to her feet. "We'll be going up to the mountains to enjoy the hot springs; I'm so excited!" She twinkled.

"Indeed," Covering her lips, the maid with pale blonde hair giggled. "But please be aware. It would be terrible for you to catch a cold now."

"Don't worry, Shima-san already repacked my bags for me," Miki laughed wryly as she rushed into her closet, pulling out an orange and white duffle bag. "Is Tamaki-kun awake?" She asked, dragging the bag over to the entrance of the room.

"I believe so," Suzuno nodded as she picked up the duffle bag with both hands, following Miki out into the main hallway. "I'll take your bags down, so feel free to visit Master Tamaki if you'd like." She lowered her head in a bow.

"Thank you, Suzuno!"

"Now, if you'll excuse me." With a bow, the maid hurried down towards the main room.

Miki glanced over to her brother's open door. She could faintly hear him laughing and Antoinette's panting breaths as she approached to knock on the door. "Tamaki-kun? Are you ready to go?" She peeked in, spotting the blond still sitting on his bed dressed in his pyjamas.

"Miki, good morning!" Tamaki greeted the girl with a bright beam as he struggled to calm Antoinette's aggressive licks of good morning. "You look all dressed up; where are you going?"

"Tamaki-kun, we are going up to the mountains today." Tilting her head slightly, Miki reminded. "Did you forget?" She asked.

"Ahh... That..." Voice trailing off, Tamaki's gaze dropped to Antoinette who nuzzled his head against the blond's stomach affectionately. "I'm sorry... But I don't think I can come on this trip." He said.

Miki blinked a few times.

"Hey, Tama-chan... Are you really not going to the mountains to see Haru-chan and the others?" Honey asked. "You said you wanted to eat cake in the hot springs while looking at the snow mountains."

After Tamaki had announced his plan of not attending the group excursion to the mountains, Miki quickly alerted the rest of the hosts as the arrived to pick the duo up. So now, everyone except for the first-year trio were gathered in the Suoh Second Mansion's study, sitting on the couch as they watched Tamaki bury himself under a pile of books at his desk.

"Ahaha, I'm sorry, Honey-senpai." The blond laughed uneasily, flipping through a few pages of his book carelessly. "When I thought about it, now wasn't a good time. Father gave me a lot of reading to do, and I haven't been able to pay enough attention to Antoinette." He justified, nudging his chin at the golden retriever who jumped all over Mori.

"But Tamaki-kun, that book is held upside down, you know?" Miki pointed out.

Jolting slightly, Tamaki froze. "No, no, no!" Flailing his arms around, he rushed to explain. "This is a new way of reading! Actually, I developed it, and NASA has given it the seal of approval!" He hastily formed a lie to cover his earlier mishap.

"Eh? Really?" As gullible as ever, Miki gasped as a sparkle of admiration flashed across her eyes.

"There is no such thing as that." Quickly shutting down what seemed to be a disaster in the making, Kyoya drew a sighed. "Tamaki, what's wrong? Did something happen with Haruhi?" Propping an elbow up on the armrest of the couch, he raised an eyebrow.

"N-Nothing happened with Haruhi..." Tamaki avoided his questioning glare, flipping the book right side up.

"Then it's Hikaru." Mori deduced bluntly, causing the atmosphere around the blond to stiffen as the book slipped from his hands.

"I see." Kyoya hummed.

"No!" Tamaki waved his hands. "H-H-H-Hikaru and I are getting along just fine!" He stated.

"Did Hikaru want you to avoid Haruhi?"

Triggered by Kyoya's words, Tamaki's flailing came to a halt. He quickly collapsed to the ground and curled up into a pillbug, a pool of tears expanding beneath him as Antoinette whined at her master's depressive state.

"Bull's eye..." The four others in the room sweatdropped.

"D-D-Did you all know?" Crawling up on all fours, Tamaki turned his head towards them in a robotic manner. "What Hikaru feels for Haruhi is l-l-l...lo..." He stammered.

"Yeah, we knew." Without missing a beat, Miki nodded.

"It's obvious." Kyoya elaborated.

"I think Tama-chan and Haru-chan are the only slowpokes who haven't realized it yet." Tapping the side of his chin, Honey added before turning to glance at the blond with hopeful eyes. "And?" He urged. "How do you feel Tama-chan?"

"I... I feel bad for not noticing it until now..." He uttered, covering his mouth in a slight sense of guilt.

"But how do you feel about Haru-chan?" Honey rephrased his question.

"Haruhi..." Tamaki blinked a few times before suddenly clutching his chest and crumbling to the ground. "Uh! Ow! My heart hurts!" He yelped, rolling around on the ground in phantom pain.

"Tama-chan!"

"Tamaki-kun?!"

Reaching up towards a beam of light that appeared out of nowhere with dramatically twitching fingers, Tamaki cried. "It feels like my heart is constricting!" He complained. "Like it's being crushed..."

"I see, even you have come to realize what's going on." Kyoya hummed, seeming impressed by the development of the situation.

"Ugh..." Sitting up, Tamaki narrowed his eyes as a hand rested against his heart. "Maybe this is the heartache a father feels when he sees his daughter being married off...?" He theorized, looking completely serious.

.

.

.

"What?" The four others gawked.

"Ahhh! But it's not certain that Haruhi likes Hikaru in return." Cupping his cheeks with his hands, Tamaki returned to rolling on the ground as he continued to spout his nonsensical ramblings. "But Hikaru is a cute fellow! This is a major father's dilemma!"

"But Tama-chan," Honey stood up, trying to help guide the conversation back on track. "That's not the heartache a father feels." He told him.

"Is it illness then?!" Tamaki assumed before turning to panic mode once again. "Ack! This is bad! Should I call a doctor? Oh, but I need to finish that book first. A father figure needs to have a lot of wisdom at his disposal." He then turned to the rest of the hosts with an apologetic smile. "Sorry guys, I guess I won't be going on that trip..." He laughed awkwardly.

"That's strange..." Closing the doors of the study behind her with a click, Miki's eyes flickered to the ground with a perplexed stare. "I thought for sure Tamaki-kun was in love with Haruhi..." She hummed, leaning her back against the door's smooth surface.

"No, he definitely is," Kyoya affirmed, pacing towards the main hall with his hands in his pockets. "However, I think we misunderstood the situation." He stated as his brows knitted closer together.

Honey nodded in agreement. "Me too..." He said. "Perhaps Tama-chan is..."

"What? An unconscious trauma?" In one of the Kurakano family lodge, Kaoru couldn't help but let out a gasp. He was supposed to be meeting with Hikaru at his shared room with Haruhi to visit the hot springs, but he couldn't help but stop and gawk at the new information his four upperclassmen had uncovered prior to their arrival. "You mean milord still doesn't see the situation for what it is, and he's unable to realize his true feelings for Haruhi?" He questioned.

"Well, it's just a hypothesis..." Kyoya reminded.

"But when you think of it that way, a lot of things about Tama-chan starts to make sense." Honey pointed out.

"Perhaps due to his upbringing, Tamaki has his strong and idealized image of what a family should be." Rubbing his chin and falling into a thoughtful state, Kyoya began to indulge further into his theory. "Sitting around the kotatsu like the 'family' we've formed in the club is what he clings to. For Tamaki, 'family' is something he must protect with everything he's got." He paused. "And to him, what do you suppose is the threat to a 'family'?"

Kaoru's eyes widened in realization of what Kyoya was implying.

"He sees his parents' forbidden relations as the reason his family is divided and why he was separated from his sister for so long." Kyoya elaborated, casting Miki's anxious expression a side glance. "So even if he doesn't realize it himself, it's quite possible Tamaki can't accept his feelings for Haruhi." He concluded.

"Wait, Kyoya-senpai." Kaoru leaned forward with drawn brows. "Of course, I knew something was up with milord's attachment to the family setup; I also thought he might be trying to keep the friendships within the club from breaking down. But milord is so..." His head dropped slightly.

"Yeah..." Honey nodded. "Tama-chan is so..."

"...incredibly stupid sometimes." The two of them finished as the group of five facepalmed, completely astounded by the blond's hapless foolishness.

"Well, as I said it's only a hypothesis, but even Tamaki isn't this obtuse." Kyoya breathed a sigh. "It seems unnatural, doesn't it? And if he really is this stupid, it's an astronomical level of stupidity."

Honey sweatdropped at the overly harsh comment. "How Tama-chan thinks is like a black box." He lifted his index finger as he drew a square in the air. "Sometimes it's really easy to figure out, while other times it's impossible." He described.

"I wonder what he could be doing right now?" Cupping the side of her cheek, Miki's eyes fell closed as she drew a long breath. "I hope he's not trying to re-enact the hot spring experience with his commoner supermarket's bath salt collection." She worried.

"He has one of those?" Kaoru raised an eyebrow in disbelief. "I think he just might be crying out of loneliness." He suggested.

"No, he might be bursting out laughing after hitting his head on the corner of a piece of tofu." Kyoya deliberated. "That's entirely possible for him."

"He might be playing the piano while doing a hand-stand!" Honey implied seriously.

"He might have gone to bed, already." Mori, being the only one with a reasonable view of the blond, proposed.

"Either way, that is the situation right now." Heaving a long sigh, Kyoya adjusted his glasses on his nose bridge. "We will be heading to our hotel now." He informed the ginger.

"Alright, I'm heading to the hot springs." Turning back to the hallway towards the room, Kaoru ruffled his hair in a hint of exasperation.

"See you tomorrow, Kaoru!" Miki waved.

"See you tomorrow." He grinned, giving his upperclassman a quick thumbs-up as he made a mental note not to share their previous conversation with Hikaru.

Unbeknownst to him, Hikaru had heard every single bit of it.

Over at the hot spring resort, the second and third years were staying at, Kyoya had exited his room with the intentions of heading over to the hot springs. Allowing the door to click closed behind him, he made his way to the main lobby of the resort. There he spotted Miki in conversation with what seemed to be a couple.

He couldn't help but pause at the sight.

Though he's seen her in a proper yukata before, something about the hot spring's provided yukata looked extra flattering on her. The soft green fabric and the deep red silk that tied around her waist seemed to bring about a sense of tranquillity to her appearance, one that complimented the pink-tint in her hair as well as the twinkle in her eyes. Once again Kyoya found himself captivated by her whimsical aura, unable to tear his gaze away from her radiant smile. She could genuinely light up whichever room she walked into. It's a shame that she was locked up for so long.

After what seemed like forever, the couple waved goodbye, and Kyoya found it suitable to approach her.

"Making new friends already?" He commented, watching as she jumped slightly, startled by his sudden appearance.

"Mhm!" Almost immediately, she broke into a bright beam at the sight of him. "They said that they were newlyweds, and this is their first trip together as a married couple."

"I see," Casting the couple's fading backsides a glance, Kyoya muttered. "Did you wish them congratulations?" He asked.

"Of course," Nodding her head proudly, she sounded. "I hope they can make lots of happy memories here." She chided.

"I'm sure they will," Taking a few steps towards the curtained entrances of the male and female springs, Kyoya hummed. "Shall we be on our way? You mentioned that you were looking forward to soaking in the hot springs." He smirked.

"Yes! Let's go!" Quickly racing to catch up to him, Miki cheered.

As the two of them made their way down the hall, Miki spotted a sign to the side that caught her eye. She stood still for a moment, suddenly remembering something the couple had brought up. "Kyoya-kun," Reaching forward, she gently tugged at the sleeve of his yukata. "The woman pointed to that door and mentioned a promise to go there with her husband later. Where is that place?" She blinked, trying to make sense of the off-white symbol that was printed onto the blue curtains.

Halting in his tracks, Kyoya glanced over. "Judging by the sign, I'd say that is a mixed bath." He informed her.

"A mixed bath?" Miki cocked her head to the side. "What do they mix it with?"

"It's not the water that is mixed - it's the clientele." Readjusting his glasses, Kyoya sighed at her cluelessness. "A mixed bath is one that men and women can enter together." He explained.

"Eh? Really?" Covering her mouth with the tips of her fingers, Miki gasped. "Then, shall we go in, Kyoya-kun?" She suggested with an innocent head tilt.

Kyoya felt his eye twitch.

"Pardon me?" He managed to say.

"Well, it'd be boring to go alone, right?" Miki reasoned "Oh! And we should call on Honey-senpai and Mori-senpai to join us!" She clapped her hands together excitedly. "I'll go get them-"

Before she could run off and do something absurdly ridiculous, Kyoya swiftly grabbed her wrist. He pulled her back and pinned her against the smooth surface of the wall. It's been so long since he was last faced with her non-existent logic, part of him seemed to have forgotten the frustration he'd feel whenever he had to put up with it. "Miki, take this as a direct request from me." With his other arm resting next to her head, he leaned in closer, allowing his shadow to loom over her. "You are not allowed into such a place." He warned.

Subconsciously leaning back to make space between their inching faces, Miki blinked. "Kyoya-kun, you look irritated." She pointed out. "Why is that?"

"Just promise me you will not enter such a place." He narrowed his eyes, part of him enjoying the view of her small frame under his body.

Averting her eyes, perhaps out of shyness from their closing distance, Miki pouted. "Well, if you feel so strongly about it..." She hummed. "Then, could I come over to your room after?"

Kyoya froze for a moment. Did this girl not have a shred of decency? Or at least a litter self-awareness? Swallowing the lump that formed in his throat, he recomposed himself. "Why would you want to come over?" He questioned.

"Well, Tamaki-kun is not here. It'd be boring to spend the rest of the evening in my room alone." Returning her gaze to him, she said in an obvious tone.

Taking a few moments to process her words, Kyoya couldn't help but huff out a heavy sigh as he leaned down to rest his forehead on her shoulder. "You are way too tempting, whether you realize that or not." He muttered to no one in particular.

"Huh?" Miki blinked, trying to get a good look at his face.

"Very well; you may come over." Lifting his forehead, Kyoya's eyes flickered up to meet hers as an idea formed along with a smug smirk. "Though I'm going to require a compensation fee, for you using my room and time as a means of entertainment." He revealed.

Miki tilted her head. "Hm? What would you like-" Her voice trailed off, as she felt him lean in. A small lock of hair tumbled down and fell in front of her face, resting on her cheek, but with one swift slide of his thumb, it was brushed away. Gently, Kyoya's lips grazed against her cheek, planting a soft kiss that set her skin aflame.

However, as quickly as the warmth came, it vanished as Kyoya pulled away and walked towards the men's hot spring. "Come over when you're done." He waved without glancing back, leaving Miki dumbfounded in the hallway as her hand trailed up, ghosting over the spot that tingled relentlessly.

Perhaps she should spend less time in the hot springs, just in case she gets overheated.

"Hey! Here I come!" From the top of the snowy hill, Honey waved at the cluster of female students of 1-A. It was a new day at the Kurakano Ski Resort, and the students were all surprised yet welcomed most of the host club's sudden appearance.

"We're ready!" The girls replied Renge, in particular, held a digital camera in her hands, ready to capture the moment.

After readjusting the goggles before his eyes, Honey stepped into his snowboard and began to make his way down. Bending his knees slightly as he got closer to a slope, he lept into the air in a fancy trick up. "Usa-chan...Jump!" He shouted, causing a series of fangirling to explode within the crowd. "Takashi! All clear!" The lolita waved back up at the hill, diverting everyone's attention. The next thing they saw, was Mori darting down the hill in his snowboard. He jumped at the same slope and completed an equally difficult trick jump, leaving the entire crowd, female and male alike awestruck by how cool he looked.

"Woah! Honey-senpai and Mori-senpai..." At the bottom of the hill, Haruhi watched in awe as Mori slid down the slope in a graceful gesture. "Oh and even Kyoya-senpai and Miki senpai came." Eyes flickering to the side, she noticed her two upperclassmen who were also present and dressed in snow-ready gear. "Since when?" She sweatdropped.

"Oh, we just arrived last night," Kyoya explained with a shrug.

"And had a nice long soak in the hot springs too!" Miki added, her head snapping around in all sorts of directions as she had no idea where to look. This was her first time seeing so much snow all in one place.

"I-I see..." Haruhi hummed. "Can you ski, Kyoya-senpai?" She asked, not even bothering to ask Miki, as she already knew what the answer was.

"I'm no match for your athletic abilities, but I wanted to put pictures of you falling down on the club's homepage, so here I am."

Haruhi's shoulders slumped at that terrible reasoning as her smile twitched slightly. "Haha... What an honourable motive." She muttered before instinctively glancing around, trying to spot the missing member of the usual trio. "And um..." Her voice trailed off.

"Tamaki-kun isn't here." Miki pointed out. "He said he had some reading from father to complete."

"Right! I didn't ask, and I don't really care either way!" Jolting slightly at the strawberry blonde's comment, Haruhi stammered. "Hey, Hikaru, Kaoru! Let's start skiing." In an attempt to hide her reddening face, she turned towards the twins.

Cocking her head to the side, Miki blinked. "Does she not care?" She wondered before her eyes brightened slightly. "Oh, and could I join your lessons too?" She requested. "I want to learn how to ski."

"That should be fine..." Haruhi stated, a little overwhelmed by the usual glimmering smile on her face.

"Though Hikaru might not be up for it today." Kyoya pointed out, earning a curious look from the two girls. "He looks quite under the weather." He gestured to the side, revealing Hikaru propped up against a tree in an exhausted manner and surrounded by a gloomy yet irritated aura. He didn't get any sleep the previous night, feeling guilty about what he had said to Tamaki as well as overthinking the conversation he eavesdropped on the night before.

"Hikaru? Are you all right?" Kaoru asked, worriedly rubbing his twin's back. "Why don't you go to sleep in your room?" He offered.

"No... I promised Haruhi we would ski today." Hikaru muttered, his shoulders dropping slightly at the mention of Haruhi's name.

"Hikaru! Kaoru!" Kazukiyo waved, approaching the twins with an oddly cheerful smile.

"Class president." Kaoru greeted.

"Do you want to go over there and ride the sleigh? The ladies asked me to invite you." He offered, gesturing the girls behind him.

"You're so full of energy today, class president." Kaoru hummed, raising an eyebrow as he recalled all the complaining and screaming he went through the day prior. "I thought you didn't like the mountains?"

"Hahaha! Once I soaked in the hot springs and slept well, I started feeling energized." The boy explained, breaking into a bright beam. "Skiing is scary, but the sled looks fun." He reasoned.

Hikaru's body twitched in anger at the positivity Kazukiyo radiated. "Oh yeah?" He grumbled, snapping his head around and wrapping an arm around the class president's shoulder. "I see I see... That's good news. So maybe I can make you fall into a much deeper sleep tonight?!" He grinned darkly. "Forget about that sled! Let's ski. Let's ski! I'll take you by the hand and legs and give you a thorough lesson. You'll be so tired; you'll sleep like the dead. Oh, but you might not be able to sleep due to muscle pain, but I'm apologizing in advance, right?" He threatened.

"N-No... I decline..." Kazukiyo stammered as he tried to inch away, only to be snatched up by the elder of the twins and dragged away.

"Ok! There's one more guest for the Hiatchiin ski class!" Hikaru announced, ignoring the class president's protests.

"Eek! Nooo! Help!" Kaoru watched as Kazukiyo shrieked as he flailed his arms and legs in a panic, mentally praying for his return in one piece from Hikaru's foul mood. Heaving a small slight, he then picked up his skis and met up with Haruhi, Miki and Kyoya.

"Thanks for waiting, Haruhi." He chimed, sticking his skis head first into the thick snow. "Let's start practice."

"Huh? Where is Hikaru?" Haruhi asked.

Waving his hand, Kaoru quickly brushed the topic aside. "Don't worry about it," He said. "He's out of control. Let's leave him alone."

"Oh, okay." Wondering what in the world that could mean, Haruhi hummed. "I think Miki-senpai will be joining us by the way." She informed, gesturing the eager blonde.

"I'll be in your care, Kaoru." Miki bowed her head clumsily, her movements restricted by the bulky winter clothes she had on.

"Ho, is that so?" Kaoru leaned forward to study her, rubbing his chin in amusement. "I welcome it!" He grinned mischievously.

Eyes glistening at that approval, Miki's expression grow into a luminous glow. "Alright then, I'm going to do my best!" Throwing a fist in the air, she cheered excitedly.

"Ahhh! That was fun!" Letting out a satisfied groan, Miki stretched her arms up into the chilly mountain airs. "I never imagined stopping would be so difficult." She giggled, taking a seat in front of Kyoya as she took off her ski goggles.

By the end of Kaoru's lesson, both Haruhi and Miki could ski around with little help though Miki seemed to have a lot of trouble with stopping, evident by her 'thrilling' adventures down the slope and crashing into piles of snow. As Haruhi put it, 'her inability to stop on skis is almost as unbelievable as to how clueless she is.' However, as usual, the bright beam on Miki's lips never wavered, even if she was trapped in a ball of snow being dug out by Kaoru, Haruhi, Tachibana, Aijima and an extremely panicked Hotta.

"It's too bad though," Swinging her legs around under the table like a child; she hummed as Hotta brought forth a tray of steaming tea to the duo. "I really wanted to go up the ski lift to one of the courses with them." She turned to glance up at the peak of the mountains.

"That requires for you to ski downhill." Kyoya pointed out as he took a sip from his cup. "You wouldn't be able to get down safely. Beginner course or not, you'll get stuck again." He asserted.

Miki blinked cluelessly. "If I get stuck, we can just dig me out again." She reasoned, tilting her head as if the resolution was a given. "Right, Hotta-san?" She asked, giving the bald guard a charming smile.

"Y-Yes, of course!" Hotta straightened his back. "I'd be more than delighted to dig Miss Miki out of the snow-"

"Hotta," With a sharp glare in the direction of his bodyguard, Kyoya's glistened in a slight dash of red. "Why don't you leave this resort?" He scowled.

"S-Sorry, sir!" Hotta shrieked.

"Now, now, don't take it out him, Kyoya-kun." Miki quickly intervened, protecting Hotta from Kyoya's demon aura with her angelic barrier. "I didn't end up going in the end, so don't be angry." She glimmered.

Brows furrowing slightly, Kyoya closed his eyes as he breathed a long sigh. "I'm not angry," He stated in a composed manner, bringing the cup closer to his lips once again.

 _He was totally angry..._ The bodyguard trio thought with a sweatdrop.

With a small chuckle, Miki picked up her cup and gazed back out towards the winter wonderland beyond the wooden balcony of the lodge. Before she left her room, she couldn't have ever imagined being so close to the snowy mountains. It was just fantasy she could only see through the screen of her TV, or through the occasional dream that left a lasting enough impression on her, to the point where she could wake up and still vividly remember. However, none were nearly as brilliant as what was before her. The more she looked, the more detailed the giant mountains would become. It was as if nature was creating its own painting, creating an original picture that neither she nor her art could ever match up to. To think that all of this and much more, it's what she had been missing out on for the last sixteen years. Her eyes widened, reflecting the breath-taking view in a glossy vision.

Noticing how still Miki was, Kyoya's greenish-brown eyes flickered up to find the strawberry blonde staring absently at the mountain ranges. He raised an eyebrow. "Is something the matter?" He asked, watching as Miki's clear hazel eyes darted back, clearing having just come out of a daze.

Staring blankly at Kyoya, the frozen gears in Miki's head gradually began to turn. She finally noticed how her arm had gotten sore from holding her teacup for so long. Placing it down on the plate gently, her lips tugged into a wistful smile. "It's nothing," She huffed. "I was just thinking about how big these mountains are." She explained, glancing back out into the white abyss with the usual sparkle and energy returned to her eyes and voice.

"Well, they are mountains," Kyoya hummed, following her gaze, though not finding anything particularly impressive.

Whipping her head around, Miki rested her elbows on the table as she leaned forward, catching Kyoya off-guard. "Arden used to tell me that the mountains in the distance were even taller than him and the main mansion itself," She elaborated eagerly, plopping back into her seat and stared out at the snow-covered peaks with a childlike wonder. "But I didn't realize it wasn't just bigger than the main mansion; it's a hundred times bigger!" She exclaimed, tilting her head to the side with an airy giggle as a few strands of hair slid down her shoulder, falling before her chest.

Kyoya felt his body flinch slightly as her words triggered a memory within his mind, something she said long ago when she first caught his interest.

 _If you see everything in life with such a doubtful and critical eye, then you will miss out on all the beauty this world has to offer._

With those words in mind, he took another glance and the mountains. He's seen the same view, if not even grander ones in his lifetime. However, for the first time, he felt as if he could finally see, everything. The mountains were huge, towering over them like a beast that was planted firmly into the ground. The sunlight would hit the bumpy cliffs at a strange angle, casting oddly shaped shadows along the rocks. The clusters of snow-covered trees would occasionally expose the speckles of deep green that poked through along with the rare cases of bare bark. Like her smiling face, the pure white snow was practically glimmering. He blinked as if trying to make sure that he was looking at the same mountains ranges and not an alternate world's.

No, the truth was, he, in fact, is in an alternate world.

This was the perspective of a child who never got to grow up.

This was Miki's world.

"To find wonder in such little things," Kyoya chuckled softly, picking up his teacup by the handle. He took a sip before locking his gaze with Miki's beady hazel eyes. "You indeed are a fascinating woman." He commented, a faint smirk surfacing on his lips.

Miki responded with her sun-like radiant smile, lighting up the ski resort as blizzard clouds began to roll across the sky.

As the two of the continued to converse, mostly filled with Miki's unless ramblings and Kyoya's occasional dry comments as per usual, a sudden voice shouting from a distance

"Kyoya-senpai! Miki-senpai!" The two of them glanced out at the call for them, spotting the exhausted duo of Kaoru and Haruhi, skiing towards the lodge as quickly as they could manage. Stopping below the lodge, the two of them began to pant heavily, as if a beast had chased them on their way down.

"Kaoru? Haruhi?" Rushing over to the balcony with Kyoya following behind at a slower pace, Miki leaned over with a curious expression. "What happened? Where are Hikaru and Kazukiyo-kun?" She asked.

"Rescue team..." Kaoru managed to blurt out as he attempted to catch his breath. "Please send a rescue team up to the start of the expert's course!" He yelled.

"What happened?" Kyoya repeated Miki's previous question. Judging by the current circumstances, things don't look too good for Hikaru and Kazukiyo.

"Hikaru accidentally took the class president on the ski lift to the expert course instead of the beginner's, so now he can't get down," Haruhi explained, resting her hands on her knees.

Miki blinked, cocking her head to the side. "Did you guys not mean to go on the expert course?" She asked, dumbfounded. She had been with them when Hikaru dragged Kazukiyo onto the ski lift while Kaoru and Haruhi followed out of the sheer worry for the class president's life, however, due to Kyoya intervening and Shima's firm reminder to not go up further from the lodge out of worry for her health, she chose not to go.

Kaoru and Haruhi deadpanned at the girl.

"Of course not!" Kaoru shouted, feeling exhausted by both the skiing and his upperclassman's cluelessness. "The class president has Acrophobia!"

"Wait then, why did Hikaru bring him up there?" Miki cocked her head to the side, feeling a little overwhelmed by the information and dire situation.

"It was an accident!" Kaoru reasoned.

"He also said a blizzard could be starting very soon," Haruhi interrupted the two, veering the conversation back on track. "We need to hurry!"

"R-Right!" Miki panicked, turning around to find Kyoya already making phone calls to organize a rescue team.

Sitting in the lodge, the hosts waited impatiently for the snowmobile rescue team to return. Mori joined them to provide an additional source of manpower, just in case the situation was worse than imagined. Medical experts were already on standby, and now all they needed was for Hikaru and Kazukiyo to return.

As Hikaru predicted, the winds began to pick up outside, quickly transforming into a blizzard. Hurling around more flakes than anyone could ever hope to count, each making their way towards the ground, building into a grander incline. Kaoru was pacing back and forth in the lobby, his arms stiffly by his side as he attempted to walk off the worry and anxiety that chased him relentlessly.

"Kao-chan, it's going to be alright," Honey reassured, sitting at one of the tables. "Takashi is with them; they'll be back in a flash."

"I know, Honey-senpai..." Letting a small sigh, Kaoru halted in his tracks. "Hikaru was sleep-deprived and irritated when I left, so I'm just... worried." He explained, slumping against the tables, feeling extremely drained. However, his head shot up when he felt a slight tug at the corner of his jacket. He glanced to the side, spotting Miki staring up at him with a small frown.

"I'm sorry, Kaoru," She said, her expression resembling a child's when being scolded. "If I had said something about the mix up in the course, then Hikaru and Kazukiyo-kun wouldn't have gotten stuck." She muttered.

Seeing such a sullen pout on her face, Kaoru couldn't help but chuckle a little. "It's alright, Miki-senpai." He ruffled her hair playfully, suddenly feeling ten times lighter. "It was also Hikaru's fault for crossing the line; he knew about the class president's fear of heights yet still dragged him up there." He gave a wry smile.

After a while of waiting in silence, the snowmobile team along with Mori came crashing into the boy's lodge from the blizzard. Mori was carrying an unconscious Hikaru in his arms while one of the rescue team membered held onto Kazukiyo as he limped into the lodge.

"Hikaru! Class President!" Everyone quickly rushed over, ignoring the howling winds and the snowflakes that flew into the lodge as they gathered around the crew.

"Hikaru! Hikaru!" Kaoru called out desperately to his brother, shaking him by the shoulders.

"What happened?" Haruhi questioned, staring at Kazukiyo who looked almost as if he were going to burst into tears any second.

"I'm sorry!" Kazukiyo cried, completely overwhelmed by the chaos as the medical personnel rushed towards the hallway, hauling Hikaru off towards the medical bay with Kaoru following close behind. "I was looking for a place to get cell reception to call for help but ended up losing my footing and sprained my ankle." Large beady tears rolled down his cheeks as he began to sob. "Hikaru found me and carried me all the way back up the mountain, but when the snowmobile team found us, he suddenly fainted!" He sniffled as, he too, was quickly hauled off to the medical bay to get his ankle treated.

After letting out a sigh of momentary relief, everyone rushed after them toward the medical bay. Miki, however, halted in her tracks as she felt her phone in her jacket began to buzz. Pulling it out of her pocket, she quickly checked the caller ID.

 _Incoming call from Suoh Tamaki_

She blinked, flipping her phone open and pressing it against her ear. "Hello?" She hummed.

"Miki, how's your trip so far?" Tamaki's voice echoed through the microphone. Despite claiming that he didn't need to go, it was clear that he was still quite anxious about the trip itself.

"Well..." Miki's voice trailed off as her eyes averted to the backsides of the group that turned the corner. "Hikaru was-"

Before she could finish her sentence, her phone was plucked out of her hands from behind. She whipped her head around in surprise, spotting Kyoya snatch her phone and press it against his ear. "Hikaru was stranded on a snow mountain, and now he's in a coma." He said calmly. "You may want to hurry over."

"WHAT?!" Both Miki and Tamaki through the phone let out a collective shriek as Kyoya ended the call, the last thing being heard on the opposite end was Tamaki's calls for Koganei, the Second Suoh Mansion's designated driver.

"Hikaru is in a coma? All for being stranded in the snow?!" Miki's eyes gaped open as she quickly straightened her posture. "I don't want that!" She protested. "Can't we do something about that?"

"I was exaggerating," Tossing her phone back into her hands, Kyoya couldn't help but mentally facepalm at her ever-present gullibility. "Hikaru is most likely fine." He reassured.

"But... But he fainted!" Miki reasoned with a panicked expression. She had completely bought into Kyoya's previous lie. "And he-"

Brushing her bangs away, Kyoya gently tapped her forehead, cutting her words off. "If you don't believe me, why don't we go take a look for ourselves?" He suggested with a small smirk.

"He carried Kazukiyo-kun through the blizzard even though he hadn't gotten a proper night of sleep, it's no surprise he reached his limit." In the lobby, the doctor explained to the rest of the patiently waiting hosts as he skimmed through some medical papers. Kaoru and Haruhi were both in Hikaru's room, watching over the resting boy while the rest of them waited in the lobby. "He should be waking up soon, rest assured." The doctor smiled, watching as the great relief that overwhelmed the hosts.

"Thank you for your hard work," Kyoya nodded, dismissing the man.

"That's great, isn't it? Hika-chan is alright." Honey giggled, his legs dangling from his seat. "Takashi, you did a good job finding Hika-chan." He beamed, turning to the giant beside him.

"No," Mori spoke in his deep voice, eyes darting over to the lolita. "Hikaru was the one who did good, protecting Kazukiyo." He said thoughtfully.

After a few moments of casual conversation, the sound of footsteps thumping in the hallway began to approach, and Kaoru came darting into the lobby. "He's awake!" The ginger announced as his eyes shimmered with joy. "Hikaru's awake, guys!" He repeated himself, unable to stop grinning.

"Really?" Honey and Miki quickly jumped to their feet.

As the group hurried over to see how Hikaru was doing, they were surprised to find him crouching in front of his room, holding his head in his hands.

"Huh? Hikaru?" Kaoru raised an eyebrow at the sight of him.

"Hika-chan! Should you be out of bed?" Honey asked worriedly, earning a surprised look from the boy as he glanced up with reddened cheeks.

"How are you feeling?" Miki tilted her head.

"Your face is flushed; you may have a fever from being in the snow for too long." Kyoya pointed out.

"I-I'm fine!" Swiftly shaking his head and waving his hands, Hikaru yelled as he stood up. "Sorry for worrying everyone-"

Suddenly, the doors were thrown wide open, and the chilling winds entered into the lodge. "HIKARU!" Everyone snapped their heads around, spotting Tamaki covered head to toe in snow as he rushed down the hall.

"Tamaki-kun!"

"Tama-chan!"

"M-Milord...?" Hikaru's eyes widened. He jumped slightly as Tamaki grabbed him by the shoulders and began to pat him down awkwardly.

"Don't worry, it's the real Hikaru," Kyoya assured, unable to help himself as a smirk in amusement surfaced on his lips.

Hearing Kyoya's affirmation, Tamaki suddenly let out a deep breath as his body fell slack against Hikaru's. "Thank goodness..." He muttered. "When I heard you were unconscious, I thought I might be able to help somehow, so I..." His grip tightened on the boy's shoulders as he choked back the tears of relief that were beginning to form.

Seeing Tamaki in such a state despite their last parting words, Hikaru bit his bottom lip. "Milord," He took a deep breath and gathered his voice. "I confessed my love to Haruhi." He announced, pushing the blonde away slightly, his vision remaining glued to the wooden ground.

There was a small moment of silence before Hikaru's words finally settled in.

 _WHAT?!_

"I haven't heard her answer yet, but I intend to give it my best shot." Hikaru continued, lifting his gaze and locking eyes with Tamaki. "So you try your best too, Milord." He declared. "Don't lose to whatever trauma it is you're carrying around inside of you! Got that?!" Suddenly, his sincere golden-brown eyes burst into flames as he grabbed Tamaki by the collar. "Now, what's your answer?!" He growled, pulling him close.

"Y-Y-YES SIR!" Tamaki shrieked with comical tears, despite having no clue about what he was saying.

Back at the hotel, Kyoya was on his way back from the hot springs when he spotted Tamaki standing at the balcony of the lobby. "Tamaki, you're not going to bathe?" He raised an eyebrow at the oddly lonely looking backside of his best friend. "You love open-air hot springs."

"Kyoya... You heard what Hikaru said, right?" Tamaki muttered, staring out blankly at the falling snowflakes before running a hand through his blond hair, letting out an over-the-top sigh. "It seems I'm afflicted by some sort of 'trauma,' I had no idea such shadows hid in the depth of my soul. My winsome romanticism has intensified yet again!" He declared.

Annoyed by his idiocy, Kyoya spun right back on his heel. "It's cold outside, shut the window or head straight back to Tokyo." He waved before halting in his steps, reminded of something. "Ah, that's right." He glanced over his shoulder. "Hikaru called us from the lodge. They're planning a year-end party at the Hitachiin mansion and asked us to save the date." He informed.

"Huh...?" Tamaki blinked a little, turning around. "Do you think it'll be okay for me to go too?"

"It appears all host club members are required to attend." Kyoya shrugged. "Hikaru said they had invited many of our regular guests and even Haruhi's friend from the Sport's Festival." He explained.

"Oh, I see..."

"Miki will be in my room drawing, drop by if you want tea and sweets with her." Turning back around, Kyoya waved as he made his way down the hallway, leaving Tamaki alone to ponder over Hikaru's words and the meaning behind this 'trauma' he seemed to have.

"Hi! Come on in! Welcome to our house!" On New Year's Eve, the Hitachiin mansion was as lively as ever. The twins greeted their guests with wide grins and open palms, grinning from ear to ear as the main ballroom became filled with conversing regulars of the host club as well as classmates from school.

"Hikaru! Kaoru! Thank you so much for inviting us." One of the girls smiled.

"We're the ones who should thank you all for a great year!" They replied in unison.

"Class president, how is your ankle?" Momoka asked, glancing down worriedly at Kazukiyo's leg.

"Oh, it's much better." The boy reassured with a bashful laugh.

As gasps and admiring looks darted over to the entrance, the host club members par Haruhi, all dressed up in party attire, entered the grand ballroom, announced by Honey's cheerful greeting. "Hika-chan! Kao-chan! We're here!" He waved.

"Thank you for having us over!" Miki lowered her head, giving the two an elegant curtsy.

"Pardon the intrusion," Kyoya greeted with a small nod in acknowledgment.

Locking eyes with Hikaru, Tamaki stammered. "I-I hope it was okay for me to come," He muttered, only to be pushed into the crowd by the boy with ash brown hair.

"Yeah, yeah. Host Club members aren't here as guests, you know?" He said. "Go entertain! There are lots of ladies here, so be sure to keep them happy." He reminded aloofly.

"O-Oh... Okay..." Taken off guard by Hikaru's sudden enthusiasm and interest in club activities, Tamaki couldn't help but stare in bewilderment. However, his daze didn't last long when he heard a familiar name become mentioned, snapping him out of his meditative state.

"Kao-chan, where's Haru-chan?" Honey asked.

"She arrived earlier with her friend, Mei." The younger of the twins responded. "She seems like an interesting girl, who's also a fan of my mom's. I think you'll get along with her quite well, Miki-senpai." He grinned, patting her on the back.

"Really? Then you'll have to introduce me to her then," Miki beamed.

A little while into the party, Miki was eating off of Tamaki's plate when she found something that she quite liked despite being unable to recognize it. Deciding to ask Tamaki for its location for refills, she searched around the ballroom, spotting her brother amid a conversation with a tanned girl with bleached-blonde hair and fake eyelashes. Approaching him, she gently tugged at the corner of his suit.

Sensing the slight pull, Tamaki turned around attentively. "Hm? Miki, what's wrong?" He asked.

"I'm sorry to interrupt your conversation." Miki bowed her head towards the girl. "Tamaki-kun, where did you-"

"Milord!" Before she could even finish her sentence, Hikaru came bolting by in a gust of dust, grabbing Tamaki by the arm.

"H-Hikaru?!"

"Come with me, now!" And with that, the two of them dashed out of the main ballroom and disappeared around the corner, leaving Miki and the tan-skinned girl alone.

After processing what had just happened, Miki blinked a few times. She stared down at her mostly finished plate before shifting her attention to the dumbfounded girl. "I apologize for that. Erm..." She tilted her head, realizing that she never got the girl's name.

"Mei," Heaving a small sigh as she ruffled her hair, she introduced herself casually. "The name is Yasumura Mei."

Miki's eyes rounded as the name clicked within her memories. "Oh, so you are the Mei-san I've heard so much about." She gasped before breaking into a beaming smile. "My name is Miki; it's a pleasure to meet you." Lowering her head, she gave a small curtsy while balancing the plate in one hand. Mei couldn't help but gawk a little at the speech differences between the refined ladies at Ouran and regular middle-class citizens; it was definitely something more than she was used to.

Miki glanced over toward the direction of the ballroom where the two disappeared. "What do you think that was about?" She wondered out loud.

Snapping out of her awestruck state, Mei nonchalantly leaned back against the snacks table with a hum. "Hikaru probably got rejected by Haruhi, so he's most likely challenging Tamaki-san to duel for her love." She shrugged.

"Eh? How did you know about that?" Miki cocked her head to the side.

"Haruhi has told me all about it," Mei explained as her brown eyes flickered up to the chandelier hanging above. She began playing with the heels in her shoes as she tapped the heel into the marble floor. "Since the moment she got back from that ski trip, she never stopped panicking about the answer she was going to give." She chuckled lightly.

"I've heard that you stayed with the Fujiokas' for a month a while back due to conflict with your father," Miki mentioned as her eyes crinkled softly. "Is everything alright now with Misuzu-chi?"

"Well, yeah." Pressing her lips together, Mei felt her body drop slightly at the memory of Misuzu. "He still likes to dress up in girly clothes every day, but I guess I need to learn how to accept him for him." She grumbled begrudgingly.

"Misuzu-chi must love you a lot," Miki couldn't help but giggle at the amusing expression Mei had on her face. "I heard he even the far mile to change his ways of dressing for you" She reminded, causing Mei to jolt slightly.

"Ya think so?" Mei raised an eyebrow at her, earning a curt nod in return. "What about you Miki-san? You make it sound like your father wouldn't do the same for you." She questioned, leaning forward to study the strawberry blonde's face.

"Hm? Of course, my father loves me very much." Miki stated with an obvious tone. "As an old book says, no one in this world can love a girl more than her father." Lifting an all-knowing finger, she flashed a gleaming smile at Mei.

"Yeah, yeah." Feeling a little blinded by the innocent smile, Mei sweatdropped. "So, are you one of the regular guests at this 'host club'?"

"No, I'm their production designer. I'm in charge of the room design that coordinates with their cosplay ideas." Miki explained.

"Seriously?" Leaping forward, Mei blinked in surprise as she swept the blonde up and down. "I was expecting you to be some sort of hostess for their club if anything. So you like to design too?" She gasped in awe, joy and excitement began to fill within her chest from meeting a fellow designer.

"Yes! I love to!" Miki immediately nodded, opening the flood of conversation between them as they continued to talk endlessly about their experiences respectively in the worlds of fashion and production design.

A little while later into the night, both Hikaru and Tamaki returned to the ballroom, though the latter seemed to be in a daze in confusion.

"Oh, they're back!" Honey waved, spotting the two enter the room. "Where have you been for so long?" He asked.

"Hikaru, you shouldn't run off when you're the host. More importantly, I'm your guest, so don't make me help out." Kyoya scolded, crossing his arms before his chest.

"Ah, sorry, sorry!" Hikaru waved his hands with an apologetic laugh. "It was because Milord wanted to go to the bathroom, but he got lost along the way!" He said, causing Tamaki to snap out of his dazed trance.

"What?! You liar! " He accused, grabbing onto Hikaru by the collar. "How would I get lost in a place like this? I'm not a little kid! How could you say something so embarrassing in front of everyone?!" He shouted.

"Okay, okay. I'll leave it at that!" With an aloof expression, Hikaru spoke nonchalantly. "Nothing like 'he was lost for so long that he went his pants,' or 'he wet his pants, so that's why he was frantically searching for the bathroom.'" He elaborated with a mischievous grin.

"I DID NOT WET MY PANTS!" Tamaki's tone quickly grew defensive. "And just to be clear, I have never once wet myself in my whole life! I'm a gentleman, understand?" Flailing his arms in the air, he attempted to justify. "Well, maybe when I was little I might have had a 'happy squirt' once or twice, but-"

"Hmm? You've had a 'happy squirt' before, milord?" Kaoru teased, covering his mouth as he tried to stifle a laugh. "How unseemly..." He cooed.

"Shut up!" With reddened cheeks, Tamaki shrieked. "It was all part of my father's scheme to impress upon a fair youth fundamental toilet-"

"Milord, Milord, calm down!" Hikaru waved his hands as if signalling for the blond to relax. "See you're making a scene, talking about your potty training, no less." He gestured to the side, bringing Tamaki's attention towards the rest of the party who had been listening in on this entire bickering session.

"Kyoya-kun, what's a 'happy squirt'?" Tugging lightly on the hem of Kyoya's jacket, Miki gazed up curiously.

"No comment."

"Happy squirt...?" Haruhi repeated, blinked a few times as if processing Tamaki's words.

Realizing what he had just said in front of Haruhi as well as the rest of the guests present, Tamaki began to flail his arms in the air once again. "No!" He stuttered. "You've got it all wrong! I'm adored and esteemed! I'd never-"

"Such a vulgar topic..." Not even letting him finish his sentence, Haruhi turned away with a deadpanned expression. "I can't believe he'd talk about it in front of so many people." She muttered in disbelief. "That reminds me, in Paris, he-"

"Haruhi! I said you've got it all wrong!" Quickly shutting down what the brunette was about to say, Tamaki screeched. "That story about me in Paris was made up by Kyoya!" He explained.

"Oh?" Kyoya raised an eyebrow at his best friend. "Is this how you treat the person who was trying to help you cover for your unexplained absence on the Paris trip?" He questioned, sending the blond into his emo-corner, curled up like a pillbug and surrounding himself with a gloomy aura.

Honey laughed at the scene that played out. "Hey, hey! Why don't we all do our New Year's shrine visit together?" He suggested.

"Oh, great idea, we agree!" The twins sang in unison.

"You'll come too right, Haruhi?" Hikaru asked, patting the brunette on the back. "Everyone together?" He winked.

Staring at the boy with ash brown hair for a moment, Haruhi blinked before breaking into a bright smile. "Yeah! Let's go." She agreed.

Peeking up from his depressive corner, Tamaki felt his cheeks flush at the adorable smile Haruhi had on. "Wait! I want to come too!" He requested. "We can eat those freshly baked potatoes with butter they sell on temple grounds!"

"But the public bathrooms there will be crowded, don't tax yourself." Averting her eyes, Haruhi advised.

"No, you've got it wrong Haruhi!"

"Commoners make an offering of just 15 cents at the shrine, right?" The twins hummed, turning to Kyoya. "Why is that?" They asked.

"I believe it's based on how much they can actually afford." Kyoya theorized.

"A trip to the shrine, huh?" Clapping her hands together, Miki gazed up dreamily. "That sounds super exciting! Would you like to come too, Mei-san?" She glanced to the side, inviting the girl with bleached blonde hair.

"Sure, I'll go too." Mei nodded. "I can show you that bag I was talking about."

"Let's all go together!" Honey cheered.


	45. 40 New Years Wishes at the Temple!

_-Chapter 40-_

New Years Wishes at the Temple! 

"Arden! Arden! Look!" With her little hands firmly latched onto the window sill, a little girl with strawberry brown hair leaned out with an awestruck expression, gazing at the snowflakes that floated down from the sky. "It's snowing! You're right! It's like white petals dancing in the sky! It's so pretty!" She gasped as her eyes twinkled in the setting sun. "Can I grab one? Can I?"

"I would advise against that, milady." Wiping away her messy craft paint stains inside the room, the butler with chai brown hair chuckled lightly. "It's very dangerous to lean outside, to begin with. It'd be terrible if you fell." He reminded.

Sitting back down on her knees, the little girl pouted. "But I really want to touch a snowflake," She whined.

Hearing that wish of hers, Arden glanced up. The silhouette of a little girl with long strawberry brown hair, sitting in front of her window and gazing out at a world of falling snow that she could never touch. Leaving the stain to clean for later, he approached the child. "Please stand back, Milady," He warned, picking the girl up and gingerly setting her down on her bed.

"Huh?" Miki tilted her head, watching as Arden planted a hand against the window frame and leaned his body out. He extended his exposed hand beyond the protective roof and into the fluttering snow. "Arden, what are you doing?" She asked.

"Please be patient for a moment, alright?" Glancing over his shoulder, the butler winked mysteriously.

After what seemed to be a few long minutes, Arden finally retracted his hand that already had long gone numb from the combination of the chilling winds and the frigid snow. He brought it into the light of the room, presenting it to Miki waited patiently on her bed. "Here you go, Milady." He said, opening his hand to reveal a thin layer of snow spread across his palms. The skin had turned red, almost border lining purple as the blood rushed to his hands in an attempt to warm them up. However, there wasn't a hint of pain on his face, only a gentle smile.

In the light of dusk, the child's bright hazel eyes began to shimmer with excitement. Eagerly, she reached out to press her hand against Arden's, digging her hands into the thin layer and pressing her little heated palms against his. "Arden, you did it! I'm touching snow!" She cheered, petting the frosty snow as if it were a puppy.

"That's not all you can do. Try taking it with both hands, and press it into a ball." Arden instructed, watching tenderly as the little girl scraped the snow off of his frozen palms and squeezed it within her hands.

"It's a snowball!" As if she had discovered the biggest miracle in the world, Miki's eyes lit up with joy. "It's a snowball! Snowball! Snowball! Snowball! Snowball!" Arden hid his frozen hand behind his back, watching as his liege danced around the room, cradling the mini cluster of snow in her hands like it was the most precious jewel in the world. However, the sudden sound of a car engine caught both of their attention as they turned towards the window once again.

Through the thick fog and past the flurrying white snow, the headlights of cars could be seen, flashing in the distance. The sound of the gates opening could be heard as well as the lively chatter of people. Miki hummed, making her way to the window. "It's people..." She muttered as an excited grin surfaced on her face. "Look, Arden, there are people-"

Her voice came to a halt; however when she saw the butler lean forward. He grabbed the handle of her window and pulled it inward, closing the only access she had to the outside world much earlier than expected.

"Huh?" Miki blinked a little. The snow in her palms has long melted, even more so as the only access to cool air had been cut off by the closed window. "Arden? Why did you do that?" She tilted her head, watching as he secured the lock on the window. "We haven't even had dinner yet; why are you closing the windows already?" She protested, voice growing anxious and desperate.

"I..." Arden's eyes turned to a downcast; his hands lingered on the lockout of the sheer guilt that plagued him. "Today, the Suoh mansion will be holding it's New Year's Celebration... Many people will be attending, and I... I have been given strict instructions to close the windows once people begin to arrive." He revealed, lowering his head solemnly. "I apologize, milady..."

"Why?" Miki questioned, seeming a little dejected.

"Because..." Arden averted his eyes, trying to decide if he was going to sugarcoat the truth. "Because Mistress Shizue does not wish for you to be spotted by the oncoming crowd of guests." Ultimately deciding to be frank with the five-year-old, Arden explained.

"Oh..." Being told the truth, the child's bright hazel eyes turned dull as she gazed down at her bare feet. "But... Will papa come and visit me today?" She murmured under her breath.

"Pardon?" Arden blinked, crouching down to get on eye-level with the girl.

"Will papa come and visit me today?" She said, a little louder this time as she peered up innocently at Arden. "It's a New Year's Party, right? That means he'll be in the house, right?" With each question, her eyes became more and more hopeful. "So that means he'll come visit, right? To spend new year's with me?" She asked.

"First of all milady, remember to address him as 'father'" Chuckling awkwardly, Arden reminded. He swallowed hard at the lump that formed in his throat, voice choking up slightly. "I..." He's always hated these moments when he had to be the one to break her hopeful spirits. However, he fully understood that if he allowed the expectation to continuously build, the crushing defeat of reality would crash down much harder than necessary upon her. "I'm afraid not, milady." He replied, instead opting to allow her to understand her circumstances fully. "I don't believe Master Yuzuru would be visiting you tonight. I'm sorry." He lowered his head in a deep bow.

The little girl with strawberry brown hair stared blankly at the bowing figure of the boy almost three times her age. She bit her bottom lip, hiding her eyes behind the shadow of her bangs for a few moments as she clenched her fist. But then, she lifted her chin and gave the butler a sweet smile. "I see," She nodded in understanding. Rekindling her lively spirit, she held her hands in fists before her in an energetic pose. "Father is busy after all, but I'm sure he'll be here soon to wish me a Happy New Year's!"

Arden's emerald eyes rounded slightly before crinkling in a mixture of pity and affection. "Yes, I'm sure of it milady." He agreed.

"Alright then," Puffing out her cheeks, the little girl sucked in a deep breath. "Just because father isn't here, that doesn't mean we can't celebrate New Year's ourselves!" Grinning, she threw her little fist up into the air. "Bring out the chocolate and cake, Arden! Let's throw our own party!" She cheered.

"Yay." Arden followed, lifting his fist in the air in compliance. "But remember milady, you must eat dinner first. And too much chocolate could rot your teeth." He reminded diligently.

"There you go, Miss Miki." With a huff, Suzuno tugged on the obi, securing a bow behind Miki's patterned kimono. "And you are now ready." She chimed, stepping away as Miki twirled around one last time, quickly checking out her outfit in all three of the full-length mirrors in her walk-in closet.

"Hmm..." Standing in front of the mirror, Miki stared at her reflection. She touched her chin and took a glance at herself from different angles. She looked more and more like her mother from the picture as days flew by. The nose, the long curves in her eyelashes, and the natural pink tint in her lips. The only real differences were her sparkling hazel eyes that seemed to resembled two topazes, and the silky strawberry brown hair that flowed down like the ocean's wave. She was also growing up to have a beautiful bodyline, and her skin had a naturally healthy glow even without any products on.

Truly, the blessings of the people born with a golden spoon in their mouth.

"Suzuno, am I pretty?" Peering up at the maid with platinum blonde hair through the mirror, Miki asked.

"Of course, you're the most beautiful person in the world," Suzuno responded with a reaction time of 0.1 seconds. "Would you like me to begin on your hair?" She offered, holding up her hairbrush in delight.

Smiling happily, Miki nodded as she took a seat down at the vanity in her closet. Allowing her legs to swing around beneath her, she began to hum the theme song to _Crime? Crime Drama_ as she indulged in the soft sensation as Suzuno began to arrange her hair.

"Miss Miki, you seemed to be in quite a good mood for today's gathering." Suzuno chuckled, patiently running her brush through Miki's long hair.

"Of course I am," Miki beamed. "I've always wanted to visit a proper temple. So this is super exciting for me!" She clapped her hands together in excitement, trying to keep her head as still as possible for the maid.

"I see, then I'm sure you will have a wonderful time with your friends today." Suzuno smiled back as she grabbed an elastic band from the vanity. "However, I've also found that you've been paying much more attention to you're appearance." She pointed out with a teasing grin.

"What makes you say that?" Miki tilted her head, her face turning into a neutral expression.

"When you first arrived in the Second Mansion, you'd do your hair the same way and wear the same chiffon dresses every day." As she worked away diligently on her hair, Suzuno mentioned. "However, you now seem to call on my assistance for your hair and outfits often. May I assume that a boy has something to do with this?" She asked with a light laugh.

Miki jolted slightly as an image of Kyoya flashed across her mind. She blinked a few times. "What does a boy have anything to do with my appearance?" She questioned.

"Oh my, are you being shy? How cute." Suzuno cooed, rushing to one of the shelves to pick out an accessory to match with Miki's kimono. "When you're in love with someone, you'd always try to look your best in front of them." She explained, skimming through the boxes. "You know, that includes stepping up your hair, makeup, perfume, outfits." She listed off, sliding out a white box from the shelf and brought it over.

Miki's eyes flickered to a downcast as she rested a hand to her chin. She hummed thoughtfully while Suzuno began to slide in the Japanese styled accessory into her hair, securing it with a few pins before backing away with an accomplished smile. "All done!" She chirped, cupping her hands together dotingly. She then glanced up at the clock before gasping. "Oh dear, you should be ready to go now." She suggested.

Following her gaze, Miki peered up at the clock.

9:45 a.m.

"Oh! I really should!" Jumping up to her feet, Miki quickly rushed out of her bedroom after thanking Suzuno and gathering her things. Pacing across the hallway, she peeked into Tamaki's room, spotting him staring idly at one of the many service industry books Yuzuru has given him as an assignment.

"Tamaki-kun? Are you ready to go yet?" Miki asked, gingerly stepping into the room as Antoinette began to run circles around as if greeting the girl.

Spotting his sister dressed up in a traditional kimono, Tamaki blinked a few times before jolting up. "Wait! What's the time?" He shrieked, grabbing the nearby calendar clock. "It's January 4th?! Hold on; I need to go put on a jacket!" Throwing the books aside, Tamaki jumped up and bolted into his closet.

Bending down to pet Antoinette, Miki glanced over her shoulder at Tamaki's panicking figure. "Is everything alright, Tamaki-kun?" She inquired, watching as the blond froze up for a moment.

"W-What?!" Whipping his head around, Tamaki stammered. "Nothing!" He attempted to reassure. "I-It's nothing-"

"It's about what Hikaru said, isn't it?" Miki spoke bluntly, hitting the bullseye on Tamaki's worries.

"He keeps saying stuff like 'We're not a family' and how 'Our bonds won't break,'" Fixing the collar of his jacket, Tamaki began to explain sheepishly before flailing his arms around like a child. "Why does he keep going on about families?! Ahhh! I don't get it!" He complained, crying comical tears.

Miki studied Tamaki's panicked expression before averting her eyes for a moment. After some contemplating, she decided to help her brother out just a little, the same way Arden had helped her. "Tamaki-kun, can I ask you a question?" She stood up from the crouching position, turning her body slightly to face him fully.

"Yeah, of course."

"You see me as family right?" Miki reminded, approaching him.

"Of course, I do! You're my little sister!" Tamaki was quick to answer.

"Then," Miki halted a few steps away from the blond, leaning in slightly as she held her hands behind her back. "Then do you see me, the same way as you see Haruhi?" She questioned, causing Tamaki to cock his head to the side with a dumbfounded expression. "If Haruhi is your daughter, you should love her in the same, familial way as you love me, right?" Miki pointed out as she straightened her posture, taking a step back. "Well, do you?" She urged.

Tamaki stared up, flabbergasted on what to say next. However, before he could come up with anything, there was a faint knock outside followed by Suzuno's soft voice.

"Excuse me, Master Tamaki, Miss Miki. It's time to go. " The maid reminded as she glanced around the empty room for the two siblings. "I've already arranged for Koganei-san to be waiting with the car." She said.

"Ahhh!" Rushing out of his closet with Miki following behind, Tamaki flailed his arms around as he snatched up his clock again. Letting out another loud shriek, he grabbed Miki's arm and began bolting down the hall, dragging her around like a rag doll. Leaving Suzuno who waved a cheerful 'have a nice day,' to the two. "Sorry Miki, but we'll need to put that conversation off for later! We're late!" He yelped, mentally letting out a sigh of relief from escaping that awkward conversation.

"Ah... Okay..." Miki blinked, complying.

"Koganei-san!"

"Here, sir! Where to?"

"To Asakusa! We're meeting at Kaminarimon!"

At the Kaminarimon, the hosts along with Mei have already gathered, waiting for the two. Other than Honey, Mori, Miki and Mei who wore traditional Japanese kimonos, the rest were all dressed in casual winter clothes. "You're both late!" The twins scolded.

"Tama-chan! Miki-chan! Happy New Year!" Honey waved, sitting on his cousin's shoulders.

"Happy New Year everyone!" Miki greeted with an energetic smile.

Spotting Tamaki, a faint blush of pink quickly surfaced on Haruhi's cheeks. "H-Happy New Year..." She lowered her head in a small bow.

"Happy New Year..." Tamaki replied, trying to calm his palpitating heart. "Did you eat mochi for new year's?" He asked.

"Y-Yes..." Lowering her gaze, Haruhi nodded.

"How many?"

"S-Since New Year's day, eight total, I guess..."

"Eight?! So many..."

Seeing the duo's awkward attempt at conversing, Hikaru butt in as he popped up behind them. "Time is a-wasting." He sang with a deadpanned expression. "We're in the way of other folks visiting, so let's walk while we talk." He suggested.

"Honey-senpai, Mori-senpai. Were you with your relatives for New Year's?" Finding her usual spot next to Kyoya, Miki glanced over her shoulder as she asked her two upperclassmen.

"Yeah!" Honey nodded enthusiastically. "We played all sorts of games with our cousins! We had fun, didn't we Takashi?" He giggled.

"Yeah..." Mori hummed.

"What did you guys do, Miki-chan?" The lolita tilted his head, resting his chin on Mori's shoulder.

"The Second Mansion had a Sugoroku tournament then a Hanetsuki tournament." Tapping a finger to her chin, Miki explained cheerfully. "Father also came by whenever he had a break in his schedule to play with us." She beamed, holding her hands before her.

"That sounds super fun!"

"Who won?" Kyoya inquired.

"Shima-san did, I was eliminated by her in the first round." Miki chuckled wryly at the memory of going up against the old woman.

Behind them, the first years were in the midst of a conversation of their own. "Hey, how come you're not wearing a kimono, Haruhi?" The twins asked in unison.

"See?! I told you I'd make something nice for you to wear." Mei fussed, readjusting the obi on her kimono. "You can be so boring sometimes." She complained.

"But it's hard to walk in a kimono..." Haruhi reasoned, browns drawing closer slightly. "Just wearing a yukata at the summer festival was uncomfortable."

"Mei, that bag looks like one of those bean bags from bean bag toss." Kaoru sweatdropped, remembering her grand introduction during the sports festival almost two months ago.

"Nice repurpose, huh?" Holding up the bag, Mei puffed out her chest proudly.

Standing behind the group, Tamaki looked on in a slight daze. Feeling way too overwhelmed with the events recently, he found it a little difficult to join in on the conversations. His pounding heart and reddened cheeks certainly weren't helping.

Noticing the blond's stiff behaviour, Hikaru glanced over his shoulder as an idea popped into his mind. "Hey milord, it's been a while - want to play a game?" Leaning over, he whispered with a mischievous grin as Haruhi and Mei continued to make their way through the thunder gates. "These shops are selling all kinds of knick-knacks. So let's use that and make this the 'Whoever finds the item Haruhi likes best within Asakusa's Nakamise Dori wins' game!" He proposed.

"Uh... I don't..." Tamaki jumped back, still feeling a little awkward about conversing with Hikaru.

"Oh? Don't think you can win?" With a snicker, Hikaru prompted. "Even though you're a 'father' to her?" He pointed out, watching in amusement as Tamaki flinched.

"Y-You're the one who said we aren't a family." Averting his eyes, Tamaki muttered.

"That's right, isn't it? A fake father then." Hikaru sneered, sticking his tongue out at the blond who began to get riled up. "Well I, at least have no intention of losing. I love Haruhi." He declared, patting his chest in confidence.

"If you're talking about love, I'm full of love too! Love is my middle name!" Tamaki retorted.

"Hm? If we aren't family, then just what kind of love do you mean?" Raising an eyebrow, Hikaru proceeded to provoke Tamaki, rendering him speechless.

At this point, the rest of the hosts par Haruhi and Mei, have decided to hone into the conversation and invite themselves into the game. "This sounds fun! Maybe we should play too!" Hopping off of Mori's back, Honey skipped over.

"Count me in; it's been a while after all." Kaoru grinned.

"Me too, me too!" Jumping up and down like a child, Miki raised her hand. "This is also a great chance to explore while we're at it!"

"If we're all playing, we'd better set some ground rules," Kyoya smirked as he smugly pulled out a 1,000 yen bill ($10) clipped between his index and middle finger. "We'll use a budget appropriate for commoners - nothing over 1,000 yen, agreed? The time limit is two hours. Once you've finished your shopping, meet back here. The winner will get to pick the theme of our first host club event in the new year and earn the right to a packed lunch exchange with Haruhi." He arranged as the participants listened in intently.

"Agreed!" Everyone cheered, spinning on their heels and bolting off towards different directions.

"Where's everyone going, holding 1,000 yen bills too?" Mei stood dumbfoundedly as she watched the hosts vanish in the busy crowds. Suddenly, she felt a hand grab her wrist, and she was pulled away from the brunette. "Huh?!" She shrieked loudly as the twins began to drag her into the sea of people.

"Right! Mei, you come with us as an advisor!" Hikaru grinned. "Haruhi, go eat some anmitsu or something to kill time, okay?"

"Mei? Hikaru? Kaoru? Where is everyone going?" Haruhi reached out in an attempt to stop them. However, before she could say much, even their shadows became lost in the oncoming visitors to the temples. Slumping over, she sighed. "Were there any shops selling dango? Guess I'll go get some..." She murmured to herself.

"Hey Mei, does Haruhi like fried Maju?" Kaoru asked over his shoulder.

"I've never heard her say she doesn't like it." Tapping her chin lightly, Mei replied. "And yesterday she kept saying she didn't have an appetite, but she still ate two of them." She sighed, shrugging indifferently.

"Hmm... In that case, shall we try something else?" Kaoru hummed as he bought a sample from the stand. "Here, do a taste test." He requested, stuffing Manju into her hand.

"Haruhi said she didn't have an appetite..." Eyes averting to the ground, Hikaru mumbled in concern.

"Oh yeah, you probably had something to do with that, Hikaru," Mei said bluntly as she took a bite out of the Japanese snack in her hands. "Well, just leave it alone. It was weird so see Haruhi so worried about something, but maidens in love are like that. That's how they figure everything out, I've heard." Suddenly realizing what she was saying, Mei jumped back in shock. "But when I say 'in love,' I didn't mean it was about you, Hikaru!" She waved her hands in an attempt to clear things up. "Sorry, I forgot you just got rejected! Here, eat some fried Manju to feel better!" She offered.

"No thanks, I'm fine..." Tired from the unintentional blows Mei has struck towards his broken heart, Hikaru grumbled, mentally wondering why all the girls around him were so blunt. "So Haruhi told you about rejecting me?" His shoulders slumped in slight defeat.

"Ahh, well I could tell what happened just by looking at her," Mei said as her eyes flickered up. "But I got all the details from Honey-san later when he called me."

"I heard it from the information network." Rounding the corner with Mori and catching the latter part of the conversation, Honey admitted.

"The information network?!" Hikaru sweatdropped, a little fearful in knowing what that could mean.

"Actually, it was part of our game of telephone." Appearing behind them along with Miki, Kyoya acknowledged casually.

"Your game of telephone?!" Hikaru repeated in disbelief. "You used my love rejection story for that?! As a message?!" He accused.

"Mhm! Just so you know, the game goes from Kaoru to me, me to Kyoya-kun, Kyoya-kun to Mori-senpai, Mori-senpai to Honey-senpai, and finally Honey-senpai to Mei." Lifting an all-knowing finger, Miki explained.

"Kaoru!" Realizing the culprit of the situation, Hikaru grumbled as the veins on his forehead began to pop.

"Well, you confessed your love so gallantly and then went and announced it to everyone." Kaoru reasoned as he began to munch on his Manju aloofly. "So I thought they'd want to hear the results as well. It's not like I'm bitter you didn't even consult with me first or anything like that..." He commented passive-aggressively.

Scratching the back of his head in slight embarrassment, Hikaru heaved a small sigh. "Well, what's done is done." He said before throwing up a peace sign to the rest of the hosts. "And I'm not giving up. The real fight can't start until Milord realizes his feelings anyways!" He grinned proudly.

"So magnanimous!" Honey gleamed, impressed by how much Hikaru seemed to have grown in the past month. "That's why you're provoking Tama-chan!" He complimented.

"Hikaru, you're so cool!" Kaoru said, throwing his arms up into the air.

"Hurray! Hurray! Hikaru!" Miki cheered, copying Kaoru.

"A man among men!" Mei clapped.

"But of course, my generosity knows no limit! My heart is as deep as the universe!" Resting his hands on his hips, Hikaru laughed as he basked in the applause for himself. Then, he threw a fist into the air as a flame of passion began to burn in his eyes. "From here on, by the word 'manly,' there will always be 'Hikaru'!" He declared.

"Yay!" The group cheered.

"Then 'manly Hika-chan,' I want to go for a ride in a rickshaw! Will you pull me?" Honey requested with a small giggle.

"Um, I didn't mean 'manly' in a muscleman sort of way..." Hikaru sweatdropped.

"Hey 'manly Hikaru,' buy this for me! And these earrings too!" Mei proceeded to continue the joke, teasing the boy slightly.

"Buy it yourself!" Hikaru shouted.

As the group scattered, going back to looking for what Haruhi liked best, Miki turned to Kyoya with a ready smile. "Well then, shall we continue our search for something Haruhi would like?" She suggested, tilting her head to the side.

Kyoya raised an eyebrow at her. "Were you seriously planning on participating that trivial contest?" He questioned.

"Of course!" Holding her hands in fists, Miki nodded earnestly. "If I win, not only do I get to design my own _Crime? Crime Drama_ themed club event, and I also get to try Haruhi's home cooking again." She stated.

Kyoya studied her serious expression for a moment before closing his eyes and letting out an exasperated sigh. Then without warning, he reached out and grabbed her wrist, gently tugging her in the direction towards the temples.

"Eh? Where are we going?" Miki blinked, looking down blankly at his hand that wrapped firmly around her wrist.

"We came for a shrine visit." Kyoya reminded. "Rather than competing in such a trivial contest, wouldn't you prefer to explore Kaminarimon instead?"

Hearing those words, Miki's eyes flickered up. She stared at his backside as he glanced over his shoulder.

As their gazes met, Kyoya gave her a smug smirk. "We don't have much time." He said.

Feeling a joyful fluttering stem from within her chest, Miki's lips curled into a beaming smile. "Okay!" She sounded, her clear voice ringing through the winter air like a bell.

Kyoya watched as Miki stretched up, ringing the New Year's bell with a child-like smile before throwing a few coins in the offertory box. Then, she stepped back and pressed her hands together, offering a small prayer. After a few moments, her eyes fluttered open with a sense of satisfaction. She glanced over, noticing Kyoya's gaze fixated on her. "Kyoya-kun, are you not going to make a wish?" Cocking her head to the side, she asked as if it were the refusal to participate in the New Year's prayer was the most absurd idea ever.

Realizing that he had been caught staring, Kyoya quickly averted his eyes. "I don't see the point in partaking in such activities-" However before he could even finish his sentence, he felt a light tug on his arm as Miki pulled him towards the offertory box.

"You can't be like that, Kyoya-kun." With a small pout, Miki protested. She reached forward, gently unfolding his crossed arms and guiding them toward the bell. "Come on; make a wish." She urged, backing away and gazing at him with sparkling eyes.

Kyoya felt his eyebrow twitch. Knowing that he had no way of resisting that expecting gaze, he drew a long sigh. Loosely ringing the bell, he went through the usual motions of a temple prayer, inwardly wondering when was the last time he had done something like this.

Next, the two of them visited the fortune-telling station to draw an omikuji.

"So you shake this and pull out a number right?" Toying with a small barrel filled with numbered sticks, Miki hummed.

"Yes," Kyoya affirmed, straightening the barrel to prevent her from spilling out all the sticks. "Then, you pick out the sheet with the corresponding number from the shelf. Remember to offer 5 yen." He reminded, picking up his own barrel, knowing that he was going to be guilted into participate either way.

Nodding in understanding, Miki followed his instructions. "Number 12," She read out loud. "What about you Kyoya-kun?" Leaning over, she peeked at his number curiously.

"Number 61," Kyoya said, glancing up to search for his number. Pulling out the sheet of paper from it's designated compartment, he peered down. "Daikichi, excellent luck... huh." He muttered, skimming through the subcategories. Excellent in work, Excellent in school, Excellent in love...

"Wow! That's amazing!" Miki gasped in awe, eagerly turning her attention to the shelf, searching for the number 12 slot. "Ah! Here it is!" Standing on her toes, she took a sheet of her fortune. "Kyo, terrible luck." She announced, blinking a few times.

Kyoya's eyes darted over at her announcement, checking the sheet of paper in case she made a mistake. Readjusting his glasses on his nose bridge, he sighed. "Miki, these fortune things aren't-"

"Pfff, hehe! I got Kyo!" While initially trying to stifle it, Miki broke into a fit of laughter, cutting off and surprising Kyoya. "But look here," She pointed at advice column of her fortune with a twinkling smile. "Even though it says Kyo, it also states that with a little hard work I can surely turn my luck around. At least it's not the worst luck, right?" She pointed out, taking one last look at the fortune. "I'll go tie this up at the wooden rack over there, wait for me outside at the Koi pond, alright?" She said before jogging off, making her way towards the bamboo racks where many others tied up their bad fortunes as a custom of 'leaving the bad luck behind.'

"Miki?" Not knowing what to say for once, Kyoya reached out to her back. He watched in slight awe as she spun on the ball of her foot, her long strawberry brown hair trailing behind her in a flowing movement as if it were a wedding veil.

"Hm?" She cocked her head to the side, wondering what could he be calling to her for. After a moment of thinking, she concluded that he must've been worried about her bad fortune. "Don't worry about me, Kyoya-kun." She reassured, striking a small power pose. "I'm not worried about this bad luck at all." She reassured giddily before turning back on her heel and dashing towards the bamboo racks.

Kyoya couldn't help but smirk a little as he kept his gaze fixed on her the entire time. "Why would I be worried about someone like you?" He muttered to himself.

"Look! That one just took another piece!" Leaning on the railings of the bridge above the koi fish pond, Kyoya watched as Miki continued to gasp in awe every time the fish took a piece of the pellets she poured down. "They're so cute." She giggled, scooping up another spoonful from the wooden box of fish feed and tossing it into the pond.

"Be careful not to fall over," He reminded, peering down at her feet that were practically on the tips of her toes, trying to make up for her short stature. She looked as if the wind were to blow any harder; she'd tumble over and fall into the pond.

Feeling a sense of déjà vu at those words, Miki turned her head, watching Kyoya for a few moments.

"What?" Kyoya raised an eyebrow.

Snapping out of her awkward stare, Miki gently shook her head before breaking into a small smile. "It's nothing," She giggled. "It's just that Arden used to say something similar to me, whenever I'd lean out the window of my room." As her eyes flickered up, she began to reminisce on those days.

Watching her go back to fish feeding, Kyoya's eyes shifted to a downcast. "What were New Year's like for you back then?" He asked gingerly.

"New Year's back then?" Miki repeated as she absently dug up the last of the pellets in her wooden box. "The windows would be shut early, and Arden and I would hold our own party in my room. Father would always be too busy to visit, but he'd always come two or three months later to wish me a Happy belated New Year's- Ah, that's right!" Her posture suddenly straightened and her distant voice became filled with energy once again. She stacked her wooden box back onto its designated pile and began to clap her hands together, dusting them off. "Wait just a moment." She instructed, rushing past him and hopping down the bridge. Twirling around on the ball of her foot, she cleared her throat before delivering a sincere bow. "Happy New Year's, Kyoya-kun. Please take care of me again this year, alright?" Lifting her head and tilting it to the side, she gave a sweet, close-eyed smile.

Huffing out a chuckle, Kyoya's expression grew soft. "Happy New Year's to you too, Miki." He replied, walking down the bridge and giving her a gentle pat on the head, being careful not to mess up her hairstyle. "If you're done with the temple, let's head back to Nakamise Dori. It should be our designated meeting time soon." He suggested, checking his phone for the time.

"Okay, let's go then." Nodding in agreement, Miki intuitively grabbed Kyoya's hand only for him to jolt in shock, slapping it away out of reflexes. "Huh?" Retracting her hand, Miki blinked, darting her gaze between her empty palm and Kyoya. "Can I not do that?" She cocked her head as her rounded hazel eyes brimmed with confusion at his fickle display.

In the face of her seemingly innocent question, Kyoya peered down at the tips of his fingers where her warmth continued to linger. While he has held her wrist and dragged her around before, she's never taken the initiative to grasp his hand. Like everything she did, that act must've surprised him so much that he instinctively responded by becoming defensive and slapping it away. Feeling slightly guilty about his actions, Kyoya, in turn, took her hand and interlocked their fingers as he began to walk. "Do what you want." He muttered, averting his eyes as not to let her see the slightly heated flush that surfaced on his cheeks.

"Huh? Haruhi has been kidnapped?!" Two hours later, the hosts and Mei gathered at the entrance of the marketplace with their winning prizes in hand. Hikaru held a bag of dangos, Kaoru had a bag of rice crackers while Honey and Mori presented a plate of takoyaki. However, instead of Haruhi, they were met with a panicked looking Tamaki.

"That's right!" Breathing heavily as if he had just run a marathon, the blond affirmed.

"Wait, what's going on, milord?!" Grabbing his collar, Hikaru yelled.

"I have no idea!"

"Who took her?! Did you see the person's face?" Miki pursued as she covered her lips in worry.

"I don't know! But she's not picking up her phone no matter how many times I call!" Flailing his arms around, Tamaki swiftly pushed Hikaru away. "And the definitive piece of evidence is that I found the fancy tuna ring I just gave her lying on the ground!" He said with a certain tone as he lifted a plastic fancy tuna ring with his thumb and index fingers.

.

.

.

"Would you kindly refrain from needlessly shortening our life spans with unnecessary shocks to our systems so early in the new year?!" With veins popping on his forehead, Hikaru lifted his foot, seeming like he was about to trample the blond out of sheer frustration. "What is this? An appeal to be the town idiot this year too?!" He scowled. "Mind if I kick you? Not that your answer would stop me either way."

Scurrying away from Hikaru's foot of doom, Tamaki shrieked. "Fool! I am serious! After careful consideration, I have arrived at three possible explanations as to why the fancy tuna ring was found lying on the road! One, Haruhi loved the fancy tuna ring so much that she turned into one herself. Two, Haruhi loved the fancy tuna ring song much that she left it on the road to enable the entire world to bask in its radiance. Or three, Haruhi was kidnapped!" He declared as his face turned paler with each proclamation, leaving those who had to put up with his idiocy in a deadpanned state. "There is no doubt in my mind that she was kidnapped! What should we do?!" He asked, fingers twitching in distress.

With half-lidded eyes, Kyoya readjusted the glasses on his nose. "Tamaki, it might be difficult for your stricken mind to grasp this, but I think your explanation is far-fetched." He said.

"The three possibilities you came up with kind of worries me too." Honey commented as he picked out one of the takoyaki from their box, munching on it with a sigh.

"Open your eyes, Tamaki." Mori scolded.

Choosing to ignore his antics completely, the twins instead shifted their focus to the fancy tuna ring, sweatdropping slightly. "I'm afraid of the answer, but this wouldn't be what milord chose as the item that Haruhi would like best, is it?" Hikaru asked in disbelief.

"But what Tamaki-kun proposed very much possible." On the other hand, Miki rubbed her chin in a detective-like manner. "In _Crime? Crime Drama_ , people, always leave or drop an item behind that serves as a clue to their status of being kidnapped." She explained with a serious glisten in her eye. "The fact that Tamaki-kun found the ring could be a sign that-"

"No, no, it's just milord being uncool." Kaoru shook his head, quickly shutting down the strawberry blonde's theory. "This is real life, Miki-senpai. Not a mystery drama." He reminded.

"The most logical explanation would be that she threw it away on her way to the bathroom," Mei added, staring at Tamaki with unimpressed eyes.

"Agh... Fine then! I'll search for her with Miki!" Seeing as they were going nowhere, Tamaki barred his teeth. "Hikaru, Kaoru, lend me your cellphones." He demanded. "I'll use your account to track Haruhi's phone and-"

"Actually, it won't work unless Haruhi answers her phone." The twins chimed in unison as they shrugged in an aloof manner.

Behind Tamaki, a woman with her brown hair tied into a shoulder-length ponytail and thin metal-framed glasses came bolting towards the group. "Fujioka was forced into a car and taken away!" She announced, stopping behind the blond as he leaned over to catch his breath.

"Kosaka-san?!" Tamaki snapped his head around, instantly recognizing the woman.

"I got the car's license plate number, and I've called the police as well, so they should be arriving soon." Not wasting any time on the dilly-dallies, Kosaka informed the group as she continued huff out long and heavy breaths.

"Huh? Then Haruhi really was..." The hosts' eyes widened, realizing that the situation might really be a kidnapping incident.

Remaining calm, Kyoya's eyes narrowed at the woman. "Tamaki, care to introduce us?" He inquired, glancing over at his best friend.

"Oh, this is a lawyer who works for my family." Tamaki gestured before turning back to the urgent matters. "Kosaka-san, which way did the car go?" He asked desperately.

"It got on the highway heading towards Minowa." Kosaka coughed a little, her hot breath colliding with the cold winds to create white huffs of air. "I chased after them, thinking I might be able to catch up while they were stopped at a light or something, but it was no use. And I only caught a glimpse, but..." She furrowed her brows, tapping a finger to her chin thoughtfully. "But I thought I'd seen one of the kidnappers' face before. I think he was some kind of workman I've seen coming in and out of the Suoh hotel or theatre in the past." She revealed breathlessly, causing both Tamaki and Miki to stiffen up. The former, however, quickly made his move as he spun on his heel and dashed out the thunder gates.

"Tamaki-kun!"

"Milord!"

"Please wait! We should leave this to the police!" Kosaka advised, reaching a hand out in an attempted to stop him. However, before she could say anything more, Kyoya stepped in.

"Kosaka-san, why is a Suoh family lawyer here?" He questioned.

Glancing over as her breathing slowly became stable once again, Kosaka corrected her posture. "I came for a new year's shrine visit." She said, adjusting her handbag on her shoulder.

"All alone?" Kyoya raised an eyebrow.

"Yes." She affirmed as her gaze flickered to the ground. "It does seem an uncanny coincidence to run into you all here." She sighed.

"Is that so?" Pushing up his glasses on the bridge of his nose, Kyoya hummed.

He didn't buy what she was saying at all.

At the front of the Kaminarimon, Tamaki waved a trembling arm out. "Taxi!" He called, watching as the vehicle came screeching to a stop. Opening the door, he practically threw himself across backseat as he shouted frantically. "Take the highway towards Minowa! Hurry please!"

"And make a left at the next light!" Hikaru added, shoving Tamaki further inward to make more space.

"Hikaru...?!" Tamaki's eyes widened.

"Cell phone!" Hikaru reminded, throwing his phone up in his hands. Both of their faces were as pale as ghosts from the stress and anxiety from the situation. "How do you think you can save her without knowing where she is?!" He questioned.

"But you said unless Haruhi answered it..."

"That was under normal circumstances!" Frustrated by how many questions the blond was asking, Hikaru snapped. "This is an emergency. If I use my name, we should be able to get the phone company to track her!" He said, quickly dialling the number of the service department.

"Excuse me, sir. There are four of us, so please open the front passenger door too." Honey requested as he climbed into the backseat with the arguing duo.

"Honey-senpai... Mori-senpai..." Tamaki's voice cracked slightly as the panic that coursed through his body finally occurred to him.

Honey grinned. "You'll need us for muscle, right?" He pointed out. "Don't worry Tama-chan, Takashi and I will beat those criminals to a pulp." With his reassurance, Mori glanced over his shoulder, giving Tamaki a firm nod.

Shutting the car door, Miki nodded. "Go on without us," She instructed. "We'll be right behind you guys!" As the taxi driver started the car, her eyes flickered to Tamaki who stared back with a distressed gaze. "Be careful, please..." She held her hands to her chest, almost as if she were muttering a prayer.

With that the taxi was off, carrying Tamaki, Hikaru, Honey and Mori as the first batch to go rescue Haruhi. Inside, Tamaki's body stiffened as he attempted to calm the quaking of his hands. "Everyone... Thank you... " He whispered, pressing his forehead into the back of his hands as tears of worry threatened to fall.

Tailing behind the yellow cab, a black car carrying Kyoya, Miki, Kaoru and Mei screeched to a stop at a red traffic light. "Can't this car go any faster?!" Mei growled, seeming beyond frustrated.

"Mei-san, please calm down. Tachibana-san still needs to follow the traffic rules." Holding her phone that was on a consistent call with Tamaki and the others in the taxi ahead, Miki reached out, trying to comfort the distressed girl.

"What's the point of looking so big and bad if you're going to obey the speed limit?!" Swatting Miki's hand away, Mei pointed at Tachibana in the driver's seat. "Act like how you look!" She yelled.

"Mei, be reasonable. Once we get a lock on Haruhi's location, we'll be right behind them calm down." Trying to help calm down the high-strung girl, Kaoru comforted.

"What?! Be 'reasonable'?!" Snapping her head around, Mei repeated in disbelief. "We went from a Happy New Year's shrine visit to this sudden kidnapping plot twist! Who's being reasonable here?!" She shouted angrily, throwing her arms up in the air. "Look just so you all know, there's no way Ranka-san has got enough money to pay a ransom! Out of all you rich kids, why'd they grab her?!" She questioned.

At this point, having enough of her yelling and screaming, Tachibana glanced up into the rearview mirror. "Miss, please be quiet." He requested as the traffic lights turned green and he restarted the car.

"Mei, I'm sorry..." Grasping his hands tightly, Kaoru pressed his knuckle against his forehead in anguish. "I promise we'll get Haruhi back." He assured in a shaky voice.

Realizing that she wasn't the only one worried out of their minds, Mei's shoulders slumped as she slowly calmed down from her fit of rage.

"But Mei-san is right," Miki said, leaning forward to rest her hand on the passenger's seat where Kyoya was with his laptop. "I don't understand why they would take Haruhi of all people. She's just a normal civilian. She doesn't have the money to pay a ransom, neither should she have made any powerful enemies that result in being kidnapped in the first place." She pointed out anxiously.

"It's due to her associating with us," Kyoya replied as his fingers continued to type on his laptop, trying to pinpoint the identity of Haruhi's kidnappers. "Whether it's for money or due to personal grudges, our families are usually targetted." Then, he glanced over his shoulder to glare at Miki with sharp eyes. "You of all people should recognize this fact sooner rather than later, the blood that runs in your veins is nothing to scoff at." He said, causing Miki's eyes to widen. Turning his attention back to his laptop, his brows knitted close. "Although I'd plan for the eventuality of Haruhi being targetted for associating with us, it's apparent my preparations weren't adequate. This was an oversight on all our parts." He admitted, eyes dulling slightly.

As a small silence began to loom within the tense atmosphere, Miki peered down at her trembling hand. She's never given it much thought, but Kyoya wasn't wrong. Her bloodline wasn't one to be taken lightly in any way. From her father's side, there was the Suoh family. One of the most prominent in Japan, able to claim direct blood relations with the imperial families of the past and having its ancestry traced back to the legendary Genji clan. The Suoh family established themselves in the banking and money-lending industry during the Meiou era, later expanding in the education and service sectors to become industry leaders, earning a reputation throughout the world and contributing to about 10% of Japan's GDP. From her mother's side, there was the Fernández family. One of the most prominent in Spain, serving as the right hand of the Royal Family for generations, even being considered honorary members by the public prior to their fall from dukedom. The Fernández family led the International Trade Market since the beginning of establishment, starting from the late 19th Century, and has managed to single-handedly maintain stability in the diplomatic relations between Spain and many Asian countries. Miki blinked a little at the thought, balling her empty hand into a fist.

"Kyoya-senpai, found anything?" Kaoru asked urgently, standing up from his seat to take a peek at Kyoya's laptop screen.

"In a building about six miles ahead, there's a dry cleaning business that just had its contract cancelled with the Suoh group," Kyoya said, skimming through the articles on his laptop at a brisk pace. "Combined with the approximate GPS location of Haruhi's whereabouts, that must be the place." He deduced.

"Dry cleaning?" Kaoru raised an eyebrow.

"Yes, it seems they were a regular contractor for the Suoh group since the time of the previous director," Kyoya explained, spotting Miki's phone that was connected to Tamaki inch closer to him from the corner of his eye. "They're a small establishment, but their old-fashioned manual workmanship is apparently quite good. They handled most of the Suoh jobs for theatre, hotel, and other various businesses. However, when their last contract ended, their work began to be transferred to other contractors. Larger firms with more modern cleaning systems." He narrowed his eyes as he continued to read the articles gathered. "And, in keeping with the flow of the times, they were finally cut off from Suoh at the end of last year." He pronounced.

"That's what Kyoya-kun says..." Hesitantly pressing the phone back against her ear, Miki concluded.

There was a small silence before Tamaki finally spoke. "I see, alright." He breathed shakily, causing Miki's brows to furrow in worry.

"Tamaki-kun..." Her voice trailed off.

"Yes, I'll be careful," Tamaki reassured with an absent tone in his voice. "Tell Kyoya I say thanks." He murmured before ending the call.

Soon, the two cars pulled over on what seemed to be a ghost town. Despite there being an assortment of stores, due to it being New Year's, none of them were open for business. "Did you find her yet?" Mei questioned the other group as she tumbled out of the car.

"The signal of her phone got cut off!" Hikaru explained, scanning the shops along the sides of the street. "Where is the shop located?" He asked.

As the group quickly scattered and began searching for the targetted dry cleaners along the block, Miki glanced up and noticed an abnormal amount of pipelines trailing along the side of the buildings and entering one of the stores in particular. Instantly making the connection, Miki followed the direction in which the pipelines were extended towards, spotting a crimson overhead banner that read 'Hayashi Dry Cleaners,' closed down by metal shutters. "Over there!" She exclaimed, redirecting everyone's attention.

Instead of rushing over along with the rest of the group, Honey knelt on the ground. Then, without warning, he sprung into the air like a bunny and dove for the shutters."Usa-chan kick!" He shouted his move he smashed through metal, revealing Haruhi tied to a chair by what seemed like a flimsy bedsheet as well as three men, presumably her kidnappers.

"GAHHH!" The kidnappers shrieked at the sight of their door shattering like glass in the face of a wooden sandal and a lolita boy. "The shop door! He broke through the metal shutter?!" They yelped in disbelief, fearing for their lives as they caught a glimpse of the terrifying flash in Honey's eyes.

"Honey-senpai?!" Haruhi sweatdropped at the insanity that just took place.

"Haruhi!" Behind Honey, Tamaki had arrived, dashing through the broken shop door and into the dry cleaners, spotting the brunette tied to a chair.

"The Suoh's..." One of the kidnappers instantly recognized the blond, their original intended target.

"Get away from her." Glaring at the man, Tamaki grumbled. "Get away from Haruhi right now!" He demanded.

"Ah! Tamaki-senpai!" Seeing how angry he was, Haruhi hurried to ease the situation. "Please hold on a second! These people have their own reasons! They didn't do anything bad to me. Look, even the sheet they used to tie me is pretty loose." She explained as she attempted to wiggle her way out of the makeshift rope that bounded her, only to discover that she couldn't. "Eh?" She sounded, trying a little harder only to have one of the kidnappers untie her. "Oh, thank you." She smiled as she stood up and waved her hands, showing Tamaki that she was fine. "There! So you see, they're not bad people-" Before she could finish her sentence, however, Tamaki lunged forward and pulled her into his chest.

"Haruhi... I'm sorry." He muttered, resting a hand against the back of her head as the trembling of his body finally began to calm. "It's my fault you were put in a scary situation. I'm so sorry..."

As the adrenaline of the situation finally began to calm in her system, Haruhi felt her eyes begin to water as she wrapped an arm loosely around Tamaki's back.

"Haruhi!" Miki and Kaoru arrived at the scene, spotting the pair in an embrace.

"Thank goodness, Haruhi is okay..." Kaoru let out a sigh of relief, only to see his twin stomp over in a rage of jealousy, peeling the blond away from her.

"Haruhi, are you okay?" Shoving Tamaki to the side, he grabbed her shoulders in worry. "Are you hurt?!" He asked gallantly.

"No! No, I'm fine." Haruhi reassured.

Feeling a sense of relief practically overwhelm the previously lingering anxiety, Miki couldn't help but chuckle. However, her bright smile almost immediately vanished when she noticed the three men that clustered together in the corner of the shop, completely intimidated by Honey, Mori and even Mei. She tensed up as one of the kidnappers made eye contact with her, sending a chilling shiver down her spine. Instinctively clutching on Kyoya's arm, she shifted herself behind him like a frightened child, scrunching the fabric of his jacket in her palms. Tamaki seemed to have noticed them as well, as he turned to glower at them. "I can't overlook what you've done here." He warned sternly. "But if you believe you've been dealt with unfairly by our company, I'll talk to my father about it later. Hopefully, we'll be able to find some way to help." Then, he narrowed his sapphire eyes as his shadow loomed over the three men. "But you have to promise me that from now on if you have some complaint, you'll come and talk to me directly." He informed.

Heaving a sigh, the older man of the three who one could only assume was Hayashi, going by the name of the shop, raised his hands as a symbol of surrender. "It's a promise, Suoh." He reassured. "But don't worry about our business, even if I lose this one I'll start again from scratch. With these two big idiots to help me." He said, gesturing the two men behind him.

"Boss...!" They cried happily.

"Pardon me for interrupting such a touching moment," Stepping through the hole in the metal shutters, Kosaka suddenly appeared with her arms crossed over her chest. "I've heard most of what's happened. Haruhi," She turned to the brunette. "Do you intend to press charges against these people?"

"No! Not at all." Haruhi quickly waved her hands.

Raising an eyebrow, Kosaka narrowed her eyes at the girl. "But they've committed a serious crime, do you understand?" She questioned.

"We'll do as Haruhi wants," Tamaki stated simply.

"Very well, I'll call off the police then." Letting her eyes fall closed for a moment, she said calmly. "Also, Hayashi-san." She then turned to the man. "If you'd like I can introduce you to a lawyer friend of mine who can help you plan your business restructuring." She offered, causing Hayashi's eyes to widen. His shoulder's slumped in relief as his two employees began to cry out of the joy of resurrecting their beloved company.

Seeing as the situation was mostly resolved, Kyoya was about to turn and leave when the grip on his arm suddenly tightened. "...why?" He heard Miki muttered.

"Hm?" He glanced over, raising an eyebrow when he spotted the dumbfounded expression on her face.

"I still don't understand why people like them try to kidnap us in the first place." She admitted, staring straight ahead at the kidnappers with an unmoving gaze.

Browns furrowing slightly at her ever-present naivety, Kyoya grumbled as he readjusted his glasses with his free hand. "As I said, it's due to personal grudges-"

"But those personal grudges are aimed towards our parents, are they not?" Before Kyoya could even finish his sentence, she cut him off bluntly. He peered down at her with half-lidded eyes, noticing how her fingers began to twitch from how hard she was grasping his arm. "Why are we the ones who must go through scary situations, in the name of our parents?" She bit her bottom lip. "Why are we the ones that must repent for our parents' mistakes?"

Without saying another word, Kyoya averted his eyes.

In that last question she muttered, he finally understood who she was referring to. Despite wanting to give her space, he couldn't help but sneak a glance at her wistful expression.

"Why...?" She whispered as she clenched her fists.

"I'm so glad you're okay, Haru-chan!" Honey beamed as he clung onto the brunette's arm. After the major panic, the group was on their way back to the main streets after bidding Hayashi and his two employees goodbye.

"Are you really okay? Does anything hurt?" Mei asked.

"No, I'm okay..." Haruhi assured, reach a hand into her pocket only to jolt in surprise. "Oh!" She exclaimed, pulling her hand out in surprise as she noticed the absence of a certain item. "Kyoya-senpai, could we possibly go back to Asakusa?" She requested hastily.

"Sure, we have the cars here so we can get back quickly." Kyoya shrugged.

"Did you forget something?" Miki tilted her head.

"Yes, I dropped something actually." Haruhi nodded as her brows furrowed in worry, causing Tamaki's eyes to widen slightly.

"Um, this...?" Extending a hand, he offered the fancy tuna ring to Haruhi with a disconnected look in his eyes.

"Ah! Thank goodness." Haruhi breathed a sigh of relief as she took the ring and slid the ring back onto her index finger. "Thank you very much, senpai." She beamed happily.

Tamaki didn't move.

"Do you seriously like that?" Looping her arm around her's, Mei raised an eyebrow.

"It's not something I would have chosen for myself, but it was a gift." She explained, admiring the plastic ring with a look of appreciation.

Noticing how still her brother was being, Miki leaned her body forward curiously. "Tamaki-kun?" She hummed, glancing at his dazed expression as he kept his gaze fixed on Haruhi's fading back. She blinked curiously at the blank look in his eyes.

Trailing behind the group, Kyoya narrowed his eyes slightly. "Tachibana." He called out.

"Yes, sir?" The man with sunglasses responded.

"Keep an eye on that lawyer, Kosaka." He instructed in a low voice, eye line darting to the two blondes in front of him. "She may not have been involved in this kidnapping incident, but there's no doubt she's watching Tamaki's movements for some reason. Run a thorough background check on her." He ordered.

"Understood." Tachibana bowed.

A/N: With this chapter released, there will be a total of 10 official chapters left! WHEW! WE ARE IN THE HOME STRETCH EVERYONE! Sorry, this upload was a little later than usual. Exam season is upon us and I've been busy studying like crazy. (I am still in high school after all) Wish me luck!

Something that especially bugged me in the original chapter was how Haruhi refused to press charges on the people who kidnapped her. Sure, they had their reasons, but so do every other kidnapper. 'Having their own reason' isn't an excuse that justifies their action in any way and will not stand up in court no matter what. And let's not forget that their original target was Tamaki, the only known heir of the Suoh Corp. Either way, they would still be charged with kidnapping or at least attempted kidnapping if we were speaking in real life. I still kept this ending for the sake of staying true to the material, but I just wanted to state my opinion on this matter, because it really bugged me.

Just a little heads-up for you all, the mini-arc after this chapter is going to be Tamaki-centered. So you are all warned if we do not see a lot of Miki in action. But there will be plenty of that in a personal chapter of hers right after the mini-arc as well as the finale of the series.

I also wanted to let you all know that another side story is in the works for two very special characters, which will be released sometime between the current chapters and the finale. I know you guys didn't particularly request a chapter about them, but I thought it might be interesting to see how things wrapped up on their end. ;) So stay tuned for that!

With that, have a great day.

XOXO,

Astra


	46. 41 Megumi, the Dream Haruhi appears!

_-Chapter 41-_

Megumi, the Dream Haruhi appears!

On the last day of winter vacation, Tamaki had offered for Miki to go to the zoo with him and as usual, her answer was an immediate yes. However, what she didn't expect was for her brother to be wholly absorbed in his world as he stared thoughtfully at the tigers. Other guests at the zoo have also noticed his peculiar actions, yet he never moved even a single muscle.

Feeling more bored by the minute, Miki pouted slightly as she reached out to tug on Tamaki's sleeve. "Tamaki-kun, can we go take a look at the alligators?" She whined, receiving no response from the blond. "Tamaki-kun?" She tilted her head, a little perplexed by his strange behaviour.

"Miki." She heard him call out to her, his eyes still not moving from the tigers.

"Hm?"

"You're such a strong girl; you know that?" He muttered quietly, his grip tightening on the metal bars of the tiger's habitat.

Miki blinked, a little confused.

With the start of school, came the first Host Club event of the New Year. Thanks to the cooperation of the equestrian club, instead of the usual Music Room #3, the first club event of the year took place in the outdoors on the Ouran Academy's private ranch. Despite not being needed for the event, Miki still decided to participate nonetheless. It was her first time seeing horses so up close, after all. Her eyes were practically glimmering.

The hosts were busy entertaining the guests as the equestrian club members brought out the horses. Honey and Mori showed off their incredible horseback riding skills, with the former galloping around on a pony that was more akin to his size. Kyoya was conversing with the guests, discussing some interesting facts and trivia about the sport of riding. Hikaru and Kaoru were supervising Haruhi as she made her first attempts at feeding the horses, occasionally throwing in their 'brotherly love' acts when the time was right. While Haruhi herself...

"Ah! He ate it!" The brunette's eyes brightened as the horse leaned forward, plucking the carrot right out of her open palms. The guests who surrounded her in anticipation couldn't help but swoon and giggle at the refreshing smile that curled on her lips.

"Haruhi, let's all go to an equestrian club and do some horseback riding," Hikaru suggested with a grin.

"We can teach you until you are able to ride on your own with confidence," Kaoru added.

"Uh..." Wiping her hands from the horse's leftover saliva, Haruhi's eyes flickered up as she thought for a while. "Hm... I think I'll pass." She refused. "It's too cold out. And I don't really care if I'm good at horseback riding or not."

"Huh?! Where's our active Haruhi?" Noticing the return of her apathetic behaviour, the twins panicked a little. "Have you closed the shop for the winter?" They asked.

"No, I'm open for business." Haruhi shook her head as a natural smile spread across her cheeks. "But I've decided to stop wasting energy getting fired up about pointless things, and to stop getting bogged down by mulling over things too much." She described. "I managed to break that pattern over New Year's. So from here on, I was thinking I'd start adhering to the principle of 'all experience is good experience' in my own way - without forcing myself to do more than I can handle." She explained with a sincere expression.

"How's that different from the apathetic bystander you were before?" The twins sweatdropped, a little afraid of asking.

"Huh? It's totally different!" Haruhi blinked, turning around she raised her fist determinedly towards a beam of light that came from nowhere. "Because I've thought through it now! Though horseback riding is also a type of experience, spending time on something unimportant is just wasted effort." She declared loudly, displaying a form of uncharacteristic idiocy the hosts thought could only exist within Tamaki.

As Haruhi walked away to answer the call of one of the guests, Hikaru and Kaoru couldn't help but deadpan at her new adopted attitude. _Isn't that the cruellest.._.? They both thought. _Rejecting after thinking about it?!_

"What caused this change in Haruhi?" They muttered in unison, shifting themselves closer to the main group par Tamaki and Haruhi. "She's a little too energetic." They pointed out.

"It doesn't really matter, does it?" Kyoya shrugged. "The most important thing is that she's not letting the kidnapping incident get her down."

"Yes, but..." Eyes flickering down solemnly, Honey swung his legs to the side, hopping off the little pony he rode. "How's Tama-chan taking it?" He asked, causing the hosts to fall silent.

"It seems like something has been bothering him..." Miki was the first to speak, gently stroking the pony's mane. "During class, he sees to be contemplating something, when someone calls out to him he doesn't react, at home, he's always gazing out the window..." Her voice trailed up as she turned to glance at her brother's elegant figure, calmly prancing around the yard with a horse at his side. His tranquil yet thoughtful expression brought about a new mature air, one that the guests couldn't help but fawn over.

"At least the customers are receiving the change well..." Kaoru commented, staring at the crowd of girls that were enthusiastically swooning over Tamaki's new 'woeful young aristocrat' act.

"Hikaru, you were noting that it seems like Tamaki has finally realized his feelings for Haruhi, weren't you?" Kyoya hummed, turning to the older twin with a look for confirmation.

"Uh... It kinda looked that way." Hikaru sighed as he rubbed the back of his neck. "I thought it was the whole, 'seeing Haruhi in danger and realizing how important she is to him' kind of thing." He explained, recalling the dazed expression the blond had towards Haruhi right after the kidnapping incident.

"It's true that Tama-chan hasn't been the same since the kidnapping incident."

"Speaking of which, it was milord who suggested today's equestrian event, wasn't it?" Kaoru pointed out, breaking the silence once more.

"Yes, for some reason, he suddenly told me 'I want to see horses,'" Kyoya said, causing Mori to recall something as he jolted up in realization.

Lowering his body, Mori spoke in a grave tone. "Tamaki asked me the other day, where he could find a zoo that has tigers." He revealed.

The hosts stared blankly at the silent giant, except for Miki who tapped her fist to an open palm as her mouth formed an 'o' shape.

"Oh, that's right!" She hummed. "We went to that zoo on the last day of winter vacation, but Tamaki-kun spent the whole time looking at the tigers." Pouting at the memory as she turned to the hosts, she then spotted their deadpanned eyes. "What's wrong?" She tilted her head.

"Tiger..." Hikaru said.

"Horse..." Kaoru continued.

"Eh?" Miki gasped as she realized something strange. "Tiger (Tora)... Horse (Uma)..." She repeated as her slow mind finally began to pick up what her friends have noticed. "Tora-Uma..." She repeated one last time, blinking rapidly.

.

.

.

"Trauma?!" She exclaimed, covering her mouth in the shock the horrible pun her brother had made, intentional or not.

"Eeeek!" Suddenly, a loud shriek echoed throughout the yard. Everyone snapped their gazes around to see a horse with it's from legs raised, rapidly kicking them at a squawking crow above, unaware of a brown-haired girl standing beneath it. The girl froze in fear, instinctively covering her face as the horse's flailing struck closer to her body by the second.

"The horse got spooked!" Hikaru shouted.

"How did it get outside the yard?" Kaoru snapped his head around, questioning the equestrian members along with Kyoya. Honey and Mori sprung into action as well, rushing forward in an attempt to reach the horse before it could seriously injure the girl.

However, it seemed too late.

"Watch out!" Haruhi cried.

Everything happened so quickly. One moment, the girl was under the shadow of the horse about to be trampled upon. The next moment, there was a bright flash as a person came darting over, grabbing the girl by the shoulders and shielding her from the attack. There was the sound of the impact as the figure groaned in pain, leaving the rest of the yard flabbergasted and still attempting to understand what had transpired.

"Are you... alright?" The figure who heroically protected the girl, Tamaki, asked as he glanced up at the brunette who trembled in a mixture of shock and regret. "You're not hurt... are you?" He muttered weakly. Clutching his injured shoulder, he took a staggering step forward before collapsing onto the ground, sending both the guests and the hosts into a wave of panic.

"Tamaki-kun!" Miki screamed.

At the hospital, Tamaki exited the examination room with a sigh. Not long after he passed out, he was rushed to the emergency clinic to have his injuries looked at. He readjusted his jacket with his right hand as his left injured arm dangled limply next to his body, spotting his friends from the host club waiting anxiously in the lobby.

"Milord!"

"Tama-chan!"

"You were all waiting for me...?" He questioned, scanning each of the sunken faces that watched him with worry.

"Are you alright?" Ignoring his question, Miki rushed forward to check for herself as if the hospital staff hadn't done an adequate job already.

"Yeah, no fractures." Still wearing that stupid grin of his, despite the concerned faces that surrounded him, Tamaki threw up a peace sign of victory. "It's just a bruise that should recover in seven to ten days, that's all. Kicked by a horse and got away with just that - lucky!"

"Does it hurt?" Honey asked.

"Of course it does, spectacularly." The blond sweatdropped. "I probably won't be able to lift my left arm for a while." He laughed.

"Is that going to be alright? You have several meetings to attend in the next few days." Miki reminded.

"Haha... It should be alright..." Tamaki chuckled wryly as he reached his uninjured arm up to scratch the back of his neck. He turned to glance over at the brunette who has been oddly quiet the entire time, spotting her with flushed cheeks and furrowed brows. She opened her mouth for a split second only to close it without saying a word. She looked beyond worried. "Haruhi..." He greeted softly, reaching up to gently ruffle her hair. "I heard you went to the clubroom to get a change of clothes for me. Thank you." He smiled.

"It... It was nothing..." Gaze flickering down bashfully, Haruhi stammered as she began to twiddle with her thumbs.

"Excuse me... I truly apologize for this." As the sound of a small tap echoed through the hospital halls, a feminine figure stepped closer to the group and immediately bowed her head gravely. "You've been horribly injured all because of me." She said sheepishly.

Recognizing the girl as the one he saved, Tamaki waved his hands gently with a soft smile. "It wasn't your fault," He reassured. "We were the ones who hadn't noticed the gate to the arena was open... Huh?" He blinked a little, finding the girl quite familiar. "Have I seen you somewhere before...?" He asked with a raised eyebrow.

"You..." Kyoya sighed, figuring that this would've happened either way. "You've been out of it all day, so you may not have realized she transferred into our class today." He informed, gesturing the brunette who slowly raised her head, a naturally refreshing glow radiated from her cheeks.

"This is Kanoya Megumi," Miki introduced with an airy giggle. "She just moved here from Kobe."

"It's a pleasure to meet you." Megumi curtsied.

"Tamaki-sama, over here." At lunch the next day, just as Tamaki, Kyoya and Miki waltzed into the cafeteria, Megumi called out to the trio with a wave the sweetest of smiles as she pulled out the chair next to her. "I saved seats. Please join me along with your friends." She offered.

"Kanoya-san... You didn't need to go through the trouble of saving seats for us." Tamaki replied, waving his hand with a sweatdrop as he felt a little spoiled by how considerate the girl was being throughout the entire day. From carrying his books to helping him reach things in the classroom, Megumi hasn't left his side for a moment.

"It was no trouble," Megumi reassured. "I wanted to be helpful and make up for your injuries. And I brought..." She opened a four-layered bento box, sliding a layer to each of her three classmates, leaving the last for herself. "I'm not sure if it will suit your tastes, but I made lunch for all of us," She said, covering her lips with a light giggle as she presented the boxed lunches she has prepared.

Exchanging a silent glance with Kyoya, Miki blinked a little before opening her lunch box and letting out a loud gasp at the mouth-watering food. The steaming white rice neatly tucked into the shape of a flower, the daikon radishes cut and rolled into roses, all of the freshly made sushi pieces, organized in a visually appealing line. "Wow! It looks delicious!" She exclaimed, darting her gaze up to reveal eyes that were practically drooling over the appetite the food has stirred up.

"D-Did you make this?" Tamaki stared down at his lunch box, slightly taken aback by her skill.

The brunette nodded. "Yes, I love to cook, so I thought I'd make you something." She explained as a shy blush began to glow on her cheeks.

Kyoya raised an eyebrow, scanning the over-the-top lunch box he had been prepared. "Your family owns several traditional Japanese restaurants in Kansai, don't they?" He hummed.

"Yes. Since I was young, I've loved helping my father in the kitchens of his restaurants."

"You said you were attending Aoizuka Academy in Kobe," Pulling out a pair of chopsticks, Kyoya continued to probe her with an entertained look behind the frame of his glasses. "You're from the most prestigious family from in that area. Why the sudden transfer to Ouran in the middle of your second year?" He questioned.

"Ah..." Shifting uncomfortably in her seat, Megumi averted her eyes. "It's because my mother moved here... You see, she was originally from Tokyo anyways..." Her voice trailed off.

"I see, so is your father starting a restaurant branch here?" After plucking up a piece of sushi, Miki allowed her fork to linger in her mouth as she tilted her head curiously.

"Well... um..." Megumi hesitated in the face of Miki's question; she bit her bottom lip, shying away from the conversation.

Sensing her discomfort, Tamaki stepped in to mend the situation. "Kanoya-san. In return for the delicious lunch you prepared, would you allow me to show you around Tokyo? Are there any places you'd particularly like to see?" He offered, smoothly diverting the topic.

Eyes widening, Megumi turned her head slightly to face Tamaki's compassionate yet meaning smile. She felt her breath quicken as the dusted pink on her cheeks deepened into a rosy red. "Anywhere you take me is fine with me!" She chirped happily.

On the other end of the cafeteria, the first and third years of the host club sat together, watching as the situation unfolded. Haruhi couldn't help but look down at her own bento box before sneaking a glance over, comparing it to Megumi's luxurious, professionally made boxes.

"She's fallen for him, huh?" Hikaru sweatdropped, watching as his three upperclassmen continued to dine with the brunette who gazed at Tamaki with lovestruck eyes.

"No doubt about it," Kaoru affirmed.

"I bet it's because he jumped in and saved her from that horse yesterday." Leaning in to whisper to his twin not so discreetly, Hikaru said. "It was so heroic; even I would fall for him in a situation like that." He admitted dryly.

"What's more, he gallantly turned the conversation away from a topic she seemed hesitant to talk about with such skillful precision!" Kaoru added, mirroring his brother's actions as he nodded in agreement.

"And to top it off," Voices merging, the twins deadpanned at the second-years. "Milord's inner idiot is firmly sealed away right now for some reason, and he's at his at his shining, princely best." They pointed out.

Honey blinked a little as he took another bite out of his dessert. "Hey, I just noticed, but..." He tilted his head. "Don't you think Megu-chan looks a bit like Haru-chan?" He pointed out.

Hikaru and Kaoru stilled.

"Huh?" Haruhi perked up slightly, hearing her name being mentioned.

.

.

.

"Tamaki-sama," Back with the second years, Megumi called out to Tamaki with an elegant chuckle as she covered her lips with the tips of her fingers. "You're so calm and composed. You're mature for your years too-"

"What's the matter, Milord? You're not yourself today!" Suddenly, Hikaru and Kaoru popped up out of nowhere, intentionally greeting Tamaki with a light smack on the shoulder. However, to Tamaki's still-inflamed injuries, it was as if they had rammed a hammer onto his back.

"OWWWW!" The blond immediately let out a shriek as he crumbled in pain.

"Ahh! Tamaki-kun!"

Leaving Miki to panic over her brother's state, the twins then turned to the brunette. "Princess Kanoya, we're so sorry to tell you he's just a little out of it these days. Normally, he's a rowdy, raucous, undignified prat, you see!" They informed her with mischievous grins.

"Oh my! Truly?" Megumi's brown eyes widened in wonder.

"Afraid so." They nodded in unison, leaving back slightly. "He's a narcissist, a rapscallion, a pervert and a crybaby!" They said, taking a jab at the wincing blond. "He still sleeps with a teddy bear too."

"Oh my!"

"He likes packed lunches with the food shaped into hearts, and his hobby is researching Japanese traditions only to come up with completely erroneous conclusions," Hikaru mentioned, leaning in to whisper as if it was a dark secret.

"Oh my!"

"He likes buying through mail order, has a major sister complex and he collects the wrappers from cheap snacks for commoners!" Kaoru continued, shifting in to mutter to Megumi as he lifted an all-knowing finger.

"Oh my!"

"Hey..." Despite being in an immense amount of pain, Tamaki still didn't appreciate what the twins were saying about him. As his fingers twitched, he snapped around to glare at the two misfits. "Just what are you doing?" He grumbled.

"Nothing, but if you look closely at her, she resembles Haruhi an awful lot. We just wanted to see how her personality matches up." They shrugged nonchalantly.

Those words seemed to resonate within Tamaki. "Like Haruhi...?" He repeated, perking up as the fog of mystery that had lingered over his eyes for the past weeks had lifted slightly.

"It seems you have many sides to you, Tamaki-sama." Megumi chirped as she gave the three an earnest, close-eyed smile. "In that case, tomorrow I'll bring you a bento shaped into a heart and teddy bear shaped food." She offered sweetly.

"No... Uh..." A little taken back by how enthusiastic she was being, the twins stuttered. "Milord was just telling us he wanted to frolic on the beach at sunset with you wearing a white sundress..." They mentioned, digging up one of Tamaki's old 'Haruhi fantasies' in an attempt to test the waters once more. "Disgusting, isn't it?"

"My! I happened to wear white sundresses quite often." She said, touching the side of her cheek.

"Milord tends to grab people's hands and twirl them around in public." Hikaru tried again.

"It's fine with me if he feels like doing that." She beamed.

"He's consumed by his personal newlywed fantasies." Kaoru summarized.

"It's wonderful to dream." She praised.

"He tours common folk supermarkets on his days off, and he plays kick the can." They tried one last time.

"If he enjoys those things," Megumi tilted her head to the side with a growing smile, allowing silky strands of brown hair slip down her shoulder and onto her chest. "Then they must be wonderfully fun. Even with 24 hours in a day, it seems there wouldn't be enough time for it all." She giggled.

Hikaru and Kaoru deadpanned.

 _DREAM HARUHI?!_ They jolted back, regrouping with Honey as they stared at the brunette in disbelief. The way she acts, her optimistic outlook, her sweetness and ladylike attitude. It's a complete match with the fantasy version of Haruhi that lives on within Tamaki's mind. In other words, Tamaki's dream girl was here in the flesh.

And so, for the next few days, Megumi stuck to Tamaki's side like glue, assisting him nonstop as his left arm slowly recovered. The students of Ouran have noticed how close the two have grown, leading many to ship them together as 'the perfect couple' due to their family's connections in the service industry. However, the regular guests of the Host Club were distraught over the loss over their idol. Though thanks to Renge's questionable leadership, they were able to shift their grief towards the possibility of a forbidden love loophole, mainly due to the resemblance between Haruhi and Megumi.

The host club, on the other hand, has not been able to find such a diversion.

After classes, Kyoya and Miki entered Music Room #3, as usual, only to find the twins and Honey sitting at the meeting table with gloomy pouts on their faces. Mori stood not far behind with a concerned expression, watching as the three robotically turn to the door with a deadpanned stare. It didn't seem like either Tamaki or Haruhi were present.

"Where are Tamaki and Haruhi?" Kyoya raised an eyebrow, closing the door behind them.

"Haruhi said that she was dropping by the library. No idea about milord!" The twins shouted back in an irritated voice. Then in a stiff set of motions, the three of them dropped their elbows down on the table in unison, resting their chins on the base of their palms and squished their cheeks with their knuckles.

"Why are you all sulking?" Miki tilted her head. "Did something happen?"

"If it's regarding the rumours surrounding Tamaki and Kanoya-san, there's nothing to be done," Kyoya added with an obvious tone. "If Kanoya-san is trying to ease her guilt over getting Tamaki injured, then there's no way Tamaki can refuse her care." He explained.

"We know that!" The twins snapped as they whipped their heads up to glare at Kyoya. "Of course we know that!" They repeated, throwing their hands up in frustration. "But why did this have to happen right when milord has finally started becoming aware of his inner trauma? Even if it only materialized in the form of lame puns..." They growled with flames of rage practically spewing out of their eyes.

"But Tama-chan's feelings for Haru-chan won't change just because he's met his dream Haru-chan, right?" Pushing the two aside, Honey asked worriedly as he was on the verge of tears.

"I don't know, but I have more troubling news." Closing his eyes, Kyoya sighed as he readjusted his glasses on the bridge of his nose. "It seems the reason for Kanoya-san's move here was due to a conflict between her parents. Rather... it was due to a conflict between her parents' families." He announced, his words instantly silencing the rowdy twins and capturing everyone's attention. Including Tamaki, who, unbeknownst to the rest of the club was lingering at the door about to step in when he froze. "Her father is currently planning to open a new business, and her mother's relatives are against it. 'If you intend to go forward with your plans, we will insist upon a divorce. We will no longer allow you to see your daughter Megumi either.'" He recited. "And so, it seems all contact between Kanoya-san and her father has been cut off."

"Eh?!" Miki blinked rapidly, feeling a sense of déjà vu.

Glancing up, Kyoya's eyes swept over the rest in the room. "The situation mirrors the circumstances of a certain someone, doesn't it?" He mentioned.

"Does Milord know all this?" Hikaru hurried to question, his face darkening with worry.

Kyoya shook his head. "I'm not sure." He replied. "He may have heard or perhaps Kanoya-san will him herself in the near future. Either way, in terms of status, Kanoya Megumi is without a doubt an ideal match for Tamaki." He then said as his brownish-green eyes dropped to a half-lidded gaze, not minding Hikaru or Kaoru's intense glares at his predictions. "And it must not be overlooked that she may be someone who can really understand and relate to him."

Tamaki's ocean blue eyes flickered downward thoughtfully. Then with the turn on the ball of his foot, he left without even announcing his presence.

"Miki, what are you doing?" That evening at the Suoh Second Mansion, Tamaki called out to his sister as he leaned back to stretch, noticing a discontent expression on her features as she stared at her tablet, stylus in hand yet unmoving. Her light hazel eyes illuminated by the blue light of the screen flickered up to meet his with an exhausted gaze before breaking into a bright smile.

"I'm trying to finish the final addition to my portfolio; the due date is in five weeks after all." She explained, sliding her stylus back into its compartment before reaching up to stretch and yawn herself.

"That's right, you are participating in that production competition based in America right?" Resting an elbow on the backrest of his chair, Tamaki hummed as he studied her strained eyes. "You should be fine though, shouldn't you? You already have so many designs from our numerous club activities you could send in." He reminded with an encouraging smile.

Miki nodded as her eyes trailed back down to the screen, lingering for a few moments. "I do," She nodded. "But I need a deciding piece, a sketch that represents who I am and what I stand for in the design world. But I feel like..." Her brows furrowed slightly as her index finger loosely scrolled through her many sketches. "Like none of these pieces can convey that." She admitted in a troubled manner.

Eyes crinkling softly, Tamaki huffed out a breath. "Don't push yourself too hard." He advised. It honestly amazed him every time as he watched Miki work her magic and whip up a design that not only coordinated but enhanced their cosplay themes. How could someone so driven and talented be hidden away for so many years? What would've happened if she as a person continued to remain a secret? How much would the world be missing out on at that point? Especially when she spoke like that, it only reminded him of how different their upbringings were.

When he was much younger, he used to fantasize about what it would be like to have a sibling as a companion. However that he has one, he couldn't help but feel that it was a pity they couldn't grow up together. Since the first day she was introduced to her as his half-sister, he's only grown to love her more.

Because 'family' was the most important thing, and their bonds were unbreakable.

He was curious as to how she was like as a child. Did she cry and whine a lot? What were her favourite snacks? Did she have strange little quirks like all the other children? Did she run around the house carrying a doll like those little girls he often saw? How was she in school? Did she have any difficulties in certain subjects? Was she ever lonely? Was she nearly as cheerful as she was now?

Did she grow to possess a similar type of 'trauma' to his?

"You're such a strong girl; you know that?" After much deliberation, Tamaki could only find those words from his voice. He watched with tender eyes as Miki glanced up, meeting his gaze with a blank stare.

Miki blinked for a few moments at Tamaki's familiar words sunk into her mind. She opened her mouth. "Tamaki-kun, I-"

"Master Tamaki, Miss Miki. Dinner is ready." Before she could finish her sentence, she was interrupted by the creak of Tamaki's bedroom door followed by a lively voice. She glanced up, spotting Suzuno in the hallway wearing a carefree smile as her knuckle lingered on the door.

"Okay, we'll be right there." Jumping up to his feet, Tamaki stretched his arms up towards the ceiling before glancing down and noticing Miki's dazed eyes fixed on him. "Miki, were you going to say something?" He asked, reaching a hand down as an offer to help her up.

Flickering her gaze down to his extending hand, Miki held still for a few moments. "It's nothing." She replied with her usual beaming smile, taking his hand in gratitude.

Stepping out of her classroom, Miki continued to keep her attention glued to her tablet as she slowly made her way down the school corridors and towards the cafeteria, organizing her production sketches at the same time. It was the day after the hosts have learned of Megumi's home condition and once again, Tamaki had disappeared right after class, presumably to have lunch with Megumi again.

As she rounded the corner, she was way too concentrated on her tablet to notice another figure turning the corner. The two of them collided, both taking a tumble back from the shock of the impact. Miki fell to the ground, accidentally dropping her drawing tablet in the process.

"Miki-san? I'm sorry about that." A voice said as they scrambled up to their feet. Judging by the voice, Miki could tell this person was a male. Though he sounded familiar, Miki was sure it wasn't anyone she knew all-too-well.

Rubbing her lower back, Miki chuckled wryly as she pushed herself off the ground, gathering her tablet in the process. "No, it's alright. I wasn't paying attention to the road ahead of me." She reassured before glancing up with a bright smile, only to freeze up as she was met with a familiar face. She blinked a few times as the face registered within her brain. "Huh? Kotaro-san...?" She called out to him after a few long moments, cocking her head to the side.

"Y-Yes? Is something the matter?" Feeling a little estranged being watched by Miki's hazel eyes, Kotaro shuffled uncomfortably. "Why are you staring at me like that?"

Despite clearly feeling self-conscious under her long stare, Miki's eyes remained firmly glued to the boy. She hummed slightly as if she were thinking, before opening her mouth to speak. "Kotaro-san, you said if I had any troubles with love, I could ask you... right?" She recalled.

"Huh?" Kotaro blinked a few times, taken off guard by Miki's question. "Oh! Yeah, of course." He quickly nodded, voice trailing off for a moment before waving his hands up in fear of a misunderstanding. "Just to be clear, I don't hold the same feelings for you anymore." He hurried to reassure. "So feel free to ask any-"

"Why did you lie to Sora-chan about not liking her?" Before he could even finish his sentence, Miki spoke bluntly.

"Huh?"

"Sora-chan confessed to you during the France school trip, but she said you rejected her saying that you didn't see her the same way." Miki tapped her chin with her index finger lightly as she recalled the events her friend had described. "That's a lie, isn't it?" Staring dead into his eyes, she stated more than asked.

"Wha-?!" Having both his heart and emotions rattled, Kotaro began to stammer. "How did you-"

"Because I noticed how you look at her during class," Before he could even finish his sentence, Miki revealed. "Since we got back from the trip, you are always watching Sora with such a saddened expression. Even before that, whenever the two of you would converse or argue, your cheeks would be flushed and your body language would be feverish and fidgety." She explained thoughtfully. "Like now." She pointed at Kotaro's nervous posture.

"GAH!" Hiding his twiddling thumbs behind his back, Kotaro yelped, causing the entire student filled hallway to turn and look in curiosity. After quickly bowing in apology, Kotaro then dragged Miki into a less crowded corridor, speaking in a lower voice as to not let anyone else hear. "Y-Yeah..." He breathed a heavy sigh. "I do like Sora romantically."

"Since when?"

"Since when, you ask..." Scratching the back of his neck, Kotaro lowered his head bashfully. "Probably for a very long time..." He muttered before glancing up at Miki and studying her blank face for a few moments. "Ah, this is going to sound awkward." He groaned, slapping his hands over his face and dragging it down before peeking at the blonde between his fingers. "Miki-san, do you remember when I confessed to you?"

Miki nodded.

"I..." His voice trailed off, and his ears grew red in embarrassment. "I don't think I truly liked you." He revealed as his arm fell limp beside him, swaying almost as it was a reflection of the ripples in his heart. "I was fooling myself, hoping that my feelings for Sora could just... go away." He admitted, his brown eyes falling dull at the last thought.

Miki could practically hear her brain short-circuiting at the conflicting information. "Why did you want them to go away?" She tilted her head to the side with a blank expression.

Averting his eyes, Kotaro sighed. "That's because..." He paused for a moment as something clicked in his head. "Wait, aren't you upset?" Whipping his head around, he gawked.

"Upset? Why?" Not understanding his question, Miki looked even more confused.

"Well," Laughing awkwardly, Kotaro scratched the back of his head. "Because I kinda confessed to you despite not having true intentions." He explained, looking like a guilty child about to be scolded by his mother.

"It didn't really matter in the end; I rejected you, didn't I?" Lifting an all-knowing finger, Miki's cheeks brightened into a sweet smile.

"T-That's true..." Sweatdropping slightly at how straightforward her attitude was, Kotaro heaved a short sigh before bowing his head low. "Still, that was a shameful thing I did," He said apologetically. "I won't do that again, I promise."

Seeing him apologize so sincerely, Miki quickly waved her hands frantically to reassure the boy. "It was alright, really." She said with a wry smile. "But you still haven't answered my question, since when?" She then continued to press on.

"Even if you ask me..." Shifting his gaze away, Kotaro's body tilted as his back fell to the wall as a sense of great exhaustion began to overwhelm him. "I don't really understand myself either." He said slowly, looking down at his feet in the shadows of the corridor. "We've known each other for so long, but one day I just... I began to see her differently."

Miki's eyes rounded at his words.

"I began to notice the little things about her," The boy continued. "When she painted her nails, when she wore perfume, if she grew a little between school breaks. Then before I knew it, I was in love with her." As he continued down the list, his sorrowful expressions slowly relaxing into a smile in adoration. Miki blinked a little, noting to herself how happy he looked while talking about Sora.

"Then, why did you lie about not returning her feelings." She asked.

"I... I was afraid to accept her feelings." Kotaro admitted reluctantly. "I mistook my feels for you, could the same happen with her? She was the last person I wanted to hurt. If I did, I could never forgive myself because..." He hesitated as his head dropped in defeat. "Because she is important to me."

At his words, a small silence fell upon the two. Seeing his small figure in the shadows created by a combination of the sun outside and the structure of the school, Miki averted her eyes for a few moments. She had something to say, but she was hesitant. Kyoya had explicitly told her to refrain from getting into similar arguments like the one she had with Sora. But in such a situation, she felt as if she had to speak her mind, regardless of the consequences.

"Kotaro-san," Opening her mouth, she called out to the boy. "Forgive me for saying this, but I think you will hurt Sora-chan even more by lying." She said firmly.

"Huh? But what if I-"

"This time you know for sure that you truly love her, right?" Cutting him off, Miki stared up at him with a compassionate twinkle in her gaze. "Then there is nothing to be afraid of."

"I understand..." Clenching his hands into fists, Kotaro muttered. "I understand that! But what if I'm not good enough for Sora?!" He shouted, reaching up as he ran his fingers through his hair in distress. "You said I hurt her already; I'll probably end up doing it again!"

"Then would you rather live the rest of your life in regret?" Grabbing his wrist with her free hand and his hand ripping it away from his face, Miki questioned. "Kotaro-san, you said you loved her. But your actions are contradicting your words." She told him, slowly letting go of his wrist as her brows knitted together. "Be honest and convey your feelings to her; that's the only way for her to understand them." She urged.

"Miki-san, you are too optimistic." Smiling dejectedly, Kotaro shook his head gently. "Sora... she's probably given up on me at this point. Especially after I rejected her like that." He muttered, head slumping over along with his body.

"She hasn't." Getting frustrated with him wallowing in self-pity, Miki couldn't help but raise her voice. It was a strange feeling, frustration. It felt a lot like anger, yet so much more vulnerable and... saddening. "Sora-chan is still waiting for you, so you should go on and tell her exactly how you feel. Or are you just planning on not saying anything at all?" She questioned fiercely, acting almost as if the 'bad cop' of an interrogation.

"I have loved her for so long," Miki has pried open a can of worms he's kept hidden for too long. Like a water damn, all the emotions he kept bottled up came flooding out in an instant. Snapping his head up at her provoking words, Kotaro shouted back as he slapped his hand over his chest a few times. "But after being close to her for so long, I can't risk it. I can't risk what we have now!"

"Then what of Sora-chan's feelings?" Gritting her teeth, she then asked. "She confessed to you with those same steaks at hand. She was willing to take a risk for you. So are you just going to ignore that? The length of time for how you felt doesn't matter, Kotaro-kun, stop trying to make up excuses for your own cowardice!" She declared loud and clear for the boy to hear as his eyes widened in enlightenment. It was as if something finally clicked in his mind as he glanced up with a dazed expression.

"Yeah... You're right." Chuckling weakly, Kotaro's tense facial muscles relaxed into a silly grin. "It's exactly as you say... I've been a coward..." He admitted, sliding his body down as he landed into a crouching position, his head hanging between his shoulders and his elbows resting on his knees. "Then, Miki-san, what should I do?" He asked, lifting his eyes with a lost gaze.

Seeing that her words have finally gotten thought, Miki's face brightened into a relieved smile. "Talk to Sora-chan." She advised, offering a hand to help Kotaro up. "I can only try and convince you, but if you don't say anything yourself, nothing will ever happen."

"Right..." Taking her hand and pulling himself back onto his feet, Kotaro breathed in a deep breath as he instantly felt re-energized by that short yet powerful lecture he received. "I'll go talk to her sometime after school." He grinned confidently. "Thank you for that pep talk, Miki-san. I think I needed that. Now, if you'll excuse me..." With that, he bowed his head in gratitude before exiting the corridor.

"Good Luck, Kotaro-san!" Following him to the corner, Miki waved happily as she watched Kotaro's back fade into the sea of students that flooded the main halls. Almost as soon as he vanished, Miki couldn't help but let out a sigh in relief. For a second there, she thought the conversation was going to turn out the same as when she had fought with Sora. After recomposing herself, she turned on her heel, about to walk towards the cafeteria only to feel someone reach out and grab her free hand in theirs.

"That was amazing, Miki-san!" Sumire appeared and exclaimed excitedly as her brown eyes shimmered with a hint of admiration.

"S-Sumire-san?!" Miki nearly shrieked. "How long have you been standing there for?"

"Hehe~ Since Kotaro-san startled me in the hallway with his loud shout." Chuckling lightly, Sumire pressed a finger to her lips as a playful signal for secrecy. "I was curious, so I followed you two and eavesdropped in on your conversation. Sorry about that." She winked. "I knew you were the type of person to say what you truly meant, but this time your words were truly inspirational!" Clasping her hands together before her chest, she beamed. "I was so moved!"

"Sumire-san..." Miki blinked awkwardly. "Did you know too?"

"Of course," Sumire nodded knowingly, turning around and beginning to walk down the halls with a skip to her step. "I've known Kotaro-san's feelings for a long time now. However, I could never find the right words to say to either of them, but you managed to convey what I wanted to say for so long so easily." She giggled, glancing back at Miki who hurried to catch up to her.

"I don't think it was anything special," The blonde chuckled awkwardly. "I just spoke my mind." She justified.

"That's exactly it," Twirling around, Sumire lifted an all-knowing finger. "The ability to say what is exactly on your mind, living as if every day is your last. You'd be surprised how rarely people do that." She said, clapping her hands together in glee.

"Eh? Why is that?" Tilting her head to the side, Miki's hazel eyes rounded. "Isn't it just better to say what's on your mind?"

"Well, it really depends on the situation." Gaze flickering upwards, the brunette hummed lightly as they continued to walk. "Though you mean well, it could often be taken the wrong way, remember that last time with Sora-san? You meant well, but you made her quite upset." She reminded with a gentle smile.

Miki immediately nodded. How could she ever forget how upset she made Sora? Ever since that argument, she tried to make an effort to think before she spoke, as not to repeat the same mistakes from before.

"Whether it's to protect ourselves or our feelings, we as people just can't be honest with each other, especially when it comes to the topic of love." The brunette smiled knowingly as she pressed a hand to her heart. "And because of that, we say things we don't mean. Some are like Sora-san, despite being head-over-heels in love, she swears up and down that she isn't. Then there are also those who only speak of love, despite not holding any of those feelings for others." Her cheeks dulled slightly as her eyes fell to a downcast.

"Eh?" Miki gasped. "But that's..."

"Cruel, isn't it?" Sumire glanced over at the blonde with a wistful expression. "Love is a word most people tossed around and misuse. However, the true meaning of it should always be proven by your actions, not by your words." She said, suddenly seeming ten times wiser than those of her age in Miki's mind.

"Actions... Not words..." Miki repeated slowly as she stared blankly at her friend.

"Mhm!" Returning to her regular self, Sumire cupped her cheek with a bashful look. "I read that line from a romance novel the other day, quite inspirational, isn't it?" She giggled before suddenly remembering something. "Oh, you had something to ask Kotaro-san about love, didn't you? Did you even get the answer you needed?"

"Oh, yes." The strawberry blonde nodded as the corner of her lips tugged upwards. "Yes, I did."

"Is that so...? That's great." As the two continued to walk down the crowded hallway, Sumire's brown eyes crinkled softly. "By the way, Miki-san, Sora-san told me that you had someone who you didn't know how you felt toward, who-"

"Miki? Kazehara-san?" Before Sumire could finish her sentence, a familiar voice called out to the two, cutting her off. She peered up to see Ootori Kyoya standing before them with his usual indifferent expression.

"Ootori-san, good afternoon." She greeted him with a small bow. Despite being in the same class and a regular guest of the host club, they never really interacted much as it was usually Sora doing the majority of the talking.

"Kyoya-kun! What are you doing here?" Miki's eyes brightened at the sight of the boy. Holding her drawing tablet close to her chest, she rushed forward to meet with him halfway as Sumire trailed behind.

"I'm looking for Tamaki," Readjusting his glasses, Kyoya explained. "Have either of you seen him?"

"Huh? Is he not in the cafeteria with Megumi-san?" Miki cocked her head to the side as strands of strawberry blonde hair slipped from her shoulders.

"Oh, they are in the courtyard today." Tapping her chin with her index finger, Sumire informed the duo. "I saw them through the windows earlier. Speaking of which, she has been spending an awful lot of time with him lately, hasn't she? I heard she even confessed her love to him yesterday." Hearing that news, Kyoya and Miki immediately exchanged glances. "I suppose love at first sight is plausible since Tamaki-sama so gallantly rescued her when they first met." Sumire continued, cupping her cheek. "However, it's only been a week. It may be presumptuous of me to say, but I believe that's rushing things a little, isn't it?" Returning her gaze to her two classmates, she blinked at the silence that lingered among them. "Is something the matter?" She asked.

"I see. Thank you for your help." Nodding his head slightly, Kyoya turned on the heel of his foot setting off towards the central courtyard where his best friend was said to be.

"Ahh! Kyoya-kun, wait for me!" Seeing as he was about to leave, Miki called out to him. Glancing over her shoulder, she waved her free hand at the brunette. "Sorry Sumire-san, I'll talk to you later." She gave a sweet smile before hurrying to catch up to Kyoya.

"Oh, okay." Sumire returned her smile, watching the two began to engage in conversation as they walked further away. She tilted her head, though she couldn't hear the contents of their conversation, she could still study their joyful expressions. Now that she thought about it, Miki's usual smile seemed to shine even brighter whenever Kyoya was around. While the cool type of the host club always seemed more relaxed in her presence. Even their shadows seemed to blend well together, creating a harmonic picture that resembled... a perfect couple. "Hm... Could it be...?" Covering her lips with the tips of her fingers, Sumire's eyes twinkled with excitement as if she had discovered something extremely amusing

"Don't you usually spend lunches with Kanazuki-san?" As they made their way down the stairs, Kyoya raised an eyebrow at the cheerful figure next to him.

"Reiko-chan has been extremely busy lately," Miki explained with a wry chuckle. "She recently got elected as the vice president of the black magic club, so she's been spending all her time in the club room propagating curses." She said, holding a disheartened smile before perking up again. "But she promised to go out with me next weekend." She chirped.

Kyoya hummed as they turned the corner and headed towards the central courtyard. A small comfortable silence settled in between them as the sound of the swaying leaves filled the area. Now that he thought about it, this was where the two of them once brought Kirimi to babysit her while Renge was busy torturing Nekozawa with her 'specialized training'. His lips couldn't help but tug upwards at the memories.

If he were honest, not much as changed since then.

"Say, Kyoya-kun," Miki called out to him absently, pulling him out of the nostalgia and back into reality. He glanced over, noticing thoughtful expression resting on her features. An odd sight. "Do you think Tamaki-kun accepted Megumi-san's confession? Does she even love him?" He heard her ask.

"I wouldn't say it is as intense as love, but I would certainly say she has an infatuation with him." Kyoya analyzed. "And regarding whether or not they are going out... I don't know." He concluded.

"I see..." She whispered.

 _Eros..._ Miki thought as her gaze landed on a few rose bushes that lined the cobblestone path. According to her friends, Eros was something that happens when you begin to see someone differently; something that is proven by actions and not words; something that is irrational and turns people into fools. Her eyes then automatically shifted to Kyoya as the 'Love Circle Chart' came to mind. She's never felt different about Kyoya, from the very start, she's seen him as the same nice person. Does that mean she didn't love him romantically? No... She still couldn't be certain just yet. She needed more proof. She needed to be sure. She didn't want to turn into one of those cruel people that Sumire mentioned. She wanted to be honest.

But how could one be honest, when they couldn't even understand their own feelings?

Before she could get too deep into her thoughts, she heard a faint voice chime further into the courtyard, one she immediately recognized to be Megumi.

"I'm glad you like it, I'll make some more next time. I'm always happy to cook for Tamaki's schoolmates!"

Miki exchanged a glance with Kyoya at that hopeful voice. If they remembered correctly, Megumi was using the added term of '-sama' when addressing Tamaki just up until yesterday, why the sudden change? And who were the added 'schoolmates' she mentioned?

The answer to the last question was quickly made apparent as they rounded the corner, spotting the rest of the host club, including Haruhi, sitting next to Tamaki and Megumi and munching on a sandwich each.

Realizing that they were probably spying on the two only to get caught, Kyoya mentally sighed at their antics. "Tamaki," He called out to the blond who promptly glanced over. "Can you come to the clubroom after you're done eating?" He requested.

"Kyoya, Miki." Tamaki stood up, greeting the two.

"Good Afternoon, everyone." Miki waved cheerfully.

"Since you didn't show up yesterday, I'll fill you in on what you missed. Come over once you are done." He instructed, readjusting his bag under his arm.

"Sorry about that! I'll come right away!" Quickly gathering his things to follow his best friend and sister, Tamaki turned to give Megumi an apologetic smile. "Thank you so much for lunch, Kanoya-san. It was delicious today too." He smiled.

"But you haven't eaten very much..." Megumi reached a handout, unable to get up due to the picnic basket of food rest on her lap. "Um... In that case, I guess I'll come with you. I'll clean up quickly." She offered, about to close the basket off when Tamaki stopped her.

"No, no. Please take your time and enjoy lunch with everyone." He said, gesturing the rest of the hosts. "Sorry, I'll see you later." With that, he ran off, leaving Megumi to gaze at his distancing back with a lonely expression.

Back at Music Room #3, the second-year trio sat, gather at one of the circular-shaped tea tables. Tamaki was busy examining the latest club financial records with Kyoya watching him, all the while Miki sat between them, still organizing her production sketches on her tablet.

"She looked like an abandoned puppy, didn't she?" Kyoya hummed, leaning to rest his chin on his knuckle.

"Huh?" Tamaki looked up, a little surprised.

"Kanoya-san." Kyoya clarified, closing his eyes.

"I heard that she confessed to you, Tamaki-kun," Miki added, glancing up at him with a dispirited look. "Are you two going out now?" She asked.

A little curious as to why Miki looked so upset, Tamaki shook his head. "No, I politely refused her then and there." He informed, only to find the pout curled on her lips lingered. He hesitated for a moment before finally realizing the issue. "Sorry, I didn't tell you about it." Reaching out, he placed a hand atop of her head, gently ruffling her strawberry brown hair in reassurance. "I had quite a bit to think about at the time. But despite my rejection, again today she offered me to have lunch with her again." Heaving a long sigh, the blond allowed his arm to drop onto his leg as he gazed down at it. "I think she's latched onto me to try to escape from something that is hurting her. But there's nothing I can do for her right now." His ocean-blue eyes fell to a downcast. "Because in watching her, I've come to realize that I've been doing the exact same thing. What Hikaru said, I've been thinking about it and I get the feeling that he was referring to that." He paused for a moment as he peered up, making eye contact with the two others. "You see, I was so happy to make friends, and I was so worried we'd grow apart someday that I kept pushing my ideals of a family on everyone. And here I was, imagining this 'trauma' of mine would be something cooler. Now that I've realized this, it's actually kinda uncool, isn't it?" He chuckled wryly, scratching his cheek with a small sweatdrop. "So even though Kanoya-san is doing the same thing, by clinging to me to hide from her problems. I can't do anything for her. Or maybe I should say," He closed his eyes. "I don't know what to do for her..." He concluded, a small silence taking the place of his voice.

 _Since when..._ Kyoya's eyes widened, impressed by his revelation. _Since when did he figure all this out?_

Suddenly, Tamaki's phone buzzed, instantly clearing up the heavy mood that lingered within the clubroom. Tamaki glanced down to his phone. "Oh, I have a meeting to listen into for the afternoon. Kyoya, can I take these home with me to study tonight?" He asked, gesturing the financial records.

"Do what you like." Kyoya shrugged.

"Miki, get home safely, alright? See you at dinner." Quickly shoving the folder into his bag, Tamaki ruffled his sister's hair one last time before rushing towards the double doors.

"Okay. Have fun." Miki waved, staring blankly at the door that clicked shut behind him, leaving her and Kyoya alone in the clubroom.

"Kyoya-kun, did you know that Tamaki-kun called me strong?" After a few moments, the words tumbled out of her mouth, more as a statement than a question.

"Is that so?" Kyoya said, studying the blonde as she kept her gaze fixed on the closed door.

"Yeah," Miki chuckled wryly. "But I don't believe that is true."

Kyoya raised an eyebrow. "Why?" He questioned.

"Jealousy, Disappointment, Frustration, Fear..." With the list of each emotion, Miki's eye line dropped. "When I was in confinement, I didn't understand any of these emotions. For so long, I only knew how to smile. But what was I smiling for?" She leaned her head back as her gaze moved towards the intricately designed ceiling. "We smile because we are happy, but was I truly happy? Did I even understand the true meaning of happiness? Did I have a real reason to smile, or was I just... Hiding behind a facade?" She bit her lip. "Arden once told me that a smile changed his life." She said weakly. "So maybe... Maybe I kept smiling, because..." She closed her eyes and breathed a sigh. "I wanted something to change in my life."

Kyoya remained silent for a few moments. What she just admitted, was pretty much confirmation to what he had been theorizing for a long time - she had little to no clue what emotions were prior to leaving the main mansion. Although he had known that fact for so long, hearing her usual lively voice admit it was much more painful than he had expected. He had come to enjoy her airheaded giggles and ridiculous naivety. And in a moment such as this, he wanted nothing more than to see that expression on her features. Reaching his hand out, he gently brushed a few fingers under her chin and forced her to look up at him. He observed as her eyes fluttered open, revealing two topaz-like gems that sparkled in the sunlight that seeped into the clubroom. His eyes crinkled as his lips settled into a smug smirk. "Then, why do you smile now?" He questioned.

Miki stared up blankly, allowing her brain to slowly process his question. She blinked a few times before reaching her hand up to take his. Then the corner of her lips tugged upwards, and her face broke into her usual gleaming smile. "That's because my life changed, Kyoya-kun." She announced brightly, bringing peace of mind to Kyoya who found refuge in that expression. She then glanced over at the doors where her brother left from, staring thoughtfully at it. "Say, Kyoya-kun. I want to help Tamaki-kun." She suggested, still holding onto his hand. "He is always the one helping others, so this time I-"

Before she could say anything else, she felt a nostalgic tap on her forehead. She immediately snapped around, seeing Kyoya's reassuring eyes gazing back at her. For some reason, she could feel her usually calm heart skip a beat. "I know." He huffed a laugh. "Let's ask the others to assist us as well."

Hearing that, Miki nodded enthusiastically. "Yes! Let's do that!" She chirped.

The next day after school, Haruhi paced towards Music Room #3 in a hurry. "Sorry, I was running behind!" She apologized, opening the doors to spot the rest of the members, except Tamaki, already present and discussing their next move over tea and cake.

"Haruhi, you're late." The twins commented nonchalantly.

"I told you to be on time today, didn't I?" Kyoya glanced over his shoulders, scolding the brunette.

"S-Sorry." Haruhi rushed in and began to fiddle with her bag, searching for something in the contents within. "I had a lot of research to do for today; it was kind of hectic. Actually, is it even okay we're meeting here? What if Tamaki-senpai-"

"Don't worry about it, Tamaki-kun is at the hospital right now with Megumi-san," Miki reassured. "And I instructed Koganei-san to stall time if we need to, just in case." She winked mischievously as she pressed her index finger to her lips

"O-Oh..."

"So did you come up with a good plan?" Kyoya raised an eyebrow,

"Yeah, I think so," Haruhi replied, finally fishing a few papers out her bag. "I have no idea if it will work though." She explained as she passed it over to Kyoya.

"Hmm..." Gathering around the vice president of the club, the rest of the members peeked over his shoulder to read the neatly written and organized plan Haruhi had formulated in half a day.

"It's a pretty good plan isn't it?" Hikaru rubbed his chin with a readied grin.

"Yeah, I think it will be our best shot actually." Kaoru gave a thumbs up in agreement.

"I think it looks like a lot of fun too!" Miki clapped her hands together excitedly.

"It also has an economical budget. As expected of a commoner's plan." Kyoya hummed in amusement.

"I vote for it..." Mori nodded.

"Let's go with Haru-chan's plan!" Honey cheered as he tossed Usa-chan into the air.

"So we're decided then?" Eyes sweeping the rest of the club members, Kyoya as he received approving looks from the rest of the members. "In the place of our feckless president, we will execute this plan ourselves. As discussed over the phone yesterday, our target will be Kanoya-san. Make sure to carry out your respective preparations in utmost secrecy." He instructed. "That's all. What do you say?"

"Yes, sir!"

A/N: JESUS! THESE CHAPTERS ARE GETTING SO LONG IT'S ALMOST OUT OF HAND! Not going to lie, it's a little insane how much in length these chapters have grown... For reference, Chapter 1 of this story had about 3000 words. And this chapter... well, it's standing tall at 10,000, not including these Author's Note.

Anyways, that aside, I am here to make three announcements. For one, I just wanted to remind you all that these chapters taking place after the Ouran Festival are all based on the Manga except for the Miki-centered ones. The reason they may seem a bit different is because I decided to rearrange the order of the chapters to better suit a year's timeline and the pacing of the story, so I'm sorry if I disappointed you because you thought these are my original storylines.

Secondly, the next chapter will be close to a one-for-one retelling of the Manga chapter it's based on. Mainly because it is a Tamaki-centric chapter and it is a crucial point of his character development, I wanted to put it in untouched. That being said, there will be a Miki-centered chapter directly after that, so I hope it will compensate for the lack of screentime she gets the next chapter.

Third and finally, I'm so sorry to announce that there will be no update next week. I know, I know. I've been pretty consistent on my chapter updates so far, what happened? Well, my AP exams are taking place next week and I really just wanted to focus on those for the time being. So I'm terribly sorry but there will be a week-long hiatus, but the next chapter will be out on May 25th, so please look forward to that!

With that, have a great day!

XOXO,

Astra


	47. 42 Ouran High School's Orienteering T

_-Chapter 42-_

Ouran High School's Orienteering Tournament!

"Huh? The Ouran Orienteering tournament?" Standing dumbfoundedly at the center of the chaos in Music Room #3, the host club's president and king, Suoh Tamaki questioned loudly. He was on route to the clubroom for the afternoon, simply expecting a regular day of services and entertaining guests, only to be surprised by this weird stunt his club members were pulling.

"Yes." Haruhi nodded without sparing the blond a second glance. She was far too busy handling the flood of sign-up sheets from those who were participating in this event on her own. "The participants will divide up into pairs and compete to be the first team to race to the seven checkpoints scattered throughout the school that our host club members are currently manning." She explained. The teams are free to go in any order they wish, but all checkpoints must be cleared, and certain items must be collected at each one before the team can proceed."

"Ah... But I've never heard about this..." Tamaki raised an eyebrow. He couldn't help but feel a little left out; not even Miki gave him a heads-up such an event was being planned.

"We went ahead and planned it without you since you've been missing a lot of club meetings due to your injury and duties as the heir of the Suoh Cooperation." Taking the sign-up sheet of another pair of students, she said before turning to finally face the blond. "How are you feeling now?" She asked, casting his shoulder a worried glance.

"Oh, I'm almost fully recovered thanks to everyone. The pain is mostly gone too." Tamaki reassured.

"In that case, you should pair up with a customer or another participant and enter the race. Why don't you pair up with Kanoya-senpai?" Haruhi recommended before hearing another call for her name as she hurried off to collect the sign-up sheet from Momoka and Kimiko.

"Oh... I... If you are going to participate Tamaki..." Tilting her head slightly, Megumi muttered happily.

"Tamaki-sama, you simply must join in!" Sora encouraged.

"You love these kinds of events, don't you?" Tsubaki pointed out excitedly.

"Heh heh heh! But I shall be the one to triumph in the end!" Stomping into the room with her hands on her hips, Renge laughed proudly. "Since the prize is having the host club members do whatever you ask for one full day! Movie Edition of Ouran Moe Moe Diaries, here I come!" She announced, pulling out a copy of her famous doujinshi she kept in her bag. "The scenario this time will be an epic survival tale of love and friendship as seven youths are shipwrecked on a desert isle! For reference, Miki-chan-senpai will be helping out behind the scenes!" She puffed out her chest, speaking as if that was a given.

Before Tamaki could say anything else, another voice rang behind him. "Heh! If you don't have any confidence in winning, you shouldn't enter, Suoh. In any case, victory shall be ours."

"Kuze-senpai!" Tamaki gasped, snapping his head around to see the American Football team, led by Kuze standing at the doorway of the clubroom with proud and readied faces.

"The key point being, if I win, I can force Ootori to be my servant for an entire day." Casually tossing an orange that he held into the air, he smirked. "Naturally, I'm having the entire football team participate as well." He hummed, gesturing the members behind him.

"Sorry about this. He's so stupid, he never learns." Matsuyama appeared next to him, gently cupping her cheek with an apologetic smile.

"If this event was Fujioka's idea, I'll participate too!" Kasanoda volunteered, dragging class 1-A's class president, Kazukiyo around with him as a 'partner' to enter the race.

"We'll enter as well!" Tamaki whipped his head around, spotting a few male students hurry over to Haruhi with excited grins. He instantly recognized them to be students who've been captivated by his sister's charms over the year she's been at the school. "A home-cooked meal from Miki-san, sounds like a dream!" He heard one of them whisper.

"Hey, Suoh! This looks like fun, so we'll enter too!" Through the flood of participants that entered the room, even members of the athletic clubs were present. "If we win, you're going to lend Morinozuka and Haninozuka to our clubs!"

"Bossa Nova... Captains..." Tamaki muttered, looking stunned at the crowd that had gathered in the Host Club over such a strange event.

"Tamaki, will you participate? If you don't feel up for it, please don't force yourself."

"Ah... Ahem!" Sensing the reluctance in Tamaki, Haruhi cleared her throat inconspicuously to capture his attention. "Oh dear, what shall I do? Woe is me. Woe is me." Pacing back and forth robotically, she began to recite the script Hikaru and Kaoru had prepared for her.

"Haruhi? What's the matter?" Tamaki raised an eyebrow at her odd mannerisms.

"Oh, it's just that we decided to let the winner ask anything of the host club for a prize." Lifting a finger with deadpanned eyes, Haruhi spoke monotonously. It seems that her daikon radish-styled acting skills haven't improved even in the slightest since the Lobelia incident. "But if we're going to have to go film a movie on a desert island, I can imagine Hikaru and Kaoru going so crazy we'd truly end up shipwrecked. If Kuze-senpai wins, Kyoya-senpai will need to become the Buddha to endure the indignities Kuze-senpai will surely command. If any of Miki-senpai's admirers win, whatever kitchen she uses to make those meals will surely cost a fortune to repair. If the sports club members win, Honey-senpai and Mori-senpai will be in trouble. And if our customers win, I'll have to go on a date with them and miss the weekend sale at the supermarket which would result in my family going bankrupt." She listed off the absurd possibilities in such a dry and robust voice, it sent chills up Tamaki's spine.

"EH?! To offer such an unlimited prize?!" He sweatdropped. "And why are you talking in a monotone?"

"Which is why," Ignoring his final question, Haruhi pulled up a map and two admission passes for the orienteering festival and shoved it into the blonde's arms. "With so much at stake, you must win the tournament and save the entire host club Tamaki-senpai." She announced boldly, causing Tamaki's eyes to widen in confusion.

"Haruhi?! Hold on-" He reached out to stop her only for the brunette to be called away by one of the guests.

"Haruhi-kun, what are the items we're supposed to gather?" Momoka tilted her head, her best friend and teammate, Kimiko standing by her side.

The corner of her lips curling upward, Haruhi tilted her head. "Ingredients for a curry." She said mysteriously.

"Curry?" The participants quickly simmered down, listening to the instructions of the orienteering tournament intently.

"Yes, we'll have everyone make a curry out of all the ingredients they've gathered over the course of the race," Haruhi explained with her natural charming smile. "We will decide the winner based on how fast you made it through the checkpoint and how delicious your resulting curry is. Finally, the finish line of the race will be Cooking Room #1 on the first floor of the East Hall." She announced. "Has everyone got that?" She then asked, eyes sweeping over those gathered in the room who each returned her gaze with a determined nod to win. "In that case, let's go ahead and start. Ouran High School Host Club's 'Curry Creation Orienteering Tournament' starts... Now!"

"Come on! Starting at checkpoint six should be the quickest route!"

"We're starting at checkpoint 1!"

"We'll start from the top and work our way down!"

With Haruhi's loud declaration, the mob of people gathered in Music Room #3 poured out of the double doors and into the hallway, afraid to lose even a second to their opponents, leaving Tamaki, Haruhi and Megumi in the dust. The blond speechless at their enthusiasm.

"Tamaki?" Megumi tilted her head, asking what he wanted to do.

"U-Um..." Tamaki hummed, still sitting on the fence about the tournament in general.

Seeing this, Haruhi decided to prolong the act a little. She pulled out her coin purse and peered into it, absently counting the bills. "Bankruptcy, huh?" She said blatantly.

Tamaki sweatdropped at Haruhi's bad acting before heaving a long sigh as he began to fold up the event map. "I really don't understand what's going on here, but okay." Brushing past her and towards the opened doors, he readily ruffled her hair. "I'll do my best." He reassured before glancing over at Megumi who followed him close behind. "Sorry, Kanoya-san, would you mind accompanying me?" He requested.

"I'd love to." Megumi nodded happily, giving him a bright smile.

Watching as the two of them walked away, Haruhi's eyes fell slightly as her heart stung with a hint of jealousy. Shaking the feeling away, she hurried out the clubroom herself, making her way towards her checkpoint as she pulled out her phone. "Hello, Kyoya-senpai?" Pressing the metal rim of the device to her ear, she replied. "Tamaki-senpai and Kanoya-senpai are on their way. I'm heading to my checkpoint as well... Yes, all that's left now is to believe in Tamaki-senpai..." She paused for a moment before smiling confidently. "On a variety of levels."

The first checkpoint was at Calligraphy Room #2, and the ones manning it were the infamous devilish twins, Hikaru and Kaoru themselves who were especially paired together for this particular event, wearing identical wigs on their heads. "Welcome! It's the classic 'Which one is Hikaru?' game!" They greeted the participants at their station, mirroring each other's movements as they did before.

"Eh... The one on the right is Hikaru!" One of the athletic members attempted sheepishly.

"Bzzt! Wrong!" Grinning mischievously, they shrugged. "Go back to the end of the line to try again until you get it right~."

"Hehe... I have some faith in my abilities for a game like this. I've detected some subtle differences in your characters as of late." Rubbing her chin with a proud smirk, Renge stepped up front and center as her partner cheered from behind. Then with an enlightened glint in her eyes, she thrust a finger out towards the left twin. "From a Moe aura analysis standpoint, Kaoru has a more mature air about him, and Hikaru has a more courageous heart! Of course, the one on the left is Hikaru-"

"Bzzzt! Wrong!" Giving their 'beloved' manager an eye pull and tongue diss, they immediately buzzed her wrong, sending the otaku to a corner filled with gloom, self-reflection and mushrooms.

Snickering amongst themselves, the twins quickly pulled over a set of rolling blinds and hid behind it. "And now, let's give ourselves a spin..." They chided as they began to rapidly switch places, causing those who attempted to remember Hikaru's previous position to lose track. After a few more switches, the two of them stepped out with wide grins plastered on their faces. "We're ready for our next contestant!" They sang in unison. "Which of us is Hikaru-"

Tamaki blinked. "Hikaru is on the right, and Kaoru is on the left, right?" He swiftly pointed out, causing Hikaru and Kaoru's jaws to drop in amazement.

"Milord...!" They gasped. "You're correct. Well done!"

"I've been able to tell you apart for a while now... Are you sure this is hard enough to call a challenge?" Tamaki raised an eyebrow, a little estranged from how much enthusiasm the twins were demonstrating.

"Doesn't matter." Quickly brushing off the topic, the twins then grabbed Tamaki by a shoulder each. Spinning him around, they promptly redirected him towards a table covered in an array of fruits, vegetables and spices. "Now you may take two ingredients from here, choose wisely!" They gestured the table with a hand each.

Tamaki glanced around hesitantly at the intimidating selection of food. "Kanoya-san, what would you like to select?" He turned around to consult his partner, who had been proven to be the better chef of the two.

"Oh no... Whatever you want is fine with me, Tamaki." Megumi flashed a relaxed smiled as she cupped her hands before her legs. "As long as the flavours of the ingredients go together, I can make good curry out of almost anything." She stated.

"I see..." Turning back to the table, Tamaki tapped his chin for a few moments. "Alright then, out of the spirit of adventure, I'll choose..." He hummed as his index finger hovered over the fruits. "This peach and Umeboshi." He concluded, picking up the two items in his hands that did not match Megumi's requirement of 'flavours going together,' causing the brunette's aura to darken for a second.

The twins, however, were on the verge of tears by how incredibly idiotic Tamaki can be."Wise choices, milord!" They wheezed, trying to hold in fits of ground-shaking laughter that threatened to break free from their voices.

"Ah, we had complete faith in you milord, and you didn't let us down." Dramatically patting his hand on Tamaki's shoulder, Hikaru said as he wiped away the excess tear at the corner of his eye.

"Even though you've been in serious mode lately, we knew at least a little bit of it would seep out." Kaoru gasped, still catch his breath from laughing so hard.

"A little bit of what?" Tamaki raised an eyebrow, completely weird out by what the two were saying before turning back to Megumi for final confirmation. "Kanoya-san, are these okay?" He asked, lifting the peach and jar of umeboshi.

"Ah... Yes... Of course..." Hiding away her inner 'chef demon' for the mismatching ingredients, Megumi quickly recovered as she nodded in reluctantly.

Narrowing his eyes at the duo, Hikaru grabbed Tamaki by the shoulders and spun him around, guiding him towards the door. "Yeah, yeah, you're holding up the line. Get going since you've cleared our checkpoint." He hollered as Kaoru shoved the ingredients into a picnic basket and handed it off to Megumi.

"You'll protect us from getting stuck on a desert island, right?" Kaoru teased.

"Do your best for us, okay?" Voices coming together, they waved at Tamaki with wide grins as the doors to Calligraphy Room #1 closed.

 _What was that about?_ Tamaki raised an eyebrow at the shut doors, barely being able to hear Hikaru and Kaoru go back to their game as they entertained the rest of the participants. _And that scripted speech of Haruhi's... everything feels so forced. What are they up to...?_

Before he could put too much thought into it, he noticed something strange about the number of checkpoints now that Hikaru and Kaoru were paired together. "Hold on, they said there were seven checkpoints, didn't they?" He asked, turning to Megumi who pulled out the map in search of their next destination.

"Yes, and there are six checkpoints left," Megumi affirmed, passing the map over to Tamaki who studied it carefully as they began to walk.

"That's odd." The blond rubbed his chin thoughtfully as he skimmed through the map once again. "If the twins are teamed up at one checkpoint, there should be only five host club members left." He pointed out.

"Suoh-kuuuuun~" Suddenly, a creepy voice sounded behind him, startling Tamaki as he dropped the map in fear.

"GAHHHH!" He screeched, leaping away on instinct. Spinning on his heel, he spotted the president of the black magic club, hanging off of the ceiling with his legs hung around a random beam that extended from the walls. "N-Nekozawa-senpai?!" Tamaki stuttered. "What are you doing here?!"

"Hahaha..." With the Belzenef doll twitching on his hand, Nekozawa let out a series of chilling laughs. "I dropped in because the host club members asked for my help-" Before he could finish his sentence, however, gravity had caused his black wig to slip off his head and fall to the ground, revealing his bright blond hair. He blinked a few times as the panic of losing an essential part of his disguise sunk in. "EEEEK! MY WIG!" He shrieked, swiftly covering his head with his hands.

Dressed in a black cloak, Reiko approached the squealing man and picked up the wig. "Here you go, president." She spoke with a blank face, offering the wig over to Nekozawa who snatched it right up from her hands as he leapt down back onto the ground.

"Ahaha... that didn't go so well..." Clearing his throat, Nekozawa placed the wig over his head with an awkward sigh. "I may have overexerted myself. But I feared today might be the last time I could have fun with you, Suoh-kun." He said, glancing up to meet Tamaki's surprised gaze. "So to that end, I had the entire black magic club put forth their greatest efforts to pose this little challenge to you..."

"Hello? Kyo-chan? How are things over there?" Pressing his phone to his ear, Honey chimed.

"There are four teams currently at my station, Honey-senpai," Kyoya reported. "Or perhaps I should say, there are four teams currently grappling the 'Ultimate Stumbling Block' crossword puzzle I gave them. How pleasant." He smirked devilishly as the voices of his 'victims' quickly over-powered his own on the microphone, allowing Honey to be able to hear their frustrated cries in Library #3.

"I brought the history books!" One of Miki's admirers called out to his teammate, still struggling to find the correct answers despite being allowed to do research.

"'The lower eyelashes of a fruit otaku'? What's that?!" Kuze and his football club members were chewing on their pens, trying to figure out the answer.

"My, the answer is right before your eyes." Sitting next to her fiancee, Matsuyama giggled in amusement.

Honey couldn't help but sweatdrop a little. "Your crossword is atrociously hard, isn't it?" He deadpanned.

"Of course," Kyoya said in a definite tone. "I will especially not allow those self-proclaimed members of Miki's 'fan club' to pass so easily."

"You're really enjoying yourself, huh..." Honey couldn't help but chuckle wryly at that statement. He paused for a moment as his eyes floated towards the participant that occupied his station. "Hey, Kyo-chan. Do you think out plan will work?" He asked in an absent voice.

"In the case of Miss Kanoya, yes." Kyoya sighed as he shifted the phone from one ear to the other. "We'll just have to take a gamble on Tamaki." He said.

"Mm..." Honey hummed. "Though I hope this will help cheer up Tama-chan too. After all, Takashi and I have only until March." He reminded as a saddened smile curled on his lips. "And I don't want things to end this way..."

"Honey-senpai..." Kyoya's voiced trailed off. "Could it be you're finally graduating?" He then asked almost in a teasing tone.

"Eh? Of course, we are." Honey's voice perked up as he raised an eyebrow. We're third years, aren't we? What are you implying?" He pouted.

"No, no, I wasn't implying anything." Kyoya shrugged, huffing out a laugh in the process.

"But about Tama-chan..." Honey's voice turned serious once again as he held Usa-chan closer to himself. "I wonder what is weighing so heavily on his mind right now. I hope... This will cheer him up."

"This is a 'Hand of Glory' created in Europe." Holding what seemed to a statue of a severed hand, Momoka spoke almost with complete confidence. "It was made by severing a hand the hand of a corpse and burying it in the ground with Laurel leaves. It is used in curses." She explained.

"Muahaha! You are correct! How splendid!" Nekozawa and the rest of the Black Magic Club members almost immediately applauded for the girl's vast knowledge on the topic of occult and Black Magic.

In the darkened Science Lab #1, Tamaki was stumped. Checkpoint 2 was manned by Nekozawa and the rest of the Black Magic Club. And their specific challenge was 'Identify and Explain the use of a Dark Relic Challenge'. Needless to say, Tamaki was clueless on the subject. Combining that with his blatant fear and trauma of the dark arts, he practically stood no chance of passing this checkpoint. However, it was when he was Megumi called out to him, a sliver of hope appeared.

"Um... Tamaki?" Finding something that seemed strangely out of place, Megumi glanced up and beckoned the blond over. "Do you happen to know what this is?" She asked, presenting an oddly familiar wooden doll shaped like a strangely familiar cat.

"Ah!" Tamaki instantly recognized the object. Snatching it up, he rushed over to Nekozawa. "This is Belzenef doll created by the Black Magic Club!" He shouted, thrusting the voodoo doll at the man. "You write the name of the person you want to curse on the bottom...!"

"Correct! Admirably done!" Nekozawa clapped his hands together before dramatically throwing a set of black curtains open. "You may select two ingredients from this collection." He grinned.

"Ah... Um..." Stepping forward, Tamaki quickly scanned the ingredients in this collection. "Okay, we'll take coriander and... um... wasabi." He decided, causing Megumi to jolt in the terrifying taste Tamaki was building with his disastrous combination of ingredients. Noticing her discomfort, Tamaki glanced over his shoulder. "Kanoya-san? Is something wrong?" He tilted his head.

"Oh, no..." Hiding away the displeasure in his choices, Megumi waved her free hand.

Humming, Tamaki turned back to the array of spices available, noticing a bottle labelled 'turmeric.' "Ah... But turmeric is a popular spice. Hm... Maybe we should take that instead." He recalled as his finger hovered reluctantly over the bottle. Standing behind him, Megumi's mood immediately brightened as watched in silent hope.

"Okay, I guess I'll swap out the coriander with it." Tamaki nodded to himself, causing Megumi's aura to shift back to darkness.

"Or maybe not," The blond changed his mind, putting down the wasabi instead. "I'll swap the wasabi for it." He turned back the brunette, noticing her let out a sigh in relief.

Tamaki blinked a few times at her relaxed expression. For a second there, he felt as if he understood the purpose of the orienteering tournament. However, before he could completely rationalize it, the sound of the door sliding open caught everyone's attention.

"Nekozawa-senpai...! Pardon the intrusion!" Haruhi rushed in, looking as if she had just run a marathon.

"Haruhi?! Why are you here?!" Tamaki's eyes rounded.

"We... We've changed the location of the finish line...!" The brunette managed through her heavy breaths. "The culinary teacher forgot some student kitchens were being repaired today... So I quickly reserved Cooking Room #3 in the south hall for us instead." She huffed, wiping away the dripping sweat on her chin with the back of her hand. "I put a sign up on the door of Cooking Room #1 too but... Just to be sure, can you tell all of the contestants who pass through here?" She requested.

"Certainly, I'm pleased to do so." Nekozawa nodded.

"Ah... Thank you for your help..." Sucking in a deep breath, Haruhi swiftly spun on her heel, preparing to hurry out of the Science Room and not waste any time.

"Wait! Haruhi!" Tamaki called out to her, noticing how she kept massaging at her side. "You aren't planning on running to each of the checkpoints to tell them the news, are you?" His brows furrowed in worry.

"Everyone's too busy dealing with the contestants; they aren't answering their phones." Haruhi reminded, averting her eyes to the side with an exasperated sigh. "If the teams are using different routes to the finish line, I need to get the news to each checkpoint as soon as possible." She explained.

"B-But that's too..."

"Anyways, you make your way to Cooking Room #3 too, Tamaki-senpai!" Before he could even finish his sentence, Haruhi cut him off as she whipped her head around to hide the flush that tinted her cheeks, dashing out of the clubroom in a hurry to complete her mission.

"Ah! Haruhi!" Tamaki reached his hand out towards her fading back, watching her half-run half-stagger away in a slightly dazed trance.

"Fujioka-kun... He's certainly an impressive guy, isn't he?" Placing the spices into the basket, Megumi muttered in amazement.

"Yes... Though an utter lazybones to the core." Tamaki couldn't help but breathe a long sigh.

"Eh?" Glancing up at him, Megumi tilted her head.

"He moves at his own pace. He's unrefined. His comments can be so cutting it's like a surprise attack, and he frequently makes me cry. But he's always earnest and straight-forward, more than anyone I've ever met. He's the type who'd never lie to himself." He listed off as his eyes flickered to a downcast, despite the frustration and confusion that lingered within, a hint of adoration could be found peeking through the sapphire blue.

"Welcome! It's the 'Whack the bunny when it Pops-up' challenge!" In the recreational room, Honey giggled as he held Usa-chan in one arm while the other gestured the giant bunny shaped machine behind him. "It's based on a commoners' game called 'Whac-a-Mole.' I thought it'd be cuter to use bunnies instead!" He explained with a sweet smile, causing all the regulars who gathered at his checkpoint to squeal in adoration.

"Um... Honey-senpai." With Sora cheering her on behind, Sumire stepped up. "I'll go first, then!" She offered.

"Okay! Here's the hammer!" Starting the game, Honey passed the squeaking toy hammer over to her.

"I've got a bad feeling..." Tamaki muttered to himself, watching as Sumire approached the machine.

"Here I go!" Sumire cheered as she leaned forward. One hand held the corner of her uniform dress up while the other kept a firm grasp on the hammer. "Take this! And this!" She giggled, gently tapping the heads of the two bunnies as they popped up.

However, before she could even move onto the third, tears were already filling up Honey's large brown eyes. "Wahh!" He cried, dropping Usa-chan to the ground as he covered his face in horror. "The poor bunnies! Don't hurt them!" He pled, causing Sumire's movements to freeze in guilt.

"Aww! I'm so sorry, Honey-senpai!" She immediately dropped the hammer to the ground, apologizing. "I won't hit them anymore!"

"I knew it..." Tamaki deadpanned as he walked up to the hammer and picked it up.

"Tama-chan, you won't hit the bunnies, will you...?" Staring up with the best watering puppy eyes he could muster, Honey asked hopefully.

"I'm sorry, Honey-senpai." Smiling apologetically, Tamaki raised the hammer over his head as he hardened his heart against those beady eyes. "Victory depends on this, so you must brave through it!" He declared before proceeding to hit all of the bunnies that popped up without hesitation.

"NOOOO! Tama-chan, you meanie!" Honey shrieked in terror as the squeaking sound of the hammer filled the room, each signalling the strike of a bunny. By the time Tamaki had cleared the checkpoint, the lolita was curled up in the corner like a pillbug as he hugged his pink stuffed-bunny protectively. "I hate you, Tama-chan..." He muttered, holding back the tears that filled his eyes.

"Um... I guess we're allowed to pick two more ingredients." Sweatdropping slightly at the boy's depressive stated, Tamaki hummed as he walked over to the table covered in various ingredients. "In that case..." He snuck a glance at Megumi. "Let's get natto... and pike!" He said, causing the brunette to internally scream in terror. "Kanoya-san, what is it?" Turning to her, he cast her startled expression a provoking glance.

"N-Nothing..." She replied, averting her eyes as she covered her bottom lips.

"Really? Okay, then." Tamaki closed his eyes as he placed the natto and pike into the picnic basket.

Sensing the knowing tone in his voice, Honey peeked up curiously. "Tama-chan..." Standing up, he approached the blond.

"Honey-senpai, I think I've figured out the objective of all this," Tamaki stated as his face settled into a gentle smile. "Who was the mastermind behind this?"

"Kyo-chan and Miki-chan started the whole thing, but it was Haru-chan came up with this idea." Honey informed.

"...I see." Huffing out a laugh, Tamaki's eyes crinkled.

"Kanoya-san," Outside the high school building, Tamaki called out to Megumi as they were en route to the main gymnasium towards Checkpoint 4. The late winter wind rustled what leaves were left on the trees above, filling the silence as Tamaki paused. "Right now, there is a certain girl who has awoken feelings in me that I don't know what to do about. There are those who say you resemble her, but I've never thought so. You two are very different and... I think I've been mistaken about a lot of things." He stated, holding a distant gaze in his eyes.

Megumi glanced up curiously, searching through the blond's sapphire-coloured eyes for a hint. "Are you in love with her? That girl...?" She asked.

There were another few moments of silence as Tamaki stared straight ahead hazily. "Yes," He breathed out his response. "And I probably have been for a long time."

 _As cliche as it sounds, what made me realize my feelings was seeing her put in danger because of me. I was so out of my mind with worry I could have died. I blamed the kidnappers; I blamed myself. When I found out she was all right, I then thought the overwhelming relief I felt might kill me. The moments I saw her smile - a smile that wiped away all my fear and misery - I realized._

 _Ah, so that's it._

 _I'm in love with her._

 _That true and simple feeling left a pang in my heart._

 _And then immediately I wanted to die again, as all my past stupidity invaded my mind. Just when did I start misconstructing this? I've always believed I was somewhat of a genius in my own right, so discovering how idiotic I've been has come as a shock. But when I thought genuinely about it while gazing at the tigers at the zoo and strolling with the equestrian club's horses, everything seemed to fall into place. Even Hikaru's comments began to make sense. I realized I might have been clinging too hard to something. I might have been living in fear of something..._

"After you transferred here, Kanoya-san. I became even more certain." Peering down at the brunette who stared back up with curious eyes, Tamaki began to explain. "I saw a lot of similarities between us. I do love my parents, but something inside me had always been bothered by the fact that because my father chose my mother, numerous people I now love were entangled into the situation and ended up hurt. As a result, I've always feared that if I were to hold someone as special, someone else precious to me would suffer." He said, his gaze flickering up to the school building as he took in the pinkish architecture with lavender tones. "I think that's why I've avoided facing my true feelings. Hikaru tried to encourage me, but I guess I lacked the courage to believe. I was a coward who hid away in his shell, seeking only to protect himself. And I began to question myself." He sighed, shoulders dropping slightly. "How could a person like that ever hope to contend with a girl as earnest and unwavering as she?"

"Tamaki..." Megumi's lip parted. She wanted to say something, but something in the back of her voice couldn't form any words other than his name. However, she didn't need to say more as they have finally arrived at the gymnasium, where Mori had been waiting with two kendo swords propped over his shoulder.

"Have you finished your talk?" The giant paced over tot he duo, casting the blond a meaningful glance before tossing the extra sword into his arms. "Then take up a sword, Tamaki. If you want to move forward, you will have to defeat me first." He declared firmly.

"Mori-senpai...?!" Tamaki gawked, utterly dumbfounded at the instructions he has been given. "We're still in the middle of the orienteering tournament, aren't we...?" He panicked, feeling extremely intimidated by the concept of fighting a kendo champion like Mori. "Wait, I have to beat you in kendo?! That's impossible! And not just for me, you'll annihilate everyone!" He immediately began to reason.

"Hey, Suoh! We won our match! We're going on ahead!" Suddenly, a few members of the athletic club appeared with wide grins, surprising Tamaki.

"We nearly got it too!" Tamaki whipped his head around, hearing his regular customer, Tsubaki cheer with glee. He watched as she pushed a kendo sword into a giant barrel, only for Kuma-chan to fly out of the opened top. "Awe... we lost again..." She cooed.

"... My Kuma-chan..." Tamaki sweatdropped, realizing that Mori's challenge wasn't a kendo match. Instead, it was a Japanese luck based game called 'Black Beard's One-Shot Crisis' where the players take turns inserting plastic swords into slots in the sides of what usually is a mini plastic barrel. If a player inserts the sword into a specific slot, black beard is launched out of the barrel, and the player is eliminated. However, in this case, it would be 'Kuma-chan's One-Shot Crisis.' With the stuffed bear replacing Black Beard, while kendo swords replaced mini plastic swords. "B-But I'm glad... If it's a game like this, at least I've got a chance." Letting out a sigh in relief, Tamaki glanced down at the kendo sword, rubbing it for good luck.

"Tamaki, I'll tell you now that you will lose," Mori stated definitely, staring directly at the blond. "This game reflects the strength of a person's heart. A coward like you could never win." He declared, wholly aware that what he was saying, was complete and utter rubbish.

Tamaki, however, completely bought into that garbage as his eyes widened in shock.

"I can feel it... This time, surely!" Almost fifteen minutes and seven losses later, Tamaki panted heavily as he readied the kendo sword in his hands. His eyes darted between the three holes still available before settling on one that looked promising. "This is it...!" He cried, stabbing the sword into the hole as the sound of a click trigger and Kuma-chan came launching out of the barrel.

"Your loss again," Mori said without a change in expression as he caught Kuma-chan in his arms.

"How...?!" Sulking in the corner, Tamaki stared down at his hands incredulously. "It couldn't really be the influence of my heart, could it?" He questioned shakily.

"Someone once told Mitsukuni, 'Being true to yourself is also what it means to be strong.'" Mori's tone turned thoughtful as he began pulling the kendo swords out of the barrel, setting up another round of the game. "The moment Mitsukuni accepted those words - the words I'd never been able to say, I decided to put my faith in that person as well." He said, averting his eyes to glance at Tamaki. "If you don't put your faith in us, that's your choice. But once I've decided to trust someone, I don't make a habit of doubting them. That too, is a form of strength."

"Mori-senpai..." Standing back onto his feet, Tamaki gasped in awe at how cool Mori's words were.

"That's why..." Picking up a sword, he reeled his arm back. "I will never lose this challenge!" He shouted, thrusting the sword through, triggering a click as Kuma-chan came springing out of the barrel.

.

.

.

"You can choose two ingredients for your curry..." Falling to his knees, in defeat, Mori grumbled gloomily.

"M-Mori-senpai..." Tamaki muttered, reaching out slightly to comfort the fallen man. "Um... In that case, we'll take onions and-"

"And garam masala..." Megumi finished with a mumble.

Tamaki blinked, barely being able to hear her voice. He turned, watching the brunette as she kept her gaze glued bashfully to her feet.

"I-I believe onions and garam masala would be best..." Megumi said in a shaky voice, hands gently clutching at the skirt of her dress.

"Um... Sure..." Slowly picking up the ingredients, Tamaki muttered only to feel a slight push on his shoulder. He glanced over his shoulder, seeing the corner of Mori's lips curl into an encouraging smile.

"That's... the gist of it..." Hunched over in front of Art Room #2, Haruhi was practically drenched in sweat as she struggled to catch her breath. She had run throughout the entire school, notifying each station on the change in location of the finish line. Finally, she was done after informing Miki's station. "Miki-senpai, please... the participants that pass by to... Head to... Cooking Room #3." She panted, resting her palms on her knees.

"O-Of course..." Miki blinked a few times as she tilted her head. "Hey, Haruhi." She called out gingerly. "If you wanted to tell everyone the finish line had been moved, you could've just used the PA system, you know?" She pointed out bluntly, causing Haruhi to jolt.

It took a few moments as her already exhausted brain processed Miki's words. Then, her head dropping between her shoulders in defeat. "Please don't mention that..." She grumbled, the air around her turning depressed. "Right now, all I want to think about is making this event a success!" Holding her hand in a fist, she straightened her body as she made that declaration.

"I see." Moved by her determination, Miki giggled airily.

"Now, then if you'll excuse me." Huffing out a breath as she gathered herself, Haruhi turned around and began to make her way down the hall, back towards her designated station.

"Do your best, Haruhi!" Calling after her running figure, Miki waved cheerfully. "I'll be cheering you on!"

"Miki!" It didn't take long before Tamaki's voice rang behind her. She twirled around on her heel, spotting her brother and Megumi rushing towards her, the latter carrying the picnic basket with their curry ingredients.

"Ah! Tamaki-kun, Megumi-san, you're finally here!" Miki clapped her hands together excitedly as she gestured the opened art room door. "Welcome to checkpoint 5!" She beamed.

"Miki-chan!" As the three of them entered, Sora rushed up to Miki, carrying a sheet of paper in her arms. "We are done; could you check it over, please?" She requested eagerly.

"Of course." Miki nodded. "Let's see..." She hummed, rubbing her chin as she examined the paper. Tamaki peered over her shoulder, a little curious to see what sort of challenge she was manning. On the sheet, there were multiple squared filled in with colours organized in value and hue, except for a couple that was manually glued in. "Hm... You have three wrong." Handing it back to her friend, Miki chuckled wryly.

"Ahh! No way!" Sora sighed.

"Um... Miki... What are we supposed to do?" Tamaki's eyebrow twitched, despite asking, he already had a pretty good idea of the objective.

"It's simple, really." Giving a light-hearted giggle, Miki lifted an all-knowing finger. "All you have to do is organize the eight colour blocks onto this sheet by hue and value. You have a total of two handicaps and can use anything handy to help in your quest. Good luck!" She cheered, clearly enjoying this little 'game' of hers very much.

"Simple... In your standards... isn't it?" Sweatdropping slightly, Tamaki turned around to see Megumi already working on one of the puzzles.

"Tamaki, these really are quite difficult." Her brows furrowed in distress as she looked over the blocks. "The colours she's left for us are nearly identical. Without a trained eye or external assistance, it seems practically impossible to sort them all correctly."

"Really? Let me take a look." Pacing over next to the brunette, Tamaki took the sheet in hands as he scanned the colours available and the ones already filled in. He blinked a few times before glancing up at his sister. "Miki, we can use anything at our disposal, right?" He asked for confirmation.

"Of course!"

"Okay, then. Let me try this." Reaching his hand out, Tamaki slid out a blank sheet of paper from the stacks of art supplies in the room.

"Paper?" Megumi watched in awe as Tamaki swiftly organized the coloured blocks, lining them up against the white sheet and comparing them to each other. It didn't take long before he got to work, sorting the blocks out in one fluid motion and gluing them onto the provided worksheet.

"Here you go." Closing the cap of the glue, Tamaki hummed casually as he handed the paper over.

"That was amazing, Tamaki." Megumi was wide-eyed at how the blond finished such a seemingly difficult task all in the matter of minutes. "Where did you learn to do that?" She asked.

"Ah..." Averting his eyes to Miki who was busy looking over his answers, Tamaki stuttered. "Someone important taught me that trick." He explained, turning his attention back to Megumi. "She said it's much easier to differentiate colours by putting them against a natural shade to compare."

Megumi stared up at Tamaki's wistful expression, a little curious on who he was referring to. However, before she could say anything, Miki had finished examining his work.

"Excellent! You got all of them correct!" Giving the duo a radiant smile, Miki praised. "You may pick two ingredients." She instructed, gesturing the back of the room where all the ingredients resided.

"Alright, in that case..." Tamaki tapped his chin slightly. "Let's take sea cucumber and-"

"Ginger and Tomatoes, please!" Megumi immediately cut him off, surprising both blondes at her request. They both turned to stare at her, slightly surprised by her loud declaration. Realizing how she was practically shouting, a pink flush surfaced on Megumi's cheeks as she covered the lower half of her face in embarrassment. "If it's alright with you, please choose ginger and tomatoes..." She muttered, this time in a calmer voice.

"Kanoya-san..." Tamaki blinked a little, feeling a sense of satisfaction after seeing Megumi speak her mind for what seemed to be the first time in a while.

Miki, on the other hand, broke into a beaming smile. Skipping over, she quickly scooped up Megumi's requests into her arms and handed it to her. "Here you go, ginger and tomatoes!" She chimed.

"Miki..." Tamaki murmured as he and Megumi began to make their way out the art room.

"Good Luck, Tamaki-kun!" Holding a hand behind her back, Miki waved with a sweet smile. "I heard Kyoya-kun's checkpoint is extremely difficult, so do your best!" She then balled her hand into a fist as encouragement.

"Y-Yeah..." Huffing out a small laugh, Tamaki nodded. "Let's go, Kanoya-san." He motioned, beginning his dash down the corridor towards the next checkpoint.

"...Okay." Hurriedly nodding her head, Megumi gently placed the ginger and tomatoes into the picnic basket before dashing off after Tamaki.

Standing at the doorway of Art Room #2, Miki watched as her brother's back grew further and further away. _Tamaki-kun, can you hear it? The voices of everyone cheering you on?_ Her eyes crinkled gently as she rested the side of her head against the doorframe. _I don't think you'll ever realize, how precious you are to me. Even before we met, you were my dream, my eyes and my experience in the world. Without your stories from father and Arden, my world would have been a dark shade of gray every day I spent locked up in the mansion._ Standing up straight once again, she pushed off against the wooden doorframe and marched back into the room with a proud grin resting on her lips. _That's why I hope you will cheer up soon. So that all of us, can have fun together again someday._

"Took you long enough. Has your ingredient-gathering gone well?" Leaning his back against a bookshelf in Library #3, Kyoya smirked. Pacing over towards Tamaki and Megumi with crossed arms, he peered into the picnic basket that the brunette kept looped in her arms. "My, such a hazard mix." He hummed, rubbing his chin. "I'm sure fruit curries and pike curries do exist, but I've never heard of them being incorporated together. This will probably make things difficult for you, Kanoya-san. You could give up now and avoid the futile task." He suggested, leaving Tamaki slightly dumbfounded at his off-handed jab.

"No... You see, those aren't the ingredients I chose." Eyes trailing down to the ingredients, Megumi explained. "As long as I chose carefully among the existing ingredients, I should still be able to use them." She assured, tapping her chin thoughtfully. "Even now, if I can just line up the right spices..."

"You think so?" Huffing out a laugh, Kyoya closed his eyes. "Then, by all means, have at my specially crafted crossword puzzle. Incidentally, the football club members, as well as those students, are the first to arrive at this station. And they are still here, as you can see." He said, gesturing the four teams behind him nonchalantly, who were now working together as one team to solve the atrociously hard crossword.

"Gah, this one doesn't fit in the number of squares." One of the students ruffled his hair as he flipped through a reference book.

"The 'E' in this word doesn't line up, either." Another pointed out.

"These questions are evil... Questions like this...!" Kuze grumbled as he held an orange in his hand, furiously chewing on the fruit, rind and all.

"Oh dear, the juice is getting everywhere." Matsuyama giggled, wiping away the sticky orange juice that threatened to stain the test paper.

"Just how hard did you make these questions...?" Tamaki sweatdropped.

"I-I'll go have a look at them." Biting her bottom lip, Megumi picked up a copy of the crossword to have a look for herself.

Seeing their target was currently occupied, Kyoya leaned over towards the blond. "It seems to be going well." He commented.

"Huh?" Tamaki raised an eyebrow.

"About Kanoya-san." Kyoya elaborated.

"Yeah..." Averting his eyes towards the girl in question, Tamaki hummed. "Thought I didn't realize it myself about halfway through, the plan was meant to make her express her own opinions, wasn't it?" He asked.

"Precisely." Readjusting his glasses, Kyoya confirmed Tamaki's suspicions. "Presuming you would naturally choose ridiculous ingredients, we were betting her acquiescence would eventually wear off. Many thanks for acting as predictable as always." He shrugged, speaking in a taunting tone.

"Kyoya... You...!" Feeling an arrow of insult pierce through his chest, Tamaki grumbled.

"Though Kanoya-san's father's specialty is Japanese cuisine, he's actually also quite skilled at cooking curries." Ignoring the apparent annoyance in Tamaki's voice, Kyoya continued. "It's well known to his regular customers. When I heard about it, I thought this plan might work." Turning to his best friend, he cast his wide-eyed expression a knowing glance. "And I should add that Haruhi believed you would surely figure out our plan midway through, and help us succeed." He stated, rendering the blond slightly speechless until Megumi approached him with a troubled expression.

"Tamaki, it really does seem this puzzle will be impossible to solve without some reference books." She said as her brows knitted together worriedly. "It seems even more difficult than the colour theory one."

"Huh? Is it that hard that one reference book won't do?" Tamaki felt a cold sweat escape him as he gingerly took the paper from her hands, eyes rounding a little as he skimmed the questions.

"They're all questions we could answer if we looked them up. It has things like various country cultures, food brands, information about various types of flower and furniture." Megumi described, pointed at a couple of the questions. "Um, for instance... A brand of ceramics established in Tuscany in 1735..." She named.

"That would be Ginori. The club uses their tea sets." Sitting down at one of the desks, Tamaki picked up the pencil as he began to write down the answers.

"In Okinawa Bingata cloth dying, what plant is used to create yellow dye?"

"That would be fukugi."

"In which stadium was the ancient Japanese sport, Kemari, played?"

"Kakari."

"A Simple Spanish Dessert?"

"Flan."

"A piece of traditional Turkish clothing that slips over the head?"

"That's the shalwar, I think..." Pausing for a moment, Tamaki blinked as he realized that he knew the answers by heart, even without the assistance of reference books. Even more so, these questions seemed to link to the past memories of the host club in one way or another. "Huh? These questions...?" He glanced up from the paper toward Kyoya, who avoided his gaze.

"Hey! That's just playing plain dirty, Ootori!" Suddenly realizing something, Kuze leapt up from his seat in anger.

"Oh my, did it just occur to you?" Beside him, Matsuyama couldn't help but stifle a chuckle at how slow her fiance has been.

Ignoring her, Kuze began to flail his arms in anger. "All these questions are related to past host club events or activities the host club's been involved in, aren't they?! You're rigging this race so that Suoh will win! You cheater!" He pointed an accusing finger at Kyoya.

"What an odd thing to say." With a smirk in amusement forming on his lips, Kyoya shrugged. "Our plan was to express 'Everything we do is for our customers.' Which is also our president's motto. And as you can see, our regulars seem to be enjoying themselves immensely." He stated, gesturing Renge as well as a couple of other regular guests behind a stack of reference books, seemingly having a wonderful time as they ventured down memory lane of the past host club events.

"Agh!" Kuze grunted in annoyance.

"And for the hidden theme of today's event," Ignoring Kuze, Kyoya's eyes crinkled softly at his best friend. "It is to compound all the daily gratitude we feel and have everyone recall the history the host club has managed to create together over these two short years we've been a club." He revealed, taking the finished crossword Tamaki handed over.

"Kyoya..." The blond muttered.

"Have you finished solving it already?" With the mood around him quickly shifted back into his usual sharp and intelligent self, Kyoya peered down at the worksheet. "Well done." He commended. "So? Which ingredients would you like to take along? You may choose another two."

"Cumin and Chilli Powder, please!" Megumi quickly shouted, not even giving time for Tamaki to consider.

"Kanoya-san?"

"I... I've never been able to decide anything for myself... So I can't say anything about your situation, Tamaki..." Holding her hand to her chest, Megumi stuttered awkwardly. "But after hearing what you had to say... Though I don't have any confidence in myself, even I have things that I feel strongly about and don't want to give up." Biting her bottom lip, she gazed up at the two boys with eyes of determination. "That's why I'd like cumin and chilli powder, please! I know for certain I want those." She declared.

Seeing the effects of their plan in full motion, a smirk tugged on Kyoya's lips. "Hey, get going." Handing Megumi the ingredients, he then delivered one firm push on the blond's back. "There's one last place you need to go. Haruhi is waiting." He reminded, watching as Tamaki stumble forward before breaking into a light sprint.

 _I can hear it..._ _Everyone's voices._ Staring forward in a slight daze, Tamaki thought to himself. _Those words I could only tell myself in the past... a_ _re now supporting me and pushing me forward..._

 _I'll be alright._

"Welcome to the final checkpoint." Standing in the cafeteria, Haruhi's face remained neutral as Tamaki and Megumi approached her station. "This is the 'Mouth of Truth.'" She announced, motioning the large monument that stood behind her. It was carved out to look like a face with an opened mouth. "If you falsely answer to any of the four questions I will now put to you, your hand will be swallowed up, and you will be unable to reach the finish line." She paused for a moment as her gaze darted between the two. "Kanoya-senpai, please step forward for your team." She named, watching Megumi jolt in surprise.

"U-Um... Alright." Handing the picnic basket to Tamaki, Megumi uttered as she reluctantly extended her hand into the open mouth of the statue.

Taking a deep breath, Haruhi began to ask. "Is your name Kanoya Megumi?"

"Yes."

"Is your hobby cooking?"

"Yes."

"Are you currently in Class 2-A of Ouran Academy?"

"Yes."

"Have you felt discontent or regret since parting with your father and living so far away from him?" Haruhi narrowed her eyes, watching as Megumi's eyes rounded. She clenched a hand to her chest as her gaze dropped.

Realizing that Haruhi was hitting a sore spot, Tamaki rushed to defend Megumi. "Haruhi! A question like that-!"

"N-No..." Before Tamaki could finish his sentence though, Megumi had already managed to formulate a response with her voice. Though it wasn't a very persuasive lie as her arm was instantly pulled in by Kasanoda and Kazukiyo, both of whom were hidden in the statue per request of Haruhi to help.

"EEEEEK! EEK! EEK!" Megumi instantly began to scream in terror as from the outside; it really looked as if her arm was being eaten up. "No! Help! Help!" She cried, flailing her free arm around.

"Kanoya-san!" Tamaki rushed forth, attempting to help the brunette to pull her arm out.

"M-My hand... My hand is trapped inside!" Megumi leaned her body back in an attempt to yank her arm out. "Something warm and fleshy is gripping it...!" She was practically on the verge of tears as her arm only disappeared deeper into the mouth of the monument.

"Haruhi!" Whipping his head around towards the brunette who stood by with a utterly unfazed face, Tamaki shouted. " That's enough! Stop it!"

"I won't." Haruhi refused stubbornly.

"Haruhi!" Tamaki took a step forward as he attempted to reason with her. However, Haruhi only glared up at him, her eyes were a mixture of anger and worry.

"I won't!" She yelled again, taking a step back away from the blond. "Tamaki-senpai, aren't you a liar too?!" She accused. "You promised us that you'd open up, but you're worrying over something on your own again! You were probably thinking you'd resolve it without having to bother anyone about it, weren't you? Were you afraid if you showed us your true thoughts, we'd all pull away? If that's the case, it's far too late for that. We all know your good points and bad points already!" She shouted, her voice drowning out Megumi's horrified screams. "Just as you know Hikaru and Kaoru so well that you can easily tell them apart, we know you well too," Haruhi stated, straightening her posture as she stared Tamaki dead in the eye. "We know you well enough that you would ignore Honey-senpai's tears of persuasion if needed to. And that no matter how intimidated you would have been to face Mori-senpai's ferocity in battle, you would never back down from a challenge. And that even if you have no interest or talent in colour theory, you will make a conscious effort to learn a thing or two about it, just because it interests Miki-senpai. And that even though I wouldn't know the half of it, you would easily be able to solve a crossword puzzle filled with memories we've all shared." Staring earnestly at Tamaki who could only stand there and recall all the checkpoints of the orienteering tournament, Haruhi's hands balled into fists. "You're an egotistical crybaby who is overly spontaneous and likes to grab people by the hands and twirl them around. We know you, can't you understand that? And despite all that... Despite all of that, we're here because we want to be with you!"

Tamaki flinched at that bold declaration, eyes widening as if he had been enlightened by something. Suddenly, the memories of when he first met each member of the club came flashing by his mind. When he first met Kyoya in the Vice Principals office on his first day of school. When he first saw Honey attempting to act tough in the schoolyard with a concerned Mori, a few steps behind. When he first saw Hikaru and Kaoru, viciously turning down a girl's confession with a cruel trick. When he first met Miki as she walked into the classroom to introduce herself. And most importantly, when he first noticed Haruhi, gingerly peeking into Music Room #3, just looking for a quiet place to study.

He froze.

 _Maybe... Maybe it wasn't trauma at all..._

While Tamaki was lost in the realm of his thoughts, Megumi was still struggling to break her arm free. "Please, let me go! Tamaki! Help!" She begged, noticing that he may have been too occupied. "Umfff! Uh... Ahh! Father, help me! I want to come home to Kobe!" Finally, she screamed, squeezing her eyes shut as tears began to tumble down her flushed cheeks. "But there's no way I could tell them that. Father's new business is something he's dreamed of doing for so long, but mother has to protect family traditions too! I know both of them are hurting over this, that's why...!" She sniffled. "That's why I want to support father's dreams of becoming a comedian however I can!"

.

.

.

There was a sudden moment of silence as Tamaki and Haruhi stared at the girl in surprise. "Huh?" The ladder sounded.

"A... A comedian...?" Tamaki followed up, a little stunned by her father's career choice.

"Um... Well, yes..." Momentarily forgetting about her dire situation, Megumi nodded timidly. "H-He says he wants to become an entertainer-chef. He wants to put his knife to good use and create a new type of comical art..." She explained, covering her lips with the tip of her fingers.

Hearing that, Tamaki blinked a few times before his body began to tremble as he attempted to stifle his laughter to no avail. "Pffff!" He spat before howling in laughter, leaving Megumi to deadpan as her hand was still stuck in the 'Mouth of Truth.' "HAHAHAHA! An entertainer-chef!" Tamaki wheezed, slapping his knees as comical tears poured out of his eyes. "I want to see that! I really want to see that! I can't believe that's his new business! Ahahaha!" He bent over, clutching his stomach in a mixture of pain and amusement.

"H-Hey! Tamaki-senpai! You're being rude!" Haruhi scolded, trying to hold back a chuckle or two herself.

"I... I'm sorry... Hee! Hahaha!" Still trying to calm down, Tamaki bit his bottom lip and held a hand in front of his mouth as he waved apologetically. However, before he could say anything else, another series of muffled roaring laughter burst out from the cafeteria table behind him.

"BAHAHA! An entertainer-chef?! What the heck is that?!" The twins chortled, sounding like they were unable to stop themselves.

"Maybe he's going to juggle knives as he cooks! Like those clowns in the circus?" Miki suggested.

"I wonder if he can carve cakes?" Honey then asked.

"I see, I can certainly sympathize with Mrs. Kanoya..." Kyoya hummed.

"I think it's manly," Mori commented.

Tamaki snapped his head around, spotting five phones sitting on top of a cafeteria table, each connected to one of the hosts. "E-Everyone?!" He paced over, picking up two of the phones in surprise. "How long have you been listening in?" He asked, feeling a little awkward.

"Since you left each of our checkpoints," Miki informed. "We've kept our phones on just and connected so that we could hear you."

"Yeah! That was a bellyful of laughs, milord!" The twins pointed out playfully.

"When I heard you laugh again after so long, Tama-chan, I got hungry," Honey giggled.

"If you've cleared the challenge, hurry to the finish line already." Kyoya reminded.

"Curry..." Mori muttered.

 _That's right..._

"Yeah! Hurry and make us curry!" Hikaru and Kaoru urged impatiently through the phone.

 _It wasn't trauma at all._

"Tama-chan, make sure it's mild curry, okay?" Honey requested. "Mild!"

 _It had been my salvation for so long._

"I agree; I would also like my curry mild, please!" Miki chimed.

 _Having friends and family who are so precious that I fear to lose._

"Spicy," Mori said, expressing his ideal taste for curry.

 _It's something I should be thankful for._

"At any rate, we are all heading to Cooking Room #3 right now. Run." Heaving a sigh, Kyoya veered the conversation back on track.

"Gah! Enough! Simmer down!" Despite sounding annoyed and overwhelmed, Tamaki couldn't hide the grin from forming on his lips as he flailed his arms in the air. "Stop talking all at the same time! I can't hear you!"

Haruhi's eyes crinkled, seeing Tamaki finally back to his usual flamboyant and overly dramatic self. Letting out a sigh in relief, she then turned to Megumi, who had finally been freed from the 'Mouth of Truth.' "Kanoya-senpai, I'm sorry we did such a mean thing to you." She lowered her head in apology. "But what you just said, why don't you try telling that to your family too? Because right now, you look truly refreshed, senpai." She suggested, shooting Megumi's wide-eyed expression a sincere smile.

Noticing that sweet look on Haruhi's face, Tamaki couldn't help but stare in a love-struck daze.

 _And that darling girl... I just love her. It's already out of my hands. I feel so happy when I'm near her, so much so that I always end up teasing her. Sometimes, everything is overwhelming, but it only makes me even more certain._ He thought, eyes gazing down towards the phone connected to Hikaru and Kaoru. _For a long time now, I've been in love with her._

After the Orienteering Tournament, two people met outside in the central gardens of Ouran Academy. The late winter winds beat against the trees, harshly rustling the branches and snapping twigs as they tumbled onto the cobblestoned path. Even so, there were hints of green that sprouted and clung desperately to the tips of the branches, signalling the soon arrival of spring and the cherry blossoms within. "Sorry for everything up until this point, Hikaru." Tamaki smiled wryly as he approached the elder of the twins. "And thank you."

"It's fine." Rubbing the back of his neck, Hikaru mumbled. "So, you finally realized?" He asked.

"Yeah." The blond nodded, taking a deep breath. "I, too, am in love with Haruhi." He confessed.

"Right." Lowering his gaze, Hikaru muttered.

"I really love her," Tamaki stated once again, tilting his head as a love-struck smile pulled at his cheeks, burning himself into Hikaru's memory.

A/N: OKAY! JESUS THIS ARC WAS SO LONG! I swear, if I actually wrote my own book at this pace, ten of these chapters would make a full-length novel already. However, the next chapter will be even LONGER, so... Be prepared for that...?

Thank you for everyone who wished me luck on my exams! Fingers crossed I did well!

Alright, everyone! We have eight more chapters before the main story is a wrap. We can do this!


	48. 43 Joys of a Production Designer!

_-Chapter 43-_

 **Joys of a Production Designer!**

Humming with a light skip to her step, Suzuno made her way down West Wing of the Second Suoh mansion where the siblings' rooms were. She was in charge of waking the two up and calling the two down for breakfast whenever the elder of the two failed to do so. And seeing as breakfast was almost ready, and there was hardly any ruckus coming out of the west wing, she figured she'd check on them just in case.

Arriving before Tamaki's room, she knocked gently before entering and bowing. "I beg your pardon, Master Tamaki. Breakfast is ready-EEK!" Before she could say anything else, however, a strong blast of wind nearly knocked her off her feet as she let out a shriek. Covering her face to stop the beating winds from getting into her eyes, she hurriedly took a quick scan of the room. For some reason, Tamaki stood with his back towards her as he faced the balcony doors that were thrown open, posing dramatically. The curtains were batting in the violent winds, fluttering behind him like a cape of some sort. Even with Suzuno's warm winter get it, she still felt as if she was about to freeze over in the chilliest winter. She was about to try and venture forth to close to the balcony door to close them when a small whimper caught her attention. She glanced to the side, noticing Antoinette curled up underneath Tamaki's bedsheet, shivering like crazy in the cold.

"Ah! Antoinette!" Deciding to rescue the dog first and call for back-up later, Suzuno rushed over and used her back to shield the pup as she guided it out of the room. "Oh my, you poor thing, suck in such a chilly room! Let's go to Miss Miki's room, that'll warm you up!"

 _What an exhilarating morning..._ Tamaki thought as he stared out into the overcast sky with a delusional mind. _A sparkling sun... Gently swaying trees... Little Birds chirping... Everything is more beautiful than ever before._ He breathed in deeply, feeling extremely satisfied with himself. _Who knew being true to your heart was such a wonderful thing? I want to shout this feeling out to the world right now!_ He held his hand before his chest, not noticing Suzuno who was hurrying the whining golden retriever out of the room behind him.

Exhaustion.

That was the first sensation Miki felt as she began to stir from her sleep. She groaned a little, shifting her limbs, only to notice that her joints were unusually stiff and that she was not laying in the comfortable space of her bed. Curious to see where she was, she moved her head, hearing her neck crack with each movement she made. Her curtains were undrawn, allowing the overcast sky to bring hints of light to her room. Sitting up and reaching her arms up, she let out a small yawn before blinking her eyes open.

"Oh," Rubbing the tears out of her eyes, Miki hummed as the darkened screen of her drawing tablet faded in and out of view. "I must've fallen asleep." She murmured as her voice began to trail off as she thought about her designing.

Since she was far too worried about Tamaki, Megumi and helping with preparations for the orienteering tournament, she hardly had the time or energy to even focus on completing her final design for the production internship. With the deadline approaching fast, she had nearly pulled an all-nighter sketching, trying to come up with the concept for the perfect centrepiece of her portfolio.

However, unlike all the other times when she drew production sketches for host club events or for her sheer pleasure, the inspiration with just not coming. Whenever she put her stylus to screen, her mind would simply fall blank, and she'd have no idea what to draw. She'd push through that feeling and manage to sketch something up, but it just didn't feel... right.

 _Why can I not come up with something?_ She sighed, about to collapse onto her desk once again when her door was thrown open after a hasty knock. The sound of the howling wind, as well as Antoinette whining, quickly caught her attention, waking her up. She jolted up from her seat, watching as Suzuno hurried in with Antoinette, shutting the door behind her.

"Suzuno, what's wrong?" She asked.

"F-Forgive me for entering in such a hurry, Miss Miki." Lowering her head into a bow, Suzuno released a long-held breath. "Master Tamaki has opened the balcony door of his room, and it was absolutely freezing in there, I figured that I would take Antoinette to hide out in your room for a while." She explained, watching as the golden retriever ran into Miki's arms as she knelt down.

Tensing as the dog's cold fur came into contact with her skin, Miki blinked a few times feeling ten times more alert than she was before. "Why did he do that? It's so cold out today." She chuckled wryly, hurrying to use her body head to warm up Antoinette.

"I do not know. He has been acting quite strange lately. " The maid stated as she shook her head. "For the past week, he has been super quiet and deep in thought; we were all quite worried for him. But then he returned home yesterday, requesting that we immediately order a segway that he can use to ride to school today." She said, cupping her cheek. "I wonder what happened?"

Running a hand through Antoinette's fur, Miki averted her eyes up as she thought for a moment. Kaoru did message her last night, telling her that Tamaki had finally realized his feelings and that he confronted Hikaru about it... Miki paused for a moment as she replayed Suzuno's statement in her head. She peered up curiously. "Segway?" She repeated, tilting her head.

In the chilly winter morning, the students of Ouran Academy were making their way through the gates, all bundled up in snow jackets, mittens and scarves. Among the cluster of students, the host club members par Haruhi and Tamaki were also making their way through the crowd, being greeted by classmates left and right. It seemed like the orienteering tournament had left a lasting impression on the school. However, everyone couldn't help but notice that the usually bubbly and cheerful strawberry blonde was sulking in the middle of the group.

"I don't understand why you are so upset," Kyoya stated aloofly.

"It's not fair!" Miki whined, flailing her arms childishly. "I wanted to ride on a segway to school too! It was so much fun when I tried it out at home; it was like gliding on air!" She explained, holding her hands together before her as her hazel eyes began to twinkle at the memory.

Readjusting his bag under his arm, Kyoya sighed. "Your body is not strong enough to withstand the cold while riding on an open-top vehicle, Shima-san said so herself." He reminded. "And quite frankly, I agree with that."

Hearing that, Miki couldn't do anything but grumble and pout. Puffing her cheeks out, she sunk the bottom half of her face into the warmth of her cream coloured scarf as the group made their way past the front gardens and towards the main building.

Seeing such an expression on his underclassman, Honey chuckled. "Miki-chan, puffing your cheek out makes you look really cute, you know?" He teased.

"So, did Milord just take off with the segway then?" Hikaru asked, seeming a little more quiet than usual.

Still pouting a little, Miki nodded. "He said he'd use it to head to the afternoon meetings at father's workplace from now on, so we wouldn't need to send out two limos." She explained.

"How is Tama-chan by the way?" Tilting his head, Honey then asked. "Was he feeling better after the tournament yesterday?"

"I don't know," Miki hummed. "Suzuno did mention that he was acting a little strange last night." She informed.

"Ah... You mean like that...?" Staring at the side of the cobblestone path, Kaoru mumbled, looking a little disturbed.

Everyone followed his gaze, spotting Tamaki and Haruhi already causing a major ruckus first thing in the morning. Tamaki was on the ground, in the middle of an emotional overload as he panted heavily with flushed cheeks, looking more like a creepy pervert than the princely character he was meant to be. Haruhi, on the other hand, remained at least ten feet away from him, holding her bag up as a shield, looking utterly repulsed.

"Gruh... Grave... Share a grave... W-With me... N-No... A family grave... Let's..." Tamaki muttered, extending a hand out towards her as he stumbled on his words, not knowing what to say. "No! I can't breathe and my eyes keep watering" He gasped, slowly inching closer only for the brunette to back away in fear for her safety.

"Please don't come close to me!" She warned.

"Making a fuss first thing in the morning. What a moron." Kaoru's brow twitched in disgust at how creepy Tamaki's words were.

"Isn't that considered sexual harassment?" Miki cocked her head to the side, tapping a finger to her chin.

"Is it true Tama-chan finally realized how he feels?" Honey's big brown eyes widened in amazement.

With a smug smirk, Kyoya turned to glance at Hikaru who stood behind him. "He told you directly yesterday, didn't he?" He asked.

"Ah, I guess..." Rubbing the back of his neck, Hikaru shrugged.

"Oh! Good Morning, everyone." Whipping his head around at the familiar voices, Tamaki greeted the hosts. "It's terrible - I've caught some kind of sickness that prevents me from speaking properly." Scrambling over to his friends, he began to cry. "A-Am I going to die?!" He asked.

Crouching down, Miki gently patted her brother's soft hair. "There, there. You're not going to die." She reassured with a chuckle.

"You're talking enough to be annoying, so you're fine," Kyoya asserted.

"Actually, you may be louder than usual." Kaoru sweatdropped at his pathetic behaviour.

"Hehe. Good Morning, Tama-chan." Honey giggled.

"Morning." Mori greeted.

"Hikaru..." Spotting the ash-brown-haired twin, Tamaki's eyes rounded.

"...Good Morning." Hikaru murmured, averting his eyes awkwardly.

Suddenly, the blond stood up, wordlessly and patted his hands on Hikaru's shoulders as his gaze grew pitiful.

"Why are you looking at me in that irritating way?" Hikaru felt his eyebrow twitch in irritation at how obnoxious Tamaki was being.

"Hikaru, I'm sorry..." Tamaki muttered.

"You already told me that yesterday!" He grumbled.

"No, it's not that..." Shaking his head, Tamaki leaned in closer as he closed his eyes. "You see, it's become apparent to me that most likely... most likely Haruhi..." He took a deep breath before pressing a hand to his chest dramatically. "Haruhi is in love with me." He stated, surprising everyone as they stared at the duo in astonishment.

There was a small silence as Hikaru's mind processed the information. "She... She told you that?" His eyes widened in dread.

"No, but you can see it immediately from the way she acts. " Turning towards the school building with a love-struck smile, Tamaki gestured Haruhi's back as she sprinted up the main set of stairs. "Overcome with bashfulness, see how she scurries away into the safety of the school building?" He described.

"Well, the bell is about to ring. Haruhi isn't the only one who'd want to hurry inside." Kaoru pointed out with a deadpan.

"But see how her face is flushed scarlet..." Not giving up in his delusions, Tamaki tried again.

"That's because it's cold." Honey reminded. "Takashi and I are both red too."

Grumbling slightly, Hikaru took a deep breath as he attempted to remain calm. "You sure are confident about your chances, despite being so befuddled for so long that you couldn't make any kind of move until yesterday." He commented, feeling his eyebrows knit together in irritation.

"Ah, about that." Throwing up a peace sign, Tamaki grinned. "It turns out that it wasn't trauma at all! Because I'm a genius, I wasn't traumatized." He beamed happily, causing everyone to become even more confused.

"Wait, then why were you so quiet and serious for so long?" Miki questioned. "You had everyone super worried!" She reminded.

"Hmm... I suppose you could call it a slump." Rubbing a hand to his chin, Tamaki explained with a few curt nods. "After all, even geniuses fall into a slump once in a while."

"Um... Then what about all the effort we put into helping you overcome your trauma...?" Seeing his twin's brain was about to short circuit from Tamaki's idiocy, Kaoru stepped in to ask.

"Ah! Many thanks for that!" Eyes brightening, Tamaki chirped. "I now fully understand how deeply you all love me. It's due to you all that I was able to reconfirm our friendship and discover this miraculous feeling called 'love.'" He stated, pressing a hand to his chest in gratitude. "I have been reborn! And while I do feel bad for Hikaru, this is a conflict in which men must engage in. Now that I've confirmed Haruhi's mutual affection for me, my heart is burst with the warmth of spring!" He recited as if the nonsense he had sprouted was some sort of poem. "I know! Let's throw a party! A birthday party for the newly reborn me!" Lifting an all-knowing finger, he suggested, causing Hikaru's blank face to melt away as his features turned into a scowl.

 _I'll kill him!_ He thought as the veins on his forehead tightened, threatening to pop.

Watching the situation unfold, Kyoya couldn't help but let out a barely audible chuckle, catching Miki's attention. She peered up curiously, noticing that the corners of his lips were curled upward in a nostalgic smile and there was a soft glow in his dark eyes.

"Kyoya-kun? Is something wrong?" She tilted her head to the side.

"Sorry," Realizing that he had been caught, Kyoya quickly recomposed himself. "I was just thinking that it feels just like old times again." He explained, vaguely.

"Huh?"

"It's nothing." Brushing it off, Kyoya glanced over at Tamaki before turning his attention back to the strawberry blonde. Now that he was getting a good look at her, he noticed how she looked a little different than he remembered. She looked paler, thinner and weaker. The dark circles around her eyes also seemed more prominent. His brows furrowed. "Miki, have you been sleeping properly?" He inquired.

"Hm..." Averting her eyes upwards, Miki hummed. "I did stay up pretty late sketching last night, why?" She tilted her head.

Kyoya didn't immediately respond. Instead, he shifted his attention to her forearm, studying it for a few moments before closing his eyes. "It's nothing," He shook his head, "Try not to skimp out on sleep." He said before turning and walking towards the school building, not wanting to be late for class.

Hurrying to follow him, Miki blinked a few times as she stared up at him. "You too, Kyoya-kun." She replied, breaking into a sweet smile. "If you do, your panda eyes get worse, you know?" She pointed out bluntly.

"Worry about yourself first." Feeling his eye twitch, Kyoya warned as he reached up to gently tap her on the side of her head.

Afterschool, the Host Club was closed that day for a monthly meeting to go over the events for the upcoming month. However, instead of the sound of discussion, fainting singing could be heard coming out of Music Room #3.

"Happy Birthday to Me~ Happy Birthday to Me~ Happy Birthday New Tamaki~ Happy Birthday O King!" Standing at one of the gathering tables, Tamaki held a beautiful strawberry cake in his arms as he placed the base of the cakestand down. "Yes! That should do for the practice run! Cake: Check! Drinks: Check! Vocal Chords Primed and Ready: Check!" He crossed his arms proudly, ticking off a mental checklist as he scanned the decorated clubroom with pride.

"Yay! Cake! Cake!" In the face of such a luxurious and delicious looking cake, Honey was practically beaming with enthusiasm despite the absurdity of this party.

"Hey... Do all of us really have to be here for this farce?" On the other side of the room, Hikaru, Kaoru, Kyoya and Miki gathered at one table. Kaoru glanced back at the stupid set-up Tamaki had prepared within a day. "Can't we just go home?" He grumbled, resting his chin on his hands.

"I don't care either way about the so-called 'new Tamaki' here, but we do need to have our meeting to plan next month's club event," Kyoya stated, already busy estimating the profit of the club from the month of January. Miki sat next to him in utter silence, completely absorbed in sketching on her tablet.

"'New Tamaki,' huh?" Kaoru hummed, narrowing his eyes slightly at the notion. "I mean I wanted Milord to go back to being as energetic as he used to be, but I didn't think that his energy level would ascend to yet another level..." Dropping his forehead to his hands, he let out an exasperating sigh. "He was a fool, but now he's an even bigger fool." He said, casting a side glance towards the blond who clapped his hand together with a goofy smile.

"Ah! I've got to make place cards!" He suggested. "The seat arrangement at a party is essential!"

"By the way, where is Haruhi?" Ignoring his antics, Kyoya asked.

"In the library."

"Hm... I'll put Mori-senpai here, and Honey-senpai here." Walking around the tables, Tamaki began to set down handmade place cards he drew up during class. "And... Haruhi can sit next to me." He decided with a final nod as he placed down Haruhi's card labelled 'Suoh Haruhi' next to the cake.

"Wow, it has a nice ring to it! Suoh Haruhi!" Honey complimented, his mood entirely influenced by the presence of cake in the room. Hearing that, Hikaru immediately pulled out his phone and began to fidget with it.

"Hee Hee." Scratching the back of his head, Tamaki chuckled with a slight blush on his cheeks. "I thought it might be a tad precipitous, but one must prioritize both parties precious feelings-"

"The kanji for 'Suoh Haruhi' is made up of 22 strokes," Cutting the blond off, Hikaru began to read an internet fortune off of his phone with a sour expression, "The fortune says that 22 strokes means back luck for the household. 'A rich household will meet its ruin.'" He stated, causing Tamaki to freeze up.

"Right! Then I'll change my name to Fujioka." Grabbing a pen, he quickly scribbled out the original words and began to jot down a new name when Hikaru stepped in again.

"'Fujioka Tamaki: Extremely bad luck for the household. The end of a life of luxury will certainly end in divorce.'" He read.

"I know! Haruhi de Grantaine!" Finally, Tamaki lifted an all-knowing finger as a light bulb formed on his head. "That way, we won't have to worry about things like kanji stroke count!" He concluded proudly.

"Wasn't Haruhi saying she wanted to be a lawyer? She'd have a hard time with such a bombastic name. It'd be hard to remember." Hikaru jabbed, putting his phone away in irritation.

"Then we'll get a custom couple name!" Whipping his head around, Tamaki yelled. "Why are you saying nothing but mean things?! Hasn't our manly conflict been resolved?!"

"Resolved?! When and where was it resolved?!" Hikaru snapped back aggressively. "Anyways, Haruhi hasn't said she like you, has she?! Getting all carried away misinterpreting a girl's feelings is incredibly uncool!" He yelled, pointing an accusing finger at Tamaki. "You are a creepy stalker! An enemy of women!" He shouted.

Tamaki blinked a few moments as he thought over Hikaru's words. Then, he glanced up and placed a hand on his shoulder. "If vilifying me will revive your spirits, then..." Pressing his other hand against his chest, he gave Hikaru a sincere smile. "By all means, let it all out." He proposed.

Despite the good-nature in his offer, Tamaki's words only added fuel to the fire and riled Hikaru up even further. Snatching up the 'birthday cake' Tamaki had prepared, he was about to toss it over when Mori, Honey and Kaoru rushed to restrain him. "Let me kill him! Right now!" He growled, charging forward in an attempt to escape Mori's iron grip.

"Calm down, Hikaru!" Holding his twin back by the shoulders, Kaoru pled. "If you become a felon, consider how tough it'll be on me as we have the same face!" He warned.

"Wahh! Hika-chan! Not the cake!" Honey cried with tears in his eyes as he attempted to pry the cake away from him.

"Let go!" Not listening to his younger brother, Hikaru grunted. "I hate myself for thinking for even a second that I could lose to someone like him! It isn't over this or that about Haruhi anymore! I cannot... I just cannot stand to lose to that idiot!" He declared, pointing at Tamaki who aloofly went back to setting up place cards. "I swear if something doesn't happen right now to shut him up, I will kill him!" He threatened, trying to struggle out of Mori's grip.

Ignoring the chaos that was taking place behind him, Tamaki hurried over to his sister with a goofy grin. "Miki~ Why don't you chose your own seat?" He offered. "My darling sister can sit anywhere she pleases! Aren't you glad that Haruhi will soon be your sister-in-law?" He asked, receiving no response. Leaning to the side, Tamaki gently tapped her shoulder. "Miki?" He called out to her.

As Tamaki's hand made contact with her shoulder, Miki suddenly felt a jolt shoot down her right hand as it immediately began to cramp up. "Ah!" She yelped in pain, dropping her stylus to the ground as she held her arm protectively to her chest, her fingers feeling completely numb with no senses.

"Miki-chan?"

"Huh? Miki?" Dropping the idiocy, Tamaki instantly when on high alert at the visible signs of distress she was in. "Miki, what's wrong?" He asked, watching in worry as she began to grip at her forearm over her uniform sleeves.

"It's nothing..." Tears prickling the corner of her eyes, Miki reassured with a pained smile. "If I just shake it out, it will..." She said, about to shake her hand out when Kyoya leaned forward and caught her wrist in his drip. She blinked a few times, surprised by his sudden action. "Kyoya-kun, what are you-"

"Hold still." Dismissing her protests, Kyoya immediately rolled up the sleeves to her uniform, narrowing his eyes at sight. Her forearm, from elbow to wrist was completely swollen and beet red. Her thin fingers twitched lightly, feeling extremely sensitive and vulnerable as the cold winter air washed against her skin. He clicked his tongue. "As I thought," He said. "Your entire forearm is inflamed."

"This is what we call, Repetitive Strain Injury. It happens when your muscles, nerves and tendons constantly go through a repetitive movement and become overused. Yours is most likely developed from spending a large amount of time drawing. It's still in early stages, so it's manageable without drugs or surgery. I would recommend getting plenty of rest, taking breaks, a couple of stretching exercises and occasionally icing it. Do those, and it will get better in no time."

"Miki-senpai! Milord!" Hikaru and Kaoru immediately jumped to their feet as the curtains to the Nurse's office were drawn open, Miki and Tamaki exiting from it. The rest of the Host Club members, including Haruhi who joined them from the library, followed close behind.

"Everyone..." Breaking into a soft smile, Miki greeted her friends. "Thank you for waiting for me." She beamed.

"Miki-chan, does it still hurt? Are you alright?" With his large beady eyes filled with tears, Honey pressed anxiously.

"It's just a strain, it'll be better in no time," Miki assured, glancing down at her forearm, now wrapped in some sort of cooling gel.

"Seriously, you've been working yourself too hard!" Kaoru complained.

"I'm sorry for worrying you all." Scratching her cheek, Miki laughed guiltily. "I've been too caught up with trying to draw up the final piece for my portfolio; inspiration just doesn't seem to be coming." She explained with a wry smile.

Tamaki watched as his sister continued to converse with the club members in silence. His eyes trailed down to her bandaged forearm, studying it for a few moments as he became lost in his thoughts. Now that he reflected on it, she had been so focused on completing that final piece. Lately, she had been eating less and less for dinner. He remembered faintly hearing her voice muttering to herself late into the night, wondering why none of her sketches felt right. His brows furrowed slightly - the thought worried him.

"Even so, it's important to take care of your body, senpai." Like a worried mother, Haruhi scolded. "It'll be terrible if you couldn't draw anymore."

"Ahaha..." Chuckling awkwardly, Miki hurried to change the subject. "By the way," Turning on the ball of her foot, she twirled around to face Tamaki. "We still need to hold that meeting and celebrate 'New Tamaki-kun's' Birthday right?" She asked, causing Hikaru and Kaoru to flinch.

"Um... Is it someone's birthday today?" Haruhi asked, raising a questioning eyebrow.

"Hehe, that's right." Honey nodded in agreement. "We still need to finish the cake."

"Then let's go back to the clubroom," Miki clasped her hands together in excitement. "I can't wait to hear what sort of ideas we have in mind for this month's event!" She cheered, about to walk out of the nurse's office when Tamaki stopped her in her tracks.

"That will not be happening," He stated firmly, grabbing Miki's shoulder and pulling her back to face him.

"Tamaki-kun?" Miki's eyes rounded in surprise.

Tamaki narrowed his eyes, examining his sister's pale and slightly sunken face. "Miki, from today onward, you will be temporarily relieved of your duty as the production designer of the club." He announced.

A sudden silence filled the waiting room of the infirmary as everyone stared, astonished by the blond's declaration. Miki blinked a few times, her mind slowly processing Tamaki's words. "What, why?!" After a few long seconds, she blurted. "Why, Tamaki-kun? You heard the nurse. She said it would get better. I promise I'll properly take care of myself so-"

"That's not the issue here," Tamaki shook his head, trying not to raise his voice as to not engage in a shouting contest with his sister. Taking a deep breath, he recomposed himself. "Miki, why do you like to draw production sketches?" He questioned, watching as her hazel eyes widened in surprise at the sudden question.

"Why you ask..." Miki gritted her teeth. "Because it was only through those sketches that I could experience the outside world!" She snapped, subconsciously leaning forward as a sign that she wasn't backing down. "I was trapped up in the main mansion for so long; I drew production designs to show myself what the world looked like for the outside!" She exclaimed, digging her nails into her palms in frustration.

"But you aren't trapped anymore, are you?"

Miki stilled at those words.

Resting a hand to his hip, Tamaki sighed. "Do you want to know why you don't have any inspiration right now, Miki?" He asked, locking eyes with her probing ones. "It's because you're drawing without a clear purpose. You are drawing for the sake of drawing. You are not trapped anymore; you are with us, so you can't keep going on with that mentality." Leaning down, he gently rested his hands on her shoulders. "You said you wanted to present a piece that conveys where you stand in the design world. How can you do that when even you don't know yourself?" He questioned rhetorically, causing Miki's body to stiffen.

Miki's gaze dropped to the tiled ground, unable to form a reply. "I... I..." She muttered, biting her bottom lip in frustration as she realized that every word her brother spoke was correct.

Seeing as she was going to follow his decision obediently, Tamaki backed away. "When is the deadline for submission?" He asked in a softer voice.

"...In a month, right before Honey and Mori-senpai's graduation." Miki replied.

"Then I'll give you two weeks," Reaching up, Tamaki gently ruffled her hair to assure her that he wasn't upset. "During that period of time, you are free to do whatever you want, but we will not utilize any of your designs for our club events. Is that alright, Kyoya?" Tamaki asked, glancing over his shoulder to check with the budget manager of the club.

"I have no objections to that," Kyoya shrugged, readjusting his glasses.

Turning his attention back to her, Tamaki continued as he gave her shoulder an encouraging squeeze. "After two weeks are up, you will give me your answer. Understood?" Tilting his head, he offered a warm smile.

Keeping her glued to her feet, Miki slowly nodded.

"I see, so that's what happened." Sora hummed as she sat with her arms rested against the backing of Tamaki's chair, borrowing the blond's seat while he was off conducting club activities.

A few days after Tamaki's decision to grant Miki a temporary leave as the Host Club's production designer, Miki was still stumped on what to do. She had a week and a half left to find a response to Tamaki's question, and she had no idea where to start. Thus, she ended up sharing her woes with Sora, who initially came to give her another one of her weekly update on her new blossoming relationship with Kotaro.

"That's why you weren't at the host club yesterday," Resting her chin on her folded arms, Sora commented as her gaze flickered up to the ceiling. "I was worried that you quit the club for some reason."

"What? No, I would never!" Shaking her head, Miki quickly waved her hands.

"I know, I know." Propping an arm to her cheek, Sora shifted her position again. "Miki-chan, you always look so happy when you are with Tamaki-sama and Kyoya-sama, I know you won't quit the host club." She smiled reassuringly.

"Sora-chan..."

"How about we do this?" Standing up from Tamaki's seat, Sora stretched out her back with a lazy yawn. "Let's pick up Sumire-chan and head to Shibuya City! I know a place with great tiramisu that I'm sure you'll love." She suggested with a wink.

"Tiramisu?" Miki's eyes immediately began to twinkle at that word. "Let's go, let's go!" She applauded, jumping up along with her friend.

"Alright, then!" Grabbing her school bag, Sora looped her arm through Miki's as they made their way across the mostly empty classroom and into the long hallway. "One re-energizing tiramisu, let's go!" Raising a fist into the air, she cheered as her ponytail bouncing happily with each move she made.

"By the way, where is Sumire-san?" Miki asked with a small head tilt.

"Huh?" Glancing over, Sora studied the blonde. "Oh, I guess you wouldn't know. She's with her little sister in the elementary school division." She explained.

Miki's eyes rounded in surprise at the new information. "Sumire-san... Has a little sister?" She repeated. Now that she thought about it, Sumire did strike her as the type that would have a little sister.

"Mhm! Kazehara Reira." Sora cooed, cupping her hands together as if she could see the little girl right before her. "She's a super cute and looked a lot like Sumire-chan. But she's extremely frail and gets sick very often, so she's been cooped in the hospital for a long time. This is her first month back at school." She informed.

"Is that so...?" Miki hummed, blinking a few times.

"Reira, you shouldn't do this." Standing in the lavender coloured halls, Miki and Sora could see their friend kneeling next to a little girl with long brown hair secured under a headband who's facial features looked practically identical to Sumire. "Being this way, you'll never make any new friends, you know?" She scolded with a mildly concerned expression on her face.

"Sumire-chan!" Sora waved, catching the brunette's attention.

"Sora-san, Miki-san." Standing back up, Sumire covered the bottom half of her mouth in surprise. "What brings you two here?" She asked.

"We were just wondering if you wanted to join us for cake in Shibuya," Sora explained before leaning forward and turning her attention to the little girl in the pink elementary school uniform. "Of course, you are welcome to join us too, Reira-chan." She grinned.

"Oh, that's right," Taking her little sister by the shoulders, Sumire lightly shoved her towards Miki. "Miki-san, this is my little sister, Reira. Reira, this is another dear friend of mine, Miki-san. Say hello." She introduced.

"Reira-chan, was it?" Lowering her body, Miki beamed gently. "It's a pleasure to meet you."

"Good Afternoon." Without a change in her blank expression, Reira curtsied.

After nodding a few times at the satisfaction of being graced with Reira's cuteness, Sora glanced back up at her best friend. "By the way, is something wrong? We could hear you scolding the poor girl halfway down the hall." She informed, throwing her bag over her shoulder and shifting her weight to one side of her feet.

"Oh, I'm sorry you had to see that..." Embarrassed that her friends saw such a private family affair, Sumire lowered her head regretfully. "But this girl says wants to cancel her birthday party that's being held next week, simply because the event coordinator isn't doing the job to her liking." She informed, casting her little sister a worried look.

"Eh?! Why?" Sora's eyes rounded. "If you're not happy with the event coordinator, then just ask for another one. Either way, why is there a need to cancel the party?"

"Because she says that no matter how many coordinators we switch to, they will not be able to arrange the party the way that she wants it," Sumire explained, resting her hands on Reira's thin frame with an anxious glimpse in her eyes.

Heaving a long sigh, Sora's gaze flickered up. "Well, I suppose her standards would be pretty high since this is her first party since being discharged." She chuckled awkwardly, scratching the back of her head. "So what kind of party does she want?"

Sumire fell silent at the question, silently conveying to her friend that she too had no clue. Glancing down, she stared at her little sister who's dark chocolate coloured eyes remained in a downward cast.

Miki blinked a little, finding the interaction between Sora and Sumire a little strange. If the matter concerned Reira, why didn't that just ask her themselves? She was standing right there, after all. She then turned to her attention to Reira, studying the little girl who held herself with a remarkably sophisticated and refined aura, despite her young age. However, beyond all of that, Miki could still feel a sense of sadness and loneliness that strangely resonated within her. She crouched down to see eye-to-eye with the girl. "You see, Reira-chan, I am a production designer, but I do know a thing or two about event coordination. The event coordinator needs to know what you want to set up the party to your liking, or else they will never be able to organize the party you want." She described patiently, reaching to take Reira's hands in hers. "Tell me, what does Reira-chan want at her birthday party?" She asked, flashing a soft smile.

Reira's chocolate-coloured eyes widened a little. She was not used to people asking her questions in such a direct manner. It's been so long; it made her a little bashful. "I... I want to invite my friend." She mumbled, shifting her eye line down a little to avoid Miki's gaze.

"Your friend?" Repeating her words with a curious tone, Miki urged the girl to continue.

The little girl nodded clumsily. "I made a friend when I was staying at the hospital last year." She explained, retracting her hands and allowing them to fall before her legs. "I... I want her to come to the party too but... She... She's a commoner. She would be made fun of if she came to my party..." She stuttered, eyes hidden behind a thick layer of bangs.

"Reira, I'm sure we could invite her to a private party at our house sometime instead," Sumire suggested, gently rubbing the little girl's elbows.

"Yeah, having two separate birthdays, doesn't that sound more fun?" Sora nodded in agreement.

"But... I want to invite her." Voice cracking slightly, Reira sounded like she was on the verge of tears. "I can't have a party with my classmates. If I just invite them alone, my hands start to get sweaty, and my legs become like jelly... I get so scared I can't look them in the eyes..." She paused for a moment, hiccuping lightly. "I... I want to get along with them, but... I'm scared..." She admitted quietly, scrunched her pale pink skirt with her little clammy hands.

"Reira..." Sumire muttered, tightening her hold around the little girl as if she were trying to reassure her.

"I see..." Rubbing her chin lightly, Miki hummed. For a few seconds, she remained there, crouching in silence. "Then how about I plan the party for you instead?" Lifting an all-knowing finger, she then finally suggested.

.

.

.

"Eh?" Sora and Sumire blinked.

"Huh?" Reira stood there, dumbfounded.

"I said so before, right? I know a thing or two with event coordination, and I'm a production designer." She winked, tilting her head to the side playfully. "I should be able to work something out so that you, your friend and classmates, can all play together. What do you say, Reira-chan?" Standing up and dust off school uniform dress, Miki then reached out her hand with an inviting smile. "Let's invite your friend!" She offered.

Reira stared up, for a few moments there, her eyes seemingly began twinkling in the setting winter sun. However, as quickly as it came, it vanished. "I can't do that." She murmured inaudibly, averting her gaze.

"Why is that?" Eyes rounding in surprise, Miki cocked her head to the side.

"Because..." She hesitated as her fingers began to fidget. "I don't have her contact information..."

"What?!" The three highschoolers gasped in unison.

"She was visiting her sick brother," Holding her hands to her chest, Reira explained hastily. "I... I didn't get too much time to ask for her contact information, and I was discharged from the hospital a few days later so..." Her voice trailed off as her head slowly dropped back into a solemn state.

"I see..." Tapping her chin thoughtfully, Miki hummed as she tried to devise another solution. Suddenly, her eyes fluttered open as an idea came to mind. "Reira-chan, do you know this girl's name?" She asked enthusiastically.

"Her name is Kobe Meilin." She revealed.

Breathing out a sigh of relief that they at least had a name to go off of, Miki leaned back. "Meilin-chan, huh? What an adorable name." She chuckled lightly before clearing her throat and reciting the famous catchphrase of the assistant to the chief detective from _Crime? Crime Drama_ . "Leave it to me!" She gave the little girl a wink as she patted her chest. "I'll plan you the best birthday party that can help everyone get along!"

"EH?!" Sora and Sumire gawked at her proclamation.

"R-Really?" Reira's cheeks began to brighten.

"Of course!" Miki nodded with a cheerful grin.

"P-Please wait a moment, Miki-san!" Interrupting the two, Sumire asserted herself into the conversation before thing became out of hand. "While I'm grateful that you want to help Reira, but I'm afraid that is way too much to ask of you. Please remember, you would only have a week to design and coordinate the party!" She warned urgently, not wanting to cause trouble to a dear friend.

"It's alright, Sumire-san. I want to do it." Tucking a loose strand of strawberry blonde hair behind her ear, Miki peered up and gave Sumire her signature radiant smile. "You've been such a great help to me this past year. This time, I want it to be my turn to help you." She stated innocently.

"Miki-san..." Covering her lips, Sumire's eyes crinkled and began to fill with tears of gratitude.

"But Miki-chan, how do you plan on finding this Meilin-chan? There are so many people in Japan with that name; it'd be impossible to narrow it down within a week alone." Sora reminded, pointing out the real issue at hand.

"Ahh, about that..." Voice trailing off, Miki hummed mysteriously. "I know someone who can help, probably..." She giggled.

"Probably...?" Sora sweatdropped at the ever-present airheadedness of the blonde.

"Well, then? What do you say, Reira-chan?" Turning back to the little girl, Miki asked again. "Will you allow me to let me do the honours of planning your birthday party?"

Staring down at the open palm that had been offered to her for the second time in that conversation, the corners of Reira's lips tugged upward. "...Okay." She nodded curtly, placing her hand in Miki's.

"That being said..." Back at her desk at the Second Suoh mansion, Miki was busy icing her forearms as she sunk deep within her thoughts. "A party that can help everyone get along..." She repeated her words, staring thoughtfully at the blank canvas on her drawing tablet. Breathing a long breath, she leaned back against the backing of her chair, eyes trailing up to the ceiling as her mind started to brainstorm the possible inspirations she could draw from.

 _If Meilin-chan is a commoner, wouldn't it be easier to make the party commoner themed?_ She wondered, thinking back to the already existing party information the previous event coordinator forwarded to her. _The last idea was a royalty-inspired party. If they went along with that, Meilin-chan would surely be left out. But if I decided to go with a commoner-themed one..._ Pressing her lips together, she realized a flaw in her previous plan.

 _The other kids would be left out._

Immediately shaking her head at the thought, Miki scratched that idea. The purpose of the party was for everyone to get along, excluding one group for another would in no way, fix the issue.

Tapping her finger to the rhythm of the ticking clock, Miki hummed with a troubled expression. Her gaze wandered around her room, trying to search for something, anything to give her the inspirational spark she needed. Her eyes lingered on her phone for a few moments.

Snatching the phone up in one swift motion, Miki flipped it open and fluently dialled a familiar number. As she pressed the device up against the corner of her ear, she heaved a small sigh, listening to the consistent ringing on the opposite end. It was strange. Arden usually picked up within two rings, no more, no less. She quickly checked the clock on her desk, confirming that it was still afternoon in Spain.

Just as she was about to hang up in resignation, the sound of ringing was interrupted midway, and the call was put through, surprising Miki.

"Arden? She quickly perked up, expecting the usual pleasant, 'Good Evening, Milady,' only to be met with complete silence on the opposite end. She quickly checked the display screen. The call was still connected, why wasn't Arden responding? "Hello?" She tried again, speaking into the stillness on the other end of the receiver. "Arden? Are you there?"

 _Tap._

Instead of actual words, Miki was replied with a small tap against the microphone, causing her to become confused.

"Arden? Was that you?" She cocked her head to the side, a little confused to why the butler would be tapping instead of talking.

 _Tap._

Taking that as resounding yes, Miki blinked a few times while her mind immediately jumped to the most irrational worst case scenario. "Were you kidnapped?" She gasped in horror, jolting up from her seat as her body tensed up.

 _Tap. Tap._

"H-Hold on, let me grab my phone" Overlooking the double tap in denial, the adrenaline in Miki's system shot up. She scanned her desk in a hurry to look for her phone, not noticing that they were in her hands.

 _Tap! Tap!_

"Follow what _Crime? Crime Drama_ taught me... I-I need to stay calm." Miki stammered, forcing herself to sit back down before springing back up. "No, wait! I need to call the police!" She shouted as she got out of her seat, stumbling on her feet. "Arden, where are you right now? Who are you with? Is anyone else involved? Did you see their face? Do you know who might be behind all of-"

 _TAP! TAP!_

The aggressive double tap finally catching her attention, Miki froze up. "Wait, you're alright?" She held her breath, anticipating for a reply on the opposite end.

 _Tap._

"You weren't kidnapped?"

 _Tap. Tap._

"And you aren't just saying that because your kidnapper said so?"

 _Tap. Tap._

"O-Oh... Thank goodness... " Feeling a sense of relief wash over her, Miki fell backwards onto her bed as the tension slowly eased out of her system. "So then, why aren't you talking?" She questioned, opening her eyes to stare up at the giant chandelier in the center of her room. "Ah! Perhaps, are you sick?" Finally arriving at a more... plausible conclusion, Miki asked.

 _...Tap._

"I see, I see." Still feeling somewhat glad that it wasn't a hostage situation, Miki nodded happily. "Then, should I just call another time?" She offered.

... _Tap. Tap._

Sitting up, Miki glanced to the side at her heating cellphone. "Huh? You want to hear what I want to say?" She asked.

 _Tap._

Miki hesitated for a few moments before breaking into a wry smile. "Alright then," Giggling lightly, she gave into the request. "But promise me you won't push yourself. If you understand, tap once. If you didn't, tap twice. If you have any questions or comments, just message me, alright?" She said, setting up the ground rules to their strange conversation.

And so for the next 20 minutes, Miki proceeded to explain the entire situation to the silence on the other end of the phone, only being encouraged by the occasional taps of affirmation from the other side.

"So I was wondering," Finishing up her story, Miki took a deep breath. "Are there any civilizations that exist without a social hierarchy?" She asked.

 _Tap. Tap._

Plopping back onto her bed, Miki turned to her side as she stared blankly her strawberry brown hair that sprawled out across her bedsheets. "Hmm... I thought so..." She muttered absently. "What should I do?" She sighed, threading a finger through her fluffy hair.

There was a small moment of silence on the other end of the phone before a small shuffling took over, followed by the sound of clicking.

"Hello?" Propping herself up with an elbow, Miki called out only to hear a jingle from her phone, indicating that she's received a message. Switching over to her inbox, she blinked a little, noticing an unopened message.

 _'Why are you so insistent on helping this child?'_

"Ahh, that's because..." Miki's voice trailed off as pressed the phone back up against her ear. "Reira-chan is a little like me when I first came to Ouran Academy." She described, averting her eyes to the side.

"She's sent into the outside world after being alone for so long in the hospital, and her only friend up until then isn't by her side anymore. That's a lot like you and me, isn't it?" Miki elaborated as she stared down at her lap, playing wither her navy blue chiffon dress as it fanned out on her bed. "I was lucky. I had Tamaki-kun, Kyoya-kun, my friends in the host club and everyone else to help me when I needed them. But Reira-chan doesn't have that. That's why... " She paused for a moment. "That's why I can't leave her alone." She announced determinedly.

The other end of the phone fell silent for a moment before drawing a long breath.

"Miki," Suddenly, a female voice, clear like a bell, travelled out of the speaker, surprising the blonde. "My personal policy is simple. If it can't happen, make it happen. If it doesn't exist, be the first to create it." The woman said with an air of dominance and elegance incompatible to any other. "You are a production designer; it is your job to create a world that's unlike any other, isn't it?" She paused for a moment. "Do what you must and hold your head up high, you are a Suoh and a Fernández. Whatever you achieve, it is bound to be great." She reassured.

"W-Wait, mo-!" Before Miki could say anything else, Elisa hung up on the other end, leaving Miki to sit in the beeping of the end tone. Her mouth gawked open at what just took place. Sure she had a strange feeling that the person on the opposite end wasn't Arden, but she brushed it off as just that, a feeling. She never expected in her wildest dreams for the person on the opposite end to be her mother of all people. She blinked a few times, her mind still unable from that conversation. But then, Elisa's words lingered within her mind, replaying like her favourite song on repeat.

 _Do what you must and hold your head up high, you are a Suoh and a Fernández. Whatever you achieve, it is bound to be great._

Her eyes darted up, staring at the silver rims of her drawing tablet for a few moments. Lips curling into a resolute smile, she quickly swung her legs over the side of her bed and bounced up to her feet.

 _Mother is right._ She thought to herself as she sat back, picking up her stylus. Instantly, she could feel the inspiration crash over her body like a giant wave thanks to Elisa's guidance. With a proud nod, she put her stylus to screen and got to work. _I am a production designer, and it is my job to create worlds, unlike anything anyone has ever seen before._

Elisa sat in the head office of the Fernández mansion that once belonged to her father, staring down at the end call screen on Arden's cellphone for a long moment, lost in thought. Thinking back on it, it's hasn't been even half a year since she's last heard her daughter's voice. But for some reason, she felt as if it's been an eternity. Gently shaking her head, she disregarded the thought. She spent so long trying to keep herself detached from her daughter; she couldn't let herself give in to the temptation now.

"Be happy..." She muttered to no one in particular, about to put down the phone when there was a knock on the door. Eyes shooting up, she spotted the original owner of the phone, standing in the corridor with a surprised expression on his face.

"Lady Elisa," Arden blinked a few times, eyeing the silver flip phone in the woman's hands. "May I ask what you were doing with my phone?" He teased knowingly.

Realizing that she had been caught red-handed, Elisa quickly dropped the phone. "It's nothing," She said, clearing her throat awkwardly and attempting to recompose herself. She glanced up for a moment, studying Arden, the boy whom she brought back to this very mansion nearly 18 years ago. She was initially going to tell him that he's done well so far, taking care of Miki. But a quick think back to the absurdity her daughter's mind immediately jumped to was enough for her to hold herself back.

She's clearly been taught some strange things.

Instead, she lowered her arm back onto the table before locking eyes with the man. "Arden, are all the preparations adequate?" She asked expectingly.

Hearing that question, Arden's voice took a severe turn. Holding a hand before his chest, he bowed his head. "Yes, Lady Elisa." He replied respectfully. "Your relocation trip to Eastern Europe has been booked. You are set to depart in five weeks. All that remains, is for you to tie up loose ends here in Spain."

Lowering her gaze, Elisa's dark hazel eyes dropped to a downcast. "Excellent," She murmured.

Walking lazily down the northern hall of the south wing, Kaoru reached an arm up as he let out a yawn. After a long day of school, he was exhausted. Final Exams were just around the corner, and the workload was not getting any easier, and this was perhaps coming from perhaps one of the most leisurely members of the club. As he approached the large double doors of Music Room #3, he could hear a faint voice speaking inside through his drowsiness. Turning the handle as quietly as he could, he gingerly opened the door, spotting Kyoya sitting with his back-faced towards him in the spacious club room.

"...I see. I thought as much." He hummed, scanning through his notebook carefully. "Good work, continue tailing her. Thanks." He said before hanging up.

Seeing that now was a good time, Kaoru stepped in. "Yo, Kyoya-senpai." He waved, announcing his presence.

Kyoya's sharp eyes snapped up, studying the younger to the twins. "...You're late." He reprimanded.

"Aha..." Laughing awkwardly, Kaoru scratched the back of his head as he ventured further into the room. "Sorry about that." He apologized, eyes darting around the room, realizing that no one else was present. "Where is everyone else?" He asked, taking a seat across from his upperclassman.

"Tamaki is away at a meeting with the chairman. Miki is busy shopping for assets for that birthday party." Kyoya informed, returning his attention to his cellphone as he began to click on the keypad.

"What about Honey and Mori-senpai?"

"They are at a mandatory meeting for all graduates to make graduation preparations."

"I see." Throwing his arms behind his head, Kaoru leaned back, staring up at the ceiling thoughtfully. "They are finally graduating, huh?" He hummed.

Not moving his face, Kyoya's gaze shifted up for a moment, noticing that the usual 'First-Year Trio' had also been separated. "Where are Haruhi and Hikaru?" He questioned.

"Ahh, Haruhi got dragged off by Miki-senpai to help with shopping." Averting his eyes to the side, Kaoru sweatdropped at the memory. "She said she wanted Haruhi's 'commoner perspective' on things. So Hikaru went along with them to help carry their bags." He explained, slowly leaning forward to prop an arm up on the table. "Why? Is something wrong?"

"Nothing-" Kyoya was about to deny the notion when an idea dawned upon him. His gaze flicked down to his phone for a moment before trailing back up, examining Kaoru from head to toe. "Actually, you seem to have a lot of free time on your hands, Kaoru." He smirked, watching as the first-year blinked in confusion.

"Huh?"

"Will you be willing to help me?" He offered, pushing up his glasses in a slow yet solemn manner. "I'm doing background research on a certain lying lawyer, thanks to whom I'm beginning to see that Suoh Yuzuru, is not to be trusted either." He announced, lowering his hand to reveal that his lips had tugged downward, turning into a small scowl.

"What? What do you mean?" Immediately intrigued by Kyoya's words, Kaoru's posture straightened as he leaned in to listen.

"First of all, take a look at this." Swiftly pulling up a photo of Kosaka, the Suoh family lawyer, entering the Main Suoh Mansion on his phone, Kyoya presented it to Kaoru. "This photo was taken this year on January 6th. And this one is on January 15. Then January 23rd." He explained, scrolling down to reveal even more photographic evidence. "Each time, Kosaka Yuko heads for the Main Suoh Mansion to meet in secret with the Director of the Board - that is, Tamaki and Miki's paternal grandmother. Judging by this pattern, I'd say January 6th wasn't the first time she'd gone to meet her." He theorized.

"Secret meetings?" Kaoru raised an eyebrow. "Sorry, Kyoya-senpai. But I don't really understand this. Kosaka-san is a lawyer for the Suohs', isn't she? There's nothing odd about her meeting with that old hag once in a while." He pointed out.

"To be exact, she's 'a top lawyer who works in a legal office that handles the Suoh Family's consulting contracts.' She specializes in the contracts for the lower Grand Hotel, which is under the chairman." Closing his eyes, Kyoya justified. "So for her to be meeting so often with the Director of the Board is clearly quite strange. Plus, if you consider the fact that their meetings always take place while the chairman is away, then there's no doubt that Kosaka-san's involvement with the Director of the Board is unsanctioned." He noted. "I still don't know her purpose, but I'm investigating now to see if it has anything to do with her tailing Tamaki during our New Year's Shrine Visit."

"Hold on, hold on, hold on!" Getting a headache from all this new information, Kaoru cried out. "Why would the Director of the Board ask a lawyer to tail someone? And why would Kosaka-san agree to a shady job like that?" He asked, trying to mentally organize all this evidence.

"Of course she would." Crossing his arms, Kyoya leaned back on his chair. "Because Kosaka-san's objective is money. Her obsession with money can likely be attributed to the circumstances of her upbringing." He stated plainly. "But what we need to do right now, is figure out the chairman's intentions. I'm sure he's been aware of Kosaka-san's coming and goings." He said, peering down at the collection of photos on his phone.

"Um... You mean to say Kosaka-san was tailing Milord and digging up information on him, right?" Gently rubbing his chin, Kaoru hummed. "If we assume the chairman knew this and allowed it to go on, then it would probably mean it wouldn't cause milord or even Miki-senpai any harm." He affirmed. "I mean, the chairman is one of the two infamous doting fathers of the host club-"

"You really think that's so?" Cutting him off, Kyoya questioned explicitly.

"Kyoya-senpai?"

"There's something I've never fully understood." Averting his eyes to the side, Kyoya shared. "It's troubled me ever since I went to France. But how exactly has the chairman helped or even supported Tamaki or even Miki at that?" He asked, rhetorically. "The fact that Tamaki was forbidden from seeing his mother and the embarrassing bastard-status he was given upon arriving in Japan by not being allowed in the Main Suoh mansion; and the solitary confinement Miki received for her entire life by being separated from the rest of the world - both were caused by actions the chairman had taken. I understand that the Grantaine household needed the Suohs' financial aid and that the Suohs' had to do everything within their pride and power to avoid the Fernández family's wrath. However, can we really say that the chairman who bowed to all of his mother's commands, truly loved either of his children?" He narrowed his eyes, glancing up at Kaoru who tense up at that question.

"There's another incident concerning him that bothers me, but I haven't finished gathering all the facts yet." Taking the silence as a means to continue, Kyoya glanced down at his notebook, turning a few pages back. "About three years ago, a Suoh group employee who worked directly under the chairman suddenly handed in his resignation. He was often called the chairman's right-hand man, said to be even more brilliant than the chairman as well as an extraordinarily gifted businessman." He described. "The chairman himself reported to the company that his subordinate was 'retiring to the countryside due to poor health.' However, that man never returned to the countryside." His eyes turned dull as he slowly read out the last of his notes. "His whereabouts have been unknown for the past three years." He said, causing Kaoru's eyes to widen.

That weekend, the curtains in Music Room #3 were drawn, and the ceiling lights were dimmed filtered, casting a soft, warm glow on the faux trees decorated the room, creating the illusion of a secretive spot in the lush jungle. Strung up fairy lights hung from above, acting as the mythical lighting that completed the transformation of this fairy-themed party. Inside the clubroom, children from class 2-A of the Elementary Division sat around a white iron round-table, happily talking and playing while waiting to cut the cake. However, despite being the guest of honour, Reira alone sat at the side closest to the door and furthest away from the conversational crowd with a distant expression on her face, the only hint of emotions that were expressed were the expecting gazes she cast towards the closed double doors.

"Hmm, so she's the little girl Miki-chan has been so worried about..." Honey hummed from Mori's shoulders, studying the brunette from a distance. "She looks a lot like Sumi-chan," He commented with a slight giggle, eyes flickering between the two sisters.

"But doesn't she look a little too mature for a second-grader?" Kaoru sweatdropped.

"Either way, why are we here...?" With her eyebrow twitching slightly, Haruhi sighed. It was a Saturday afternoon, there were sales at the supermarket, homework to be done over the weekends, yet here she was... Back at school in casual clothes with the rest of the host club, all for a little girl's birthday party. "Isn't this party part of Miki-senpai's job? Why do we have to be here too?" She questioned.

"Well, Miki-senpai did directly request Milord for our help," With an awkward laugh, Hikaru hummed. "It'd be a little rude to refuse."

"Miki-chan has done a lot for us after all," Honey pointed out with a bright smile.

"That's true..." Averting her eyes guiltily, Haruhi muttered.

 _Either way, milord has been experiencing way too many mood swings lately._ Kaoru thought to himself as he averted his eyes, deadpanning slightly. _He went from woeful aristocrat to the biggest fool I've ever met and now to over-protective brother mode. After all, the temporary suspension he granted Miki-senpai..._

"Is it just me, or you think Tamaki-senpai's suspension on Miki-senpai was a little too harsh?" Suddenly breaking his train of thought, Haruhi blurted out.

"Huh? What do you mean?" Kaoru raised an eyebrow.

"Well, to Miki-senpai, who has been trapped all of her life, I can only assume how difficult it is to 'switch mentalities' like Tamaki-senpai suggested for her to do." Keeping her unfocused on the blond who was happily engaging in conversation with a crowd of children, Haruhi said absently. "Stuff like that always takes time, and I don't think Tamaki-senpai pushing her to change will do her any good." She stated her opinion.

Hikaru cast her dazed expression an unsettled side glance. "Haruhi..." He bit his bottom lip. "Are you in love with milord?" With a knowing look, he asked straightforwardly, causing the brunette to jolt at the direct question.

"W-Wha... What?!" Knees quickly growing weak, Haruhi staggered back as she fought to recompose herself. "W-Why would you think that?!" She stammered with reddened cheeks.

"Everyone knows Haru-chan." With a sweet smile, Honey informed.

"It's obvious." Mori pointed out.

"It's pretty obvious." Kaoru nodded in agreement.

"No! It's not obvious!" Feeling her friends' gazes practically pierce through her thoughts, Haruhi protested in embarrassment.

"You're being obvious right now," Hikaru said, standing stiffly and staring at her with deadpanned eyes.

"...I." Hiding her blushing cheeks with the corner of her sleeve, Haruhi muttered. "...I do respect him..." She revealed shyly before remember Tamaki's previous actions. Her shoulders immediately slumped as her aura became gloomy. "But right now, I'm alternating between respecting him and feeling outraged by him on a day-to-day basis." She grumbled.

"That's fair..." The group sweatdropped.

Watching her for a few moments, a mischievous twinkle then appeared in Hikaru's eyes. "So..." He grinned cheekily. "I guess that means I still got a chance." He declared playfully.

.

.

.

"Huh?!" In a slow reaction, Haruhi suddenly exclaimed, her cheek turning a bright red that resembled a tomato.

"I already told you, I won't be giving up so easily. I don't know why you look so surprised." Hikaru shrugged nonchalantly as if that bold declaration of love was an everyday thing. Then, before Haruhi could say anything in reply, he turned to his twin brother. "Come on, Kaoru, let's go entertain the kids." He beckoned, pushing him towards the center of the party.

"What? O-Okay."

"W-Wait! Hikaru-!" Reaching a handout, Haruhi attempted to stop him with no avail. The twins were already long gone, immersing themselves into the party and quickly becoming a popular attraction as they played with the children.

Honey peered up at the brunette, studying her for a few moments before his lips curled up into a small smile. "Haru-chan," He said, gently tugging on her sleeve. "I think Miki-chan is calling for you over there." He gestured the backroom.

"Huh?" Snapping out of the small shock Hikaru's words put her in, Haruhi blinked a little. "Oh, okay. I'll head over there now..." With a slight bow, she excused herself.

Waving cheerfully as she ran off towards the backroom, Honey hummed. "Takashi," He called out to his cousin. "Do you agree with what Haru-chan said? About Tama-chan being too harsh?" He asked, tightening his grip around his pink stuffed bunny.

Mori's gaze lingered on Tamaki. "... I don't." He said, closing his eyes. "It is Tamaki's job to push Miki to her limits." He stated firmly. "...Because Tamaki is the older brother."

"Is Meilin-chan not here yet? Sumire-san says need to cut the cake soon." As she stood in the backroom of Music Room #3 with Kyoya and Tamaki, Miki asked worriedly.

"Doesn't appear so," Kyoya replied, clicking on his phone as he messaged Aijima and Hotta who were sent off to look for the little girl.

"Why is that?" Tamaki raised an eyebrow. "Miki sent out the invitation with the proper schedule, how could they be so late?" He questioned.

"It seems like that child took a taxi here with her older sister," Kyoya explained, reading off of Aijima's reply. "But the taxi driver didn't know the way to the academy quite well and ended up getting them lost in the Shinagawa district." He revealed, brows furrowing slightly at the last part of that information.

"Eh?!"

"Excuse me..." Pulling aside the drapes, Haruhi peeked in, spotting the three second-years. "Miki-senpai, were you looking for me?" She asked.

"Haruhi!" Whipping her head around, Miki rushed over to the brunette. "You know the local traffic situations better than any of us. How long does it take to get from the Shinawawa district to here?!" She blurted out urgently, resting her hands on the girl's shoulders.

"Shinagawa, Miki." Kyoya corrected with an eyebrow twitch.

"Huh? Shinagawa?" Haruhi's eyes rounded. "We are in Bunkyo, so it usually takes about ten minutes." She explained, taking a step back and rubbing her chin thoughtfully. "But you'd have to travel through central Tokyo, and it is currently rush traffic, so I'd say it'll take at least 20 minutes." She concluded with a small nod.

"20 minutes..." Tamaki's brows drew close.

"Then we should be fine." Clapping her hands together, Miki let out a small breath in relief. "It's currently 3:30 p.m. and the parents are scheduled to come and pick the kids up at 4 p.m. 10 minutes is a little scarce to cut and eat the cake, but I'm sure we can-"

"That won't work either." Kyoya closed his eyes, cutting her off sharply.

"Huh? Why not?"

"If they enter Bunkyo through Shinagawa, they would arrive at the Southern Entrance of the school." He reminded, mentally mapping out the streets and the layout of the school. "It'll take at least another 15 minutes to get from the South Entrance to this classroom."

"...She won't make it in time." Tamaki summarized, resting a hand to his chin as he fell deep in thought.

 _Why is this school so big anyways..._ Haruhi thought to herself as she sweatdropped.

"What should I do then..." Scrunching her hands into fists, Miki muttered to no one in particular as her posture became stiff. "Reira-chan really wants to see her friend again... There has to be another way." She bit her bottom lip, summoning every ounce of her brain power for a solution.

Closing his phone, Kyoya peered up at the blonde's distressed expression. "Miki," He called out to her in a gentle yet firm tone. "You currently have two options. Either cut the cake now and accept that fact that Kazehara-san's sister will not be celebrating with her friend, or extend the party by another hour. Though I doubt that the parents of those children with will appreciate the reason for the delay being a commoner." He remarked quietly, watching as her hazel eyes flickered up and widened. "So, what will you choose?" He asked, crossing his arms over his chest.

"I..." Holding her hands before her chest, Miki stammered. "I choose..." She averted her eyes towards the ground, struggling to find her voice. Her mind was running at a mile per second while many thoughts plagued her mind. She gritted her teeth and clenched her fist, feeling them begin to tremble before her chest. She was about to give in to the first option when a bell-like voice pierced through her thoughts.

 _If it doesn't exist, be the first to create it._

Suddenly, the trembling stopped.

Her lips parted slightly at that voice, then lifting her gaze, she locked eyes with Kyoya. "I choose neither." She declared without hesitation.

"What?!" Haruhi and Tamaki gawked at her reply.

Kyoya, on the other hand, merely shook his head and sighed in frustration. "I understand you want to help Kazehara-san and her sister, but there are times when you will need to make tough decisions to satisfy the majority." He stated, trying to be as patient as possible with her.

"I know that." Miki asserted calmly. She pressed a hand to her lips, humming thoughtfully. "I know that, but I still choose neither of those options." She repeated, voice only becoming even more certain as she continued, her eyes were burning with both hot and cold flames that Kyoya found oddly familiar. There was calculation, passion, a lust for a challenge and a new aura of confidence. He flinched slightly, before allowing his lips to tug up into an intrigued smirk.

"Do you have a plan?" He asked, despite already knowing the answer.

Returning his smirk with a determined beam of her own, Miki nodded curtly. "I do." She affirmed. "Kyoya-kun, please move the birthday cake to Southern courtyard of the school." She instructed, earning a curious look from him.

"You mean...?" He raised an eyebrow in amusement.

Closing her eyes, Miki balled her hand over her chest, slightly scrunching up the fabric of her long-sleeved top. "I'm going to turn this entire school into my production set," She announced boldly before pausing and shifting her glance to the side. "But my work is specifically used for actors on the set of a movie, so..." Her voice trailed off as she slowly diverted her attention to Tamaki, who gazed back at her with mildly impressed eyes. "I'll need a few splendid actors' to help make this live-action drama, a grand success." She probed.

Instantly understanding what she meant, Tamaki's neutral expression transformed into a bright grin. Lowering his head, he bowed to her as he would do with every one of his guests. "Of course. What may I help you with, princess?" He offered.

Reira kept her little head down, staring anxiously at her hands resting on her lap, firmly clasped together. As much as she enjoyed the fairy-like theme of her birthday party, she was still waiting for the most important member of her guests arrive. Yet after waiting for nearly two hours, she just didn't seem to be coming. Biting her bottom lips, she scrunched her hands tightly together.

"I'm scared..." She whimpered quietly as tears began to gather at the corner of her eyes when the lights around her suddenly shut down, startling both her and the kids around the table.

"Whoa! What happened?" In the pitch black, one of the boys jumped up from his seat.

"Did the light bulbs burn out?" A girl sitting next to Reira asked.

"Everyone! I have terrible news!" A spotlight switched on with a loud click as Miki sprinted out of the drawn curtains of the back room in a great panic. "Today is Reira-chan's seventh birthday, but..." She paused for a moment, holding her hands to her chest. "An incident has occurred!" Almost as soon as she finished her announcement, an arrow with a suction-cupped end landed on the wall beside her, fired from the back by none other than Mori. Miki whipped her head around, noticing the note tied to the shaft. "Is this...?" Hurrying over she swiftly opened the note and skimmed it over, before exclaiming. "It's...!" She stepped back. "It's a ransom note from the greatest Phantom Thief of this Fairy Forest!" She pronounced, holding the note to her chest when a sudden cloud of smoke appeared beside her, followed by a series of laughter.

"You foolish fairies!" Emerging from the dry ice in a mixture of the police costume (Chapter 8) and his prince costume (Chapter 17) from past club events, Tamaki shouted. "I am the Gentleman Thief of the Night, Tamaki!" He announced boldly, throwing his cape behind him in a dramatic fashion. "And I will be taking the key to this birthday party's success, the magical birthday candle!" He announced, holding up a candle with a golden swirling design for the kids to see.

"W-When did you-?!" Playing along, Miki's eyes widened.

"Well, then." Hiding the candle back into the pocket of his costume, Tamaki grinned proudly as he pressed a hand against his chest. "Adieu." He said, lowering his head before disappearing back into the cloud of dry ice.

"Wait, come back here! You can't take that!" Like a real character from a TV drama, Miki recited her lines with almost too much enthusiasm. "Oh no, what should I do...?" Resting a hand against her cheek, she hummed thoughtfully as her gaze shifted over to the group of children, who were sitting at the edges of their seat, watching the events of this live-action drama unfold. Her eyes lit up as she clapped her hands together excitedly. "That's right! We have our little fairies here." She knelt to get on eye-level with the kids. "Listen to me little fairies, without that candle, your friend Reira-chan will not be able to blow it out and turn seven! Will you all please help me? We must locate and capture that phantom thief so that this forest can be safe from his evil doings." Extending her open-palm towards the kids, she offered urgently.

There was a momentary silence as the children exchanged glances, wondering what to do in such a strange situation. Taking that as a sign of rejection, Reira's head dropped in despair. As she thought, her classmates wouldn't even participate in such an-

"Of course, leave it to us!" One of the boys with light brown hair jumped up as he pumped a fist into the air.

"We won't let him get away with this!" Following his leadership, the fellow next to him agreed enthusiastically.

"Reira-chan, please do not fret. We will make sure you can celebrate your birthday without an issue!" Approaching Reira with an encouraging nod, a girl sitting next to her with reddish hair reassured, causing the brunette's eyes to widen.

"But how should we find him?" Another girl asked, resting a hand to her chin thoughtfully. "Surely, he has escaped the Fairy Forest by now." She hummed.

"Ah, do not worry about that." Clapping her hands together, Miki beamed brightly as she tilted her head to the side. "I have the perfect assistant to help us." She announced before clearing her throat. "Haruhi K-9!" She hollered excitedly.

Of all people, Haruhi stepped out with a deadpanned expression, wearing the dog costume from a past club event (Chapter38). "Woof, Woof..." She barked unenthusiastically, mentally cursing herself for even suggesting this cosplay idea.

"Kids, meet the Fairy Police's finest. This is Haruhi K-9!" Completely overlooking Haruhi's apathetic performance, Miki introduced her friend with an airheaded grin. Then turning to the brunette, she held out the 'ransom letter.' "Haruhi-K9, please lead us towards the Gentleman Thief." She requested.

Shooting a wry glance up at her upperclassman's innocent expression, Haruhi gave in. Leaning forward, she brought her 'snout' closer to the note. "Sniff, Sniff..." She said in a monotoned voice before pointing towards the white double doors. "He went this way." She announced in her daikon radish acting voice.

"Alright, kids! Let's go!" Miki urged, directing the kids out the door with a sparkling smile.

Outside of the School Building in the Northern Courtyard, Hikaru and Kaoru snickered as they welcomed the children to the 'Pirate Cove' of this fantasy land, using the decorations from one of the many past club events (Chapter 21).

"Ahoy, me hearties!" Hikaru greeted the large group, throwing a fake sword over his shoulder in a relaxed fashion.

"T's rare to see fairies here, whatcha kids lookin' for?" Leaning forward, Kaoru questioned with a cheeky grin. As much he was trying to seem friendlier with the kids, he still looked rather intimidating with his eyepatch and fake scar. So much so that a few were backing up in fear, trying their best to avoid the twins.

Pirates were known to capture 'fairies' in a jar after all.

Miki chuckled wryly, about to step in and mend the situation when the first boy with light brown hair spoke up, shielding a few of his classmates behind his back. "We are looking for a Phantom Thief who stole Reira-san's birthday candle!" He declared loudly despite his trembling fists. "Did you see him pass-by here?" He questioned boldly.

"Aoki-kun..." Reira's large eyes rounded at the courage and determination he showed, simply to reclaim something as silly as a birthday candle.

"A Phantom Thief?" Hikaru repeated as he feigned a sense of thoughtfulness. "Well, we did see one passin' by." He commented.

"But, do ya really want to know which way he went?" Rubbing his chin, Kaoru hummed.

"Y-Yes! Please tell us!" The girl who comforted Reira piped up as well, despite clinging onto a friend for support.

"Hmmm, whaddya say Kaoru?" Turning to his twin, Hikaru wiggled a brow in amusement.

"Well," Smirking, Kaoru played along. "I'm thinkin' these kids will have to beat us in a round of..."

"Kuma-chan's One Shot Crisis!" They announced, stepping the side and presenting the 'One-Shot Crisis' Game Mori used during the Orienteering Tournament.

"Hello? Aijima? Where are you now?" Standing near the Southern entrance of the school with his arms crossed, Kyoya spoke into his phone.

"What? The girl's sister decided to what? Does she even know the way here?" He questioned, brows furrowing slightly at the news as Aijima explained the situation on the other end. Heaving a long sigh, he grumbled. "...Very well. That should speed things up considerably. I will wait for them here." With that, he hung up the phone as his brows twitched in slight irritation.

"It's a candy house!" One of the children exclaimed, throwing his arms into the air.

After beating the 'Twin Pirates' Kuma-chan's One Shot Crisis' Game, the party continued to move South towards the Central Courtyard, now arriving at a large candy house that was also recycled from the Fairy Tale themed club event (Chapter 17). As the kids were captivated by the large, deliciously sweet looking prop, Miki took the time to peer down at her phone.

 _3:45._

 _If nothing goes wrong, they should be here in five minutes._

Taking a deep breath to calm her nerves, Miki peered up from her screen, just in time to see Honey and Mori exit the set of the candy house, dressed in their respective costumes. Honey's eyes twinkled with glee as he spotted the children who all looked about the same size as him.

"Wow, Takashi! We've never seen so many fairies gathered in one place before, have we?" Playing into his character as the 'Hansel and Gretel' inspired Candy Prince, Honey smiled sweetly as he waved, still carrying Usa-chan in his arms.

"Mmm." Mori nodded in agreement.

"Excuse me," One of the girls stepped forward politely. "Have you seen a Phantom Thief in these areas? He has stolen our classmate's birthday candle." She explained.

"A Phantom Thief?" Tapping his chin, Honey pursed his lips. "Hmm... I don't think so." He hummed. "There aren't many people who come to our candy land, after all..." His voice trailed off as he glanced to the side, taking note of how his cousin seemed particularly on edge, keeping his focus locked on one of the many hedges in the courtyard. "Takashi?"He tilted his head. "Is something wrong?"

"Intruder..." Mori murmured right as another cloud of smoke exploded in the air, revealing Tamaki standing in the center of it with a proud grin.

"Phantom Thief Tamaki!" Miki covered her lips, feigning surprise.

"The Magic Candle is over here!" The blond taunted, holding the golden swirled candle up into the air like a victory trophy. "Come and catch me if you can, foolish fairies!" Letting out an evil laugh, he turned on the ball of his foot and pushed off against the cobblestoned path, heading south as he carried out the finale of Miki's plan. He was to make a final dash for the Southern gates, leading the kids towards Meilin who should be arriving soon.

"After him!" The boy whose name was Aoki, charged forward, letting out a loud cry that everyone else soon rallied and followed. Reira who had been tailing at the back of the group, heaving heavy breaths nodded gently. She stepped forward in an attempt to continue the chase, only for her legs to give out beneath her as she fell to the ground, panting vigorously.

"Ah! Reira-chan!"A sudden cry escaped from the girl with reddish-hair who has been sticking by the brunette's side the entire time. Kneeling down next to her, she began frantically rubbing her back, hoping that it could somehow help.

Breaking out of character, Tamaki halted and whipped his head around.

Seeing her little sister in trouble, Sumire dashed forth. "Reira-!" She cried. Only for Miki to extend an arm before her, stopping her in her tracks. "Huh? Miki-san?" She blinked in confusion, casting a side glance to her friend who only kept her hazel eyes glued to the scene.

"Reira-chan, are you alright?" Hearing the red-haired girl's cry, many of the kids backtracked towards the birthday girl, forming a small circle around her as they all attempted to offer options to ease her pain.

"Do you need a doctor?"

"What can we do to help?

"Reira-san, are you feeling okay?" Despite being the first to run off, Aoki was already by her side, crouching down before her with glints of worry in his eyes.

Holding a hand before her chest, Reira nodded wordlessly, attempting to stifle her breath.

"Oh dear, all the running must've tired you out..." Still rubbing her back, the girl next to her mumbled.

"But we can't just let the thief get away...!" One of the kids reasoned.

"I-I'm alright... I'm just a little... tired..." Still trying to regulate her breathing rhythm, Reira managed between her shallow and quick breaths. "Please just go on without me..." She suggested.

"But we can't just leave you here!" Another kid shouted.

"I'll be with my sister and Miki-neesan. I'll be okay." Lifting her head with a forced smile, Reira reassured softly. "Please go on, don't let me ruin the fun..."

"Reira-chan..." The girl next to her uttered quietly, gently holding onto Reira's forearm and acting as a support to her classmate. Her thin brows furrowed slightly as her gaze flickered from left to right, symbolling that she was thinking. "...I'll stay behind with Reira-chan." After a few moments, she arrived at her solution. "You guys should go after the phantom thief." She instructed.

"Ringo-san..." Reira's eyes rounded as she stared incredulously at the girl.

Hearing her name being called, the girl named Ringo glanced down. "I want your birthday to be a great success too, Reira-chan." She said, offering a bright warm smile to her classmate.

"Alright, we'll go after him." Drawing a long sigh, Aoki gave in. "But remember to take it slow." He reminded diligently. "Don't let Reira-san get too tired-"

However, before he could finish his sentence, a bubbly voice echoed through the courtyard, catching everyone off guard. "That won't be needed!" It cheered.

"W-What...?"

Miki's gaze snapped up, following the direction where the voice originated. Her eyes widened, spotting what seemed to be a young girl around the age of twelve rushing towards them on the back of a bicycle. Her long brown hair that was tied into a ponytail trailed behind her, fluttering in the winds and scattering in all sorts of directions. As she got closer, she also noticed a younger girl riding on the backseat that matched Reira's description of Meilin. She had darker, raven hair. Ones that tied up into two buns, almost resembling dangos on her head.

"Phantom Thief Tamaki!" Meilin yelled, asserting herself into the role of a commissioner as if she were from a real crime drama. Tamaki flinched slightly, realizing that this sudden appearance was not part of the script. Everyone watched in a mixture of awe and confusions as the little girl stood on the backseat of the bicycle, holding what seemed to be a pair of toy handcuffs in her hands. "Prepare yourself!" She simpered. "I'm placing you... Under arrest!" As she shouted out the last words, she lept off the breaking vehicle, tossing the toy handcuff towards Tamaki, whacking him on the head by accident.

"Gah!" Partially acting, Tamaki let out a shriek in defeat. He fell to the ground, hugging the top of his head as the golden candle tumbled out of his grasps and onto the ground.

Watching as the girl land on her feet like a graceful cat, Reira's eyes twinkled with glee. "Meilin-san!" She exclaimed.

Spinning around to face the flabbergasted kids, Meilin grinned, wholly ignoring the fact of how she completely mistook the purpose of a handcuff. "Hehe, long time no see, Reira-chan." She greeted the crowd with a casual salute. "I got your candle back!"

"As it turns out, Meilin-san's older sister managed to rent a bicycle and biked here from wherever they were stuck in traffic." Standing at the side of the courtyard, Kyoya explained the situation to the rest of the hosts as he crossed his arms over his chest, glancing towards the roundtable of children who were singing a birthday tune to Reira.

"I see! That's why they were here so much earlier." Giggling lightly, Honey nodded in understanding.

"Honestly, I was so surprised when a bike started darting towards us at top speed," Hikaru commented as he averted his eyes to the side with a deadpan.

"It's kinda incredible when you think about it..." Imitating his brother, Kaoru sweatdropped.

"Upon her arrival, I informed her of our plan, and she decided to intervene in such a flashy manner. So I provided her with a pair of handcuffs from our police event." Kyoya described.

"Kyoya..." Reaching forward to grab his best friend's shoulder, Tamaki grumbled with a darkened aura. "You couldn't have told me sooner?! She threw that toy handcuff at me from so far! It hurts!" He yelled as his finger twitched around the ice pack on his head.

Lips curling up into a smug smirk, Kyoya shrugged indifferently. "I thought it'd be more amusing to get your authentic performance, oh 'splendid actor.'" He hummed sarcastically.

"Kyoya, you...!"

"Either way," Ignoring the blond's rambling, Haruhi cut in. "It seems like Reira-chan's birthday will be a joyous occasion to her after all." She said with a small smile, listening as the birthday song came to an end.

"Reira-chan," Bending down and lowering her body to the same level as the little girl, Miki called out to her. "Before we cut the cake, don't you have something you want to say to everyone?" She encouraged, gently crinkling her eyes.

Reira gasped lightly at the suggestion, sneaking a glance to the crowd whose collective eyes watched her expectingly. Blinking a few times, she exchanged a glance with Meilin who nodded with reassurance. Slowly standing up, she exchanged eye contact with every one of her guests. "T-Thank you so very much, everyone!" Lowering her head into a bow, she shouted with a self-conscious flush on her cheeks.

.

.

.

"Pffft," Breaking through the gawking silence, Aoki let out a small snicker. "What's with the honorifics, Reira-san?" He laughed lightly.

"You are so strange!" Someone else soon followed, giving her a playful chuckle.

"Speaking of which, your friend here was so cool!" Another kid praised.

"Indeed." Ringo covered her lips with a light giggle. "You looked just like a real detective back there, Meilin-san." She said to the raven-haired girl.

"Ahaha, thank you for that. I just kinda played the role, you know?" Meilin rubbed the back of her neck, feeling a little awkward, receiving all these compliments for such a daredevil act.

"Yes, she was very cool." Lowering her head as a light flush surfaced on her cheeks, Reira nodded. "B-But so were you all!" She exclaimed, holding her hands to her chest.

"Huh?" Aoki blinked a couple of times.

"Us?"

"Y-Yes..." Nodding curtly, Reira affirmed bashfully. "You all cared for me at a time in need and helped retrieve my birthday candle. I-I thought you all were very cool a-and very kind." She admitted, holding her hands against her cheeks and trying to hide the heat emitting from her cheeks.

"Aww, don't say that. You're making us blush." Rubbing his neck awkwardly, Aoki laughed. "You're our friend, Reira-san. Why wouldn't we help you?" He pointed out with a wry chuckle.

"Friends?" Surprised by his claim, Reira repeated his words with a confused tone.

"Hehe! Of course, Reira-chan!" Reaching forward, Ringo took the brunette's boney hands in her own. "You're out classmate, which also means you are also our friend!" She stated.

Reira's lips parted as her dark brown eyes shone with glee. It took a few moments for her to process what the girl was saying, but when she did, she had a wide Cheshire grin on her face. "Y-Yes! From today forward, please take care of me!" She said, tightening her grip around the red-haired girl's hands.

"Same here, Reira-chan!" Returning that expression, Ringo tilted her head to the side with a sweet smile.

Feeling quite proud of her achievements for a successful birthday party, Miki beamed with pride. She was about to turn around and return to Tamaki and Kyoya's side when a figure darted over, throwing her arms around the strawberry blonde's neck. "Miki-san!" Sumire cried, tackling her friend into a hug.

"S-Sumire-san?!" Stumbling back from the weight, Miki blinked in confusion. Slowly, she reached up to return the gesture, feeling the brunette's body begin to tremble lightly. "Is something the matter?" She asked with a worried, gently patting her friend's back in hopes to soothe her.

"Reira... Reira hasn't smiled like that ever since she was discharged from the hospital." Hiccuping slightly, Sumire held back the joyful tears that brimmed her eyes. "Thank you! Thank you so much!" She lowered her head, resting her chin on Miki's shoulders.

"Not at all! Not at all!" Quickly waving her hands, Miki chuckled wryly. "It's wasn't only because of me. Tamaki-kun and the others helped a lot with the party and making that final drama a success. And Kyoya-kun did a lot to help find Meilin-chan in the first place." She explained clumsily. "Either way, I couldn't have done it myself-"

"I am still grateful towards you Miki-san." Tightening her gasp around the blonde, Sumire's eyes crinkled gently. "It is thanks to you and your designer skills; my sister can finally come out of her shell... So..." She bit her bottom lip, slowly separating herself from Miki. "Thank you," She twinkled. "Thank you so much!"

Miki's hazel eyes rounded slightly for a second before breaking into a radiant smile. Copying Ringo, she took the elder Kazehara sisters' hands in hers. "Why are you so courteous, Sumire-san?" Peeking down at their connected hands, she grinned. "We're friends, aren't we?" She winked.

"Yes!" Wiping away the tears of joy with the hem of her sleeves, Sumire sniffled. "Yes! We absolutely are!" She affirmed.

Watching his little sister giggle with her friend, and the birthday girl of this party thoroughly enjoying herself with friends new and old. Tamaki couldn't help but let go of his mini-grudge against Kyoya for condoning the off-script handcuff whack he received. He huffed a smile in relief before swiftly glancing around, attempting to find a particular someone with no avail. "Kyoya, have you seen Meilin-chan's older sister?" He asked.

"Ah, you mean Kobe-san?" Kyoya raised an eyebrow, curious to why the blond would be asked for her. "She should be resting at the South Gate right now." He informed, nudging his chin towards the south end of the school.

Leaning her back against the stone-brick outer walls of Ouran Academy, a commoner girl sighed, still trying to calm her heart down from that intense bike race. A small chilling breeze blew by, combing through her pony-tail and sending it swaying in the wind. The cold, in particular, forced her to curl up and bring her knees closer to her chest, huffing into her hands in an attempt to remain warm. However, before she could do that for too long, a shadow loomed over her, taking her by surprise.

"You must be Meilin-chan's elder sister." She peered up curiously, spotting the high-schooler who was playing the part of the phantom thief. "What's your name, fair maiden?" He asked with a charming smile.

Pushing off against the stone-brick wall, the brunette quickly recomposed herself. With considerable maturity and grace, she bowed her head formally. "Good afternoon," She greeted. "My name is Kobe Yukiji. And you are?"

Brushing his hair back with a charming smile, Tamaki hummed with a slight sense of pride. "I am Suoh Tamaki. It's a pleasure to meet you, princess." He introduced, extending an open palm towards her as if he were a real prince from one of the many fairy tale books. However, Yukiji didn't respond. She simply stopped and stared at his inviting gesture as if it were something incredulous. Tamaki sweatdropped. It seemed like these 'charming methods' that worked with the ladies of Ouran didn't have as strong as an effect on the commoners. Haruhi wasn't affected by it; neither were Mei or Yukiji.

"You know, Yukiji-chan." Brushing off the rejection with a dramatic clear of his throat, he stood back up next to her and struck up another conversation with the one similarity he knew the two of them shared. "What you did for your sister, it was a very reckless move." He commented. Contrary to his worlds, the smile on his lips was warm and almost encouraging.

Yukiji paused momentarily as she glanced up at the blond. Her chocolate-coloured eyes were scanning up and down, studying and analyzing. After identifying that he wasn't a threat, she shifted her body to lean against the walls once again. "She's my younger sister," She said with a tender expression. "I will do anything for her."

Hearing her statement, Tamaki's ocean-blue eyes rounded for a few moments. "I suppose that is true." He agreed, letting out a soft chuckle. Then, following her movements, he too leaned up against the walls behind them. "For our younger sisters, nothing seems too reckless." He admitted, eyes trailing up to the early spring sky.

That evening, Tamaki turned around on his chair, hearing the awaited series of knocks on his door. "Miki, is something the matter?" He smiled, beckoning the strawberry blonde in.

"Tamaki-kun. I think I've found my answer to your question." Marching into the room, she took a deep breath. "I... I want to become a production designer to reach out and take people to places where they've never been able to reach with my designs." She announced, cupping her hands before her chest as if she were saying a praying. "I want to immerse them into a new country or even another dimension entirely just by watching through a screen. And most importantly... I..." She hesitated. "I want to design new worlds, ones that have never existed, ones that can inspire and even help people through difficult situations." As her declaration came to a close, her brows slowly drew closer, furrowing slightly. "Does that... Does that suffice for an answer?" She tilted her head, staring up at her brother worriedly.

In the face of such an innocent question and expression, Tamaki couldn't help but chuckle a little. "Of course." Holding a hand against his mouth, he attempted to stifle a snicker. Then, reaching out, he gently affectionately ruffled her hair. "Do your best, alright?" He encouraged, earning a proud, radiant smile from his beloved sister.

A/N: *sigh* This chapter... Honestly, I am not the proudest of this chapter. It's a little bit of a mess and the theme of it just feels extremely unfocused. And on top of that, it is insanely long, topping off at about 16,000 words. To put that into perspective, a usual fantasy novel is about 100,000 words by itself. So about 7 of these chapters, and I can publish my own book. It is because of how long this chapter took, that I still decided to post it in the end. I hope you guys can forgive me for it. Not just that, be also get some really wonderful and crucial moments to the plot in this chapter. As well as a few... erm... cameos.

For those of you who didn't know, Yukiji and Meilin are characters from my other fanfiction, Fushigi Yuugi Kirin Koka (Shameless Self-Promo, go read it if you've seen Fushigi Yuugi). No, I'm not implying that the two worlds are connected in any way, I just thought it would be fun to include them in a mini cameo. Also serving as a little message to the readers of that series, no I have not dropped it at all. It will be back, soon ;).

With that, have a great day!

XOXO,

Astra


	49. 44 The Split of the Honey and Mori Du

_-Chapter 44-_

 **The Split of the Honey and Mori Duo?!**

By the time Miki completed her portfolio submission to the United States, the end of March was approaching quick. Keeping in mind to take frequent breaks while maintaining her repetitive strain injury, she's been working hard to create the final production sketch of the year, catering to Honey and Mori's requests.

With one week left, it was ready, just in time to be used for the final large-scale club event of the school year.

"Huan Ying!" As the large double doors creaked open, the hosts were revealed under the shimmering light inside what seemed to be a dim sum restaurant. The walls of the Music Room were covered off with traditional paper dividers, and the ceiling was decorated with giant lanterns, hanging down. Pots of plum flowers were also scattered on the tables, bringing a sense of tranquillity to the room. All of the members were dressed in traditional Chinese clothing. The hosts wore what was known as a changshan, a traditional Chinese rob while Miki wore the women's equivalent - a cheongsam, also known as a traditional Chinese dress.

"Doesn't it look delicious? This is osmanthus jelly!" Honey giggled brightly as he pointed out one of the many Chinese dishes gathered on the table. "And there is sweet bean soup with lotus seeds, swallow's nest, and even mango milk with tapioca pearls!" He named with a child-like innocence before picking up a plate of bunny-shaped shumai and offering it to the guests with a close-eyed smile. "I wanted to eat my favourite dim sum with everyone today, so I requested lots and lots! Please eat up, and let's have as much fun as we possibly can today!" He stated sweetly only to open his eyes and notice the girls were on the verge of tears.

"Honey-senpai! Parting is just too painful!" Momoka sobbed, covering her face as tears streamed down them like a never-ending waterfall.

"Don't graduate, Honey-senpai!" Wailing into a thin handkerchief that quickly became soaked with tears, Kimiko pled. "To think we won't get to see your smiling face anymore...!"

"Ahh! Please don't cry, everyone!" Flinching slightly, Honey waved his arms in a panic. "Haru-chan, more towels! We need more towels!" He requested immediately, worrying that the girls' tears would spoil the dishes they had prepared for them.

"Yes! Right here!"Carrying a large stack of towels, Haruhi hurried over.

On the other side of the room, Hikaru spared a worried glance at his twin. "Kaoru, aren't you going to eat? You like stuff like this, don't you?" He asked, offering a plate of dumplings to him.

"But... I feel too choked up to eat..." Holding a hand to his chest, Kaoru turned away from his brother, muttering quietly. "When I think that someday, you and I may have to part ways like this... I just..." His voice trailed off as he closed his eyes, only for Hikaru to reach forward, hugging his brother from behind reassuringly.

"Kaoru...! Don't be ridiculous!" He scolded lightly, tightening his grip around his twin. "Even if time should drag us away from each other, our souls will be joined for all eternity!"

"Hikaru!"

Hearing their exchange, the guests who would usually fangirl at their 'brotherly love' act began to shed tears of their own. "No!" They wept, pulling out courtesy handkerchieves that were clearly not enough to hold their emotions. "Don't you two start saying words of farewell too!" They wept.

Accomplishing their mission of the day, the twins turned around, casually resting an arm each on the backrest of their chair. "Haruhi! We'll need some tissues and towels over here." They called out to the already swarmed brunette.

"R-Right. Coming!" Just refreshing her towel supply, Haruhi replied before being stopped by a few of her own third-year regulars.

"Oh, Haruhi..." They sniffled, doing everything they could to prevent themselves from tearing up with no avail. "Though we will be advancing to the university division one step ahead of you, we'll surely meet again, won't we...?" Breaking into a fit of sobs, one of the girls asked with a shaky breath.

"Of course, we will!" Hurrying to comfort them, Haruhi reassured. "Please take a towel." She offered with a sweatdrop.

 _Is there no end to a maidens' tears?!_ Peering over her shoulder in slight awe at how overly dramatic everyone was taking the graduation of the third-years, Haruhi thought to herself. _Still... I can't believe we're actually finally coming to this situation after so long. Graduation..._ Flickering her eyes upward, she hummed a little before bumping into something with her leg.

"Haruhi." Jumping back in surprise, Haruhi glanced down only to see Tamaki crouching on the ground and curled up into a pillbug. He raised his face to reveal tear-stained cheeks. "I need tissues too...!" He requested weakly, bawling his eyes out in the process.

"Ack!" Shrieking slightly, Haruhi took a step back. "T-Tamaki-senpai, why are you in such a state...? You were perfectly fine when you were in our welcoming poses." She pointed out, trying to hide the flush on her cheeks behind the tall pile of towels she held in her arms.

"I-I forced myself to hold it in..." Clenching his fist around the already soaked through towel of his own, Tamaki whimpered. "Mori and Honey-senpai are... graduating!" He announced only to break down even more.

"Um... Anyways, please take another towel." Not knowing what else to do, Haruhi quickly took a towel off the top of the pile, handing it to the blonde who promptly buried his face within, quietly sobbing. She blinked a little as she studied him, noticing the little details on his handsome face. She watched how the tears drops rested on his eyelashes, glistening in the fluorescent lights of the club room; how strands of hair seemed to stick to his cheeks thanks to the tears; how every time he sniffled, his body would tremble a little. Captivated by his princely appearance, her hand moved on its own. "Tamaki-senpai-" She muttered quietly about to reach out and pet his head when...

"Tamaki-sama, don't cry! We're still here!" Before she could even get close enough to comfort him, Sora appeared along with a few other second-year guests to comfort the blond, causing Haruhi to retract her hand immediately.

"Ladies..." Tamaki peered up with misty eyes.

"Suoh-kun..." Suddenly appearing out of nowhere, Nekozawa popped into the clubroom also bawling his eyes out. "To think you would be so overcome with grief at our imminent parting...! Belzenef is deeply moved as well!" He wept, puppeteering the cat doll with shaking hands.

"Nekozawa-senpai! This is so sad; please don't go!" Grasping tightly onto the president of the Black Magic Club, Tamaki said.

 _So he says now, despite being terrified of him all year..._ Haruhi gave a deadpanned smile at her upperclassmen's dramatics, being in awe at the fearsome power known as 'graduation.' She breathed a long sigh, before sneaking a glance down at her empty hand that almost made contact with the blond's hair. However, before she could think too much about it, Kyoya appeared behind her, causing her to jolt in shock.

"It seems we really won't be able to conduct business properly today. I figured as much." He hummed, toying with a fan as he overlooked the situation. Eyes sweeping the tear-filled scene, he paused for a moment before glancing at Haruhi. "Are you not crying?" He questioned with an amused brow raise. "I had the towels brought in by the truck-load, so we have plenty to spare. You needn't hold back." He offered.

"Um... Before I can get to crying, I can't even seem to absorb the news." Sweatdropping slightly, Haruhi followed his gaze towards the weeping crowd in the Music Room. "For some reason, I feel as though we spent several long years together already. To bring up the whole graduation thing now... It's not really sinking in." She stated with a small sigh. "Besides, if someone's about to graduate, wouldn't they be pretty busy preparing for entrance exams and the transition into university? Even if it is only to prepare for Ouran's affiliate university..." Her voice trailed off as she glanced to the side, watching as the two supposed graduates that were leisurely having tea with the emotional guests. "Those two don't appear to have done anything but play around as much as possible." She pointed out.

"We've been making our preparations on our own time!" Honey reassured, throwing a hand up into the air.

"I never imagined graduation to be like this though," Miki chimed as she approached the two from behind with a curious expression. "I thought it was meant to be a joyous occasion." She hummed, resting a hand under her chin thoughtfully.

"Well, it is supposed to be..." Haruhi laughed dryly. "But..." Her voice trailed off as her eye line shifted to the president of the Host Club, still wailing his eyes out with the president of the Black Magic Club. Shaking her head with a wry sigh, she decided to change the topic. "I'm a little surprised though; I thought you would be the first to cry, Miki-senpai." Turning to the strawberry blonde, she commented. "Aren't you sad that Honey and Mori-senpai are leaving?"

Hearing her question, Miki blinked a few times.

"I don't like to cry," She stated, staring blankly at the brunette. "Because if I cried, the tears would never stop." She said, causing Haruhi's eyes to widen slightly. For a few seconds there, Haruhi swore she felt the atmosphere shift. However, as quickly as that feeling came, it vanished. She watched in surprise as the blonde brought her hands behind her back and tilted her head. "Besides, as I said, this is supposed to be a joyous occasion, isn't it?" She pointed out with her usual radiant smile.

"Y-Yeah..." Though still feeling a little unsettled, Haruhi nodded awkwardly. Thinking back, when was the last time she saw her upperclassman cry? She didn't cry at her arranged wedding ceremony, neither did she cry when she parted with her family or even when her grandmother slapped her.

As far as she knew, Miki was never much of a crier, almost to an alarming degree.

"Um, Miki-senpai-" She opened her mouth to confront the blonde on the subject, only to notice her attention had already diverted off of her and towards her older brother behind her.

"Ahh! Tamaki-kun! Your tears are going to stain the carpet!" She scolded, rushing over next to him and grabbing another towel in the process. "Please be careful!" She reminded.

"S-Sorry..." Taking the fresh towel, Tamaki sniffled.

"But I still don't understand why everyone is crying so much." Helping her brother wipe away his excess tears, Miki asserted with a slightly blank expression. "We will all still be in the same academy, right? We can still see each other quite often." She pointed out.

"Not really." Shaking his head, Hikaru cut into the conversation. "Even if most of us end up at the same university, those who enter different departments won't really get to see one another." He said with a small shrug.

Before she could say anything to reply to Hikaru, Miki gasped lightly as her mental 'alarm' for those who could damage the set design set off. Whipping her head around, she spotted the silent giant staring motionlessly ahead as he used the porcelain teapot to fill his tea, only for his mind to wander off somewhere else, allowing the tea to overflow the cup and onto the tray. "Ah! Mori-senpai, be careful!" She shouted.

Coming to his sense, Mori immediately stopped the pouring motion and peered down at the mess he has created thanks to his uncharacteristically absent-minded actions.

"Hey, doesn't Mori-senpai look a little unenergetic?" Kaoru sweatdropped.

"Yes, I think Mori-senpai is tired out by the challenge letter rush," Kyoya affirmed.

"Challenge Letter Rush?" Miki tilted her head curiously. "What's that?"

"His juniors from the various martial arts clubs are all rushing desperately to get the chance to duel him once before he graduates." He explained.

"Ahh. Does that mean Honey-senpai is also-?" The twins raised an eyebrow each.

"No. Since challengers know Honey-senpai will likely not hold back at all in battles, he seems comparatively free these days." Pushing his glasses further up his nose bridge, Kyoya elaborated. "They'd just end up being sent to the hospital after all." He stated.

"Ah... Of course..." Mentally questioning themselves for asking a question such an obvious answer, the twins hummed.

"Speak of which," Wiping his tears away with the sleeves of his velvet cloak, Nekozawa turned to the lolita. "What department are you planning on entering, Haninozuka-kun?" He asked. "As for me, I will be entering the literature department."

"I'm going into engineering!" Honey announced excitedly. "Since I've always loved math, I decided to specialize in it! And my ultimate aim is to someday use what I learn to begin development on cars and toys, and open new divisions of the Haninozuka Enterprises!" He declared, striking a small power pose with one hand while his other cradled Usa-chan.

"Wow..." Taken slightly aback by Honey's aspirations, Haruhi's eyes widened in a mixture of surprise and awe. "So then, Mori-senpai, are you also in entering the engineering department?" She asked, turning to the giant.

"Naturally!" Clicking their tongues, Hikaru and Kaoru shook their head, tsking Haruhi for even asking such an obvious question. "You can't split up a duo like-"

"No..." Interrupting the twins, Mori asserted. "I will be in the law department." He pronounced, causing everyone in the room to fall silent as they processed this new information.

"Eh?" Miki blinked a few times, along with the twins and Haruhi.

"You're kidding, right?" Hikaru and Kaoru questioned in disbelief.

"Nope, it's true," Honey affirmed with an honest nod. "Starting April, Takashi and I will be in different departments." He said.

.

.

.

"Eh?!" Miki covered her mouth, yelping even louder as everyone par Kyoya, who already knew, took a step back in astonishment.

 _Is this the split of the Honey-Mori Duo?!_

The next day after school, the hosts were gathered in one of the many gyms of Ouran Academy, standing on the sidelines as they watched Mori go through the large over-flowing box labelled 'Kendo,' calling each of the students up and accepting their request for a duel after skimming through their challenge letter.

"Next. Second-year, Kitamizawa." He announced, folding up another sheet of paper.

Hearing his name being called, the boy stood up stiffly. "T-Thank you for the match!" He nodded curtly before stuffing on his kendo mask.

After exchanging a couple of curtesy bows, both participants readied their swords as a sense of silence fell around the room. The level of concentration within the air shot up as everyone observed in suspense, watching as both students held their stances, waiting to see what the other would do.

Kitamizawa moved first, taking a blunt step forward and raising his hands above his head. "Yah!" He shouted, aiming for Mori's shoulders.

"Hah!" Responding to his movements, Mori let out a cry of his own, precisely striking his opponent on the shoulder and swiftly ending the match.

"Wow! In one hit...!" Hikaru gawked.

"I guess even Mori-senpai shouts during Kendo." Rubbing her chin lightly, Haruhi hummed, unable to hide the awe in her voice.

"It's like a heart-pounding scene from a drama series!" Cupping her cheeks with both hands, Miki fangirled with glimmering eyes.

"Amazing as usual, Mori-senpai!" Kaoru cheered, grinning widely.

"Wait," Glancing around curiously, Hikaru paused for a moment. "Where's Honey-senpai?" He asked, turning to Kyoya who watched from the back.

"He went to the dining hall to eat cake since it appears this will take a while," Kyoya informed.

"Next." Plucking another letter out of his stash, Mori read. "First year, Okubo." He called.

"Yes, sir! Thank you for the match!" The student jumped up to his feet with a determined nod.

"Ah..." Realizing what Honey meant after taking another glance at the over-flowing cardboard box, the twins sweatdropped. "This will definitely take some time..." They agreed.

Crouching the corner of the room, Tamaki's cheeks were still covered in tears. "Never again will be able to witness Mori-senpai's gallantry in the kendo hall..." He sobbed, holding onto one of the leftover towels from the crying fest the day before.

"Milord, how long are you going to cry?" In slight disbelief that the blond was still bawling his eyes out, Hikaru questioned.

"He's been like this all night." Miki chuckled wryly as she hurried over to her school bag, pulling out one of the many back-up towels Suzuno insisted her on bringing. "Even when Shima-san scolded him, he refused to stop." She revealed, helping her brother switch out his tear-drenched towel for a fresh one.

"Ah, thank you..." Tamaki glanced up with swollen eyes, taking the new towel before immediately blowing his nose into it. "Because... This is just all too sad!" He protested. "It's bad enough Honey and Mori-senpai are graduating. Now they'll be torn apart too?!" He buried his face into his knees, continuing to cry.

"Well, it is pretty surprising." Shifting his eyes to his upperclassman who continued to go down the list of challengers, Hikaru admitted.

"I never imagined Mori-senpai would ever leave Honey-senpai's side." Kaoru nodded in agreement. "Though somehow they both seem okay with it..."

"Really? I don't think Mori-senpai looks okay." Not lifting her gaze from Tamaki, Miki stated bluntly as she continued trying to help her brother clean up the tear stains on his cheeks.

"Huh? Why do you say that?" Hikaru raised an eyebrow.

"Because look," Turning to the kendo field, Miki pointed her finger at Mori with a blank expression. Following her directions, the twins glanced over curiously, just in time to see Mori trip over a dust bunny and fall face first onto the wooden ground. They sweatdropped.

"Ah... You may be right..." Laughing uneasily, Kaoru muttered.

"Of course!" Suddenly, a voice sounded behind the hosts, startling them slightly. They whipped the heads around, just in time to see the sliding doors lash open, revealing Morinozuka Satoshi and Haninozuka Yasuchika standing in the doorway. "Of course he's not okay!" The former shouted passionately, not even bothering to acknowledge his upperclassmen in his desperate state.

"Satoshi-kun, Chika-kun." Haruhi greeted the two middle-schoolers with a small nod.

"The decision about which department he'd enter was made by a council of our relatives without Taka-kun's input," Satoshi revealed, scrunching his hands into fists as his gaze dropped. "Naturally, my brother wouldn't want to leave Mitsukuni's side. In fact, did you guys know what he did at dinner last night?!" He asked rhetorically. "He put a whole grilled fish, natto and boiled greens into his miso soup and then ate it! Then, he came out to morning practice a few days ago with the most ridiculous bedhead ever! And then he does things like accidentally hanging Pome (his new pet Tanuki, see Chapter 34) up to dry with the freshly washed clothes, or searches frantically for his reading glasses when he already has them on his face!" With each of listing, the panic on his face became ever more apparent as he hugged his head in his hands. "AHHH! Taka-kun's noble image is being ruined!" He shouted dramatically, ripping his hair out in worry.

"T-This is serious..." The twins, Haruhi and Miki agreed in unison, not even being able to imagine the dignified and stoic Mori acting so absent-minded.

"I'm sure that Taka-kun doesn't want this at all!" Holding his hands in fists, Satoshi continued as his voice subconsciously grew louder. "That's why I-" However, before he could say anything more, a kendo sword swung down, lightly tapping him on the head.

"Satoshi," Mori addressed his brother with a stern glare. "Don't go around chattering about serious matters. I've considered my future my own and decided on this. Don't draw your own conclusions." He asserted.

"T-Taka-kun...!" Holding a hand over the spot where Mori smacked, Satoshi stammered. "But when I go to university, I would never even consider letting Yasuchika out of my sight!" He protested, still in disbelief of his brother's decision.

"I, on the other hand, would be thrilled to part ways with you right now." Heaving a sigh, Chika said, only to feel a shiver rattle down his spine as Satoshi whipped his head around with gleaming eyes.

"What did you say?!"

"Eeek!" Chika shrieked, pushing off the ground and sprinting out of the gym to avoid the consequences for his off-handed remark, trailing a blast of dust behind him, as well as an enraged Satoshi.

"Bye-bye!" Miki waved with an airheaded smile, giving the boys a proper send-off no one asked for.

"Well, I believe it's quite an appropriate decision." Lifting his glasses further up his nose bridge, Kyoya commented, capturing everyone's attention.

"Kyoya-senpai?" Haruhi blinked a few times, signalling for Kyoya to elaborate.

"The Haninozuka and Morinozuka families are both powerful enterprises on their own," Crossing his arms over his chest, Kyoya began to explain. "But they have many joint venues and share a relationship that is deeply intertwined. Mori-senpai will someday stand as the head of his family as well and is likely aiming to ensure that he will be a good business partner for Honey-senpai." He described. "In that case, I can certainly see how he would decide he should specialize in different fields in university. Having a thorough grasp of law is an important asset to anyone entering business. If Honey-senpai intends to go into research an development, knowing law will be especially helpful when it comes to creating patents and the like." Pausing for a few moments, casting Miki's thoughtful expression a side glance. Despite having a loose idea on what she was thinking about, he decided to save that for later and instead turned to Tamaki. "Perhaps Satoshi and Yasuchika aren't able to understand this yet, but I would've expected you to be able to, Tamaki." He remarked, only to be met with complete silence from the blond.

Seeing his body unmoving, Haruhi's brows drew closer in worry. "Tamaki-senpai?" She called out, subconsciously reaching a hand out to comfort him.

"I do understand." However, before she could get close enough to touch him, she immediately retracted her hand once again as he began to speak. "Of course, I do," Tamaki repeated as he lifted his head from his knees, wiping away a few more droplets of tears with a determined expression. "And I also understand that if Mori-senpai himself says that he's decided this, we have no right to stand in his way." He announced, standing up and turning around before noticing Haruhi who remained directly behind him. "Hm? What is it, Haruhi?" He questioned, studying her stilled body-language. "Your hand..." He blinked a few times before covering his mouth in a mixture of anticipation and excitement. "Ah, could it be you were reaching out to comfort me?" He concluded hopefully.

"I would never do that." Despite his theory being correct, Haruhi shot his assumptions down bluntly, sending the blond back into his corner of depression.

Miki chuckled wryly at the interactions between the two before hearing a tiny jingle play from her school bag. She blinked a few times, trying to remember why she set a reminder before gasping lightly. "Ah! Tamaki-kun, it's time!" She reminded.

"Oh!" Jumping to his feet, Tamaki rushed to gather his things. "I'm supposed to be observing a meeting at headquarters today." He explained to the first-year trio. "I'll see you tomorrow!" He waved, clipping his bag under his arm.

"See ya!" The twins waved.

"Miki, be careful going home." Tamaki nagged before rushing out of the gym.

"You too, Tamaki-kun," Miki nodded cheerfully before noticing Haruhi in the corner of her eye, staring down at her hand in a slight daze.

"Are you sure you don't want any help, Reiko-chan?" The following day after school, Miki sat in the cafeteria across from Reiko, watching as she went through piles upon piles of paperwork regarding the continuation of the Black Magic Club in the next school year. "You know I'm always available to assist you if you needed me too, right?" She asked worriedly, taking the final bite of her tiramisu and allowing her fork to linger in her mouth.

"I understand, Miki-san. But..." Glancing down at the half-finished forums she needed to fill, Reiko took a deep breath. "This is something the president entrusted in me; I want to fulfill my duty as vice president." She said in a thoughtful tone, causing Miki's eyes to widen.

There was a small moment of silence as Miki just... stared at her friend. But it didn't take long before she broke, giggling into the palm of her hand like a little girl. "Hehe, Reiko-chan," She gasped. "You've changed a lot since I've met you, you know?" She commented, wiping away a few tears that formed at the corner of her eyes from how hard she was laughing.

Staring at the strawberry blonde with a slightly blank expression, Reiko's dull eyes remained still. "How so?" She questioned.

Tapping her chin lightly, Miki hummed as she tried to gather her thoughts. "Well, you used to be quite distant." She described. "Remember when we first met?" Lifting an all-knowing finger, she reminded the raven-haired girl of their first encounter. "Back then, you weren't very considerate of other people's feelings at all. All you wanted to do was accomplish your own goal by casting a curse on Honey-senpai. But now, you are so kind and hard-working." She explained, giving the girl a sweet close-eyed smile.

Hearing Miki's words, a small flush overcame her pale cheeks as she averted her eyes down to the papers. "I..." She whispered. "I am fighting to overcome my weakness." She acknowledged bashfully, causing Miki to dote on how adorable she was.

"Yes..." Biting her bottom lip, Reiko's voice trailed off as she brought her hands together and gently began twiddling her thumbs. "Yet I still feel that... I am not good enough for Haninozuka-senpai." She confessed quietly.

"Eh? Why would you say that Reiko-chan?" Miki immediately denied that notion, reassuring the raven-haired girl. "He liked your chocolates on Valentine's Day, didn't he?" She pointed out.

"But in the end, I still couldn't ask him on a date..." With the air around her turning gloomy, Reiko's head dropped in defeat at the memory.

"Ahaha... That's true..." Miki laughed awkwardly, feeling slightly guilty for bringing up the topic.

"Miki-san," Peeking out of her thick bangs just above her eyes, Reiko called out the strawberry blonde. "Do you... know what Haninozuka-senpai thinks of me?" She asked nervously.

"Honey-senpai..." Rubbing her chin, Miki's eyes flickered up to the chandeliers hanging above in the cafeteria. Actually, after their Valentine's Day sleepover, Miki did get a little curious herself and confronted Honey on the subject of Reiko. If she remembered correctly, his answer was...

 _Rei-chan? She hasn't come talk to me yet. But isn't she adorable, getting so nervous she can't speak whenever she tries to ask me out? The fact that she hasn't realized it herself makes her even cuter. Though I hope she can work up the courage to ask me out soon, so before long, we can go to the movies together and eat popcorn._

"I think Honey-senpai and I think the same of you, Reiko-chan." Turning her attention back to her friend, Miki replied mysteriously, further confusing Reiko.

"Same as you?" Reiko blinked a few times. "Then what do you think of me, Miki-san?" She pursued.

"That's a secret~" Pressing a finger to her lips, Miki winked mischievous, causing Reiko to pout at her response. Quickly checking the time on the cafeteria clock, Miki gasped. "Ah, it's almost four!" She quickly stood up on her feet. "I have a meeting at the clubroom today. I'll see you tomorrow."

"See you tomorrow..." Nodding, Reiko watched as Miki gathered up her things in a hurry with a slightly unsatisfied expression, as if there was something she wanted to say but wondered if she really should.

However, Miki also picked up on the shift in mood. "Is something wrong, Reiko-chan?" She asked, halting all of her movements to give her full focus to the black magician.

"I..." Realizing that she had been put on the spot, Reiko averted her eyes slightly. "I just wanted to thank you..." She muttered awkwardly. "For being my friend this school year."

In the face of her honest feelings, Miki's lips parted in awe for a few seconds before breaking into her usual radiant smile. "I was really happy too, to have you as a friend this year." Shoving her drawing tablet into her bag, she then reached out to take Reiko's hands in her own. "But you don't need to thank me, Reiko-chan. Because we are going to be best friends for many years to come, so you don't need to thank me every year. Alright?" She announced in an airy voice.

Hearing such an offer, Reiko's eyes couldn't help but shimmer a little in the bright sunlight that seeped into the cafeteria through its large windows. "Yes!" Nodding curtly, she affirmed. "Best Friends!"

"Miki-chan~."

After parting with Reiko at the cafeteria, Miki hurried down the mostly empty hallways and towards the Northen entrance of the South Wing with her bag in hand. However, before she could get too far, she heard Sora call out to her from behind, startling her.

"Ah, Sora-chan. Sumire-san." Greeting her two friends with a bright smile, Miki turned on the ball of her foot to face them. "Is something the matter?" She tilted her head.

"Nothing, nothing. We just wanted to say hi, that's all." Sora waved her hand with a cheery grin. "We haven't seen much of each other since Reira-chan's whole birthday fiasco after all. How have you been?"

"I've been wonderful, but year-end preparations have been quite busy lately," Miki replied with a light giggle. "Speaking of which, how is Reira-chan doing?" She asked, turning Sumire who only remained silent, keeping her gaze glued to the ground. "Sumire-san?" Miki tried again, leaning her body to the side, just enough to pop into Sumire's field of view.

"Oh!" Realizing that she was being called on, Sumire immediately snapped out of her dazed trance and refocused her gaze. "I apologize. Yeah... Reira has been doing well." She said, giving Miki a half-hearted smile. "She's also been making lots of friends recently."

Sensing the odd tone Sumire held in her voice, Miki blinked a few times, a little confused. "Sumire-san, you look anxious." She pointed out, straightening her spine. "Is there something you wanted to say to me?" She inquired.

"Huh?" Taken off-guard by Miki's straightforward question, Sumire jolted slightly. "Oh, well..." She stuttered, averting her eyes stiffly. "Miki-san... I..." She hesitated a little, wondering if she should really confront the blonde with what was on her mind. "I... was just wondering about how you were going along with your search for the meaning of love. Have you found your answer yet?" Deciding against it, she instead chose to bring up a divert the conversation into a topic.

"Oh, no... Not quite." Miki replied, chuckling awkwardly.

"Speaking of which, Miki-chan." Clapping her hands together, Sora cut into the conversation. "You mentioned that there was someone you didn't know how you felt towards them, right? Say, who is it? Can you tell us?" Leaning in closer, she urged with a brow wiggle.

"S-Sora-san...!" Sumire's eyes widened.

"Come on, aren't you curious too?" Giving her friend a light nudge, Sora snickered. "The mysterious man that captured Miki-chan's attention!"

"Well, I already-"

"I could tell you." Not even bothering to hide the truth, Miki offered bluntly.

"Eh?!" Whipping her head around, Sumire's mouth gawked open at how casual she was on the topic. "C-Can you?!" She questioned.

"Of course, why couldn't I?" Miki retorted blankly.

"Really? Then come on, don't keep us waiting." Cupping her hands together as her eyes twinkled with anticipation, Sora urged. "Who is it? Who is it?"

"It's K-"

However, before Miki could even get the name of the person out completely, a voice chimed behind her, following a shadow that loomed over her body. "What are you doing, standing around here?" It questioned.

"Ah!" Instantly recognizing the irritation in that tone, Miki gasped lightly. Spinning on the ball of her foot, she twirled around with enthusiasm. "Kyoya-kun!" She greeted him with a sparkling smile.

"Oh, Ootori-san. Good afternoon." Sora nodded in acknowledgement while Sumire bowed her head.

"Yotsuboshi-san, Kazehara-san." Wearing his usual reserved smile, Kyoya addressed the two girls politely. "What a pleasant surprise."

"Kyoya-kun, what are you doing here?" Cocking her head to the side, Miki asked curiously.

"You're late for the club meeting," With narrowed eyes, Kyoya reprimanded before heaving a sigh. "Mori-senpai is fighting the members in the Karate Club today, so everyone decided to go cheer him on." He informed, tone turning slightly more forgiving of her tardiness.

"Is that so?" Averting her eyes to the side for a moment, Miki hummed. "Okay, I'll be right there." She nodded. "Just let me finish my conversation with-"

"Ah, if that's the case, please don't mind us." Cutting the blonde off, Sumire asserted. "Go on, Miki-san." She encouraged, taking Sora by the shoulders and guiding her towards the main hallway.

"Wait. What?" Feeling herself being drawn away, Sora protested. "Hey, Sumire-chan! I want to stay-"

"See you tomorrow, alright?" Ignoring Sora's protests, Sumire gave an apologetic smile over her shoulder before disappearing into an oncoming crowd of students in the corridor, leaving Miki with a confused expression on her face.

"Hey, what was that about Sumire-chan!" Once they got far enough away from where Miki and Kyoya were, Sora pulled herself away from her best friend with a frown. "Just a little more and we could've figured out who this mysterious guy is!" She complained, still a little upset at missing out on the opportunity.

Sumire gently shook her head, sighing heavily. "There are times when you are as dense as Miki-san, Sora-san." She commented.

"Huh? Why do you say that?" Sora raised an eyebrow.

"No matter what way you look at it, it's quite obvious that the one Miki-san has feelings for is Ootori-san," Sumire stated with an almost certain tone. "Just look at how her eyes light up whenever he enters the room." She said, lifting a knowing finger.

At the sudden new information, Sora stood still for a few seconds as she struggled to take in the information. "No way!" Once she did, her jaw practically slammed open and onto the floor. "Ootori-san?! But aren't they are like, the complete opposites of each other? Ootori-san is so cool and mysterious, while Miki-chan is so cheerful and... honest." She expressed, still stuck in a state of disbelief.

Hearing her friend's description of the strawberry blonde, Sumire's face darkened a little. "Is she really though?" She questioned in an oddly serious tone.

"Sumire-chan?" Picking up on the shift in mood, Sora tilted her head to the side.

"Think about it. Just what do we really know about Miki-san?" Resting a finger on her cheek, Sumire fell into a deep state of thought. "She never talks about her family or the life she lived before transferring to this school. All we know is that her family runs a small financial company in Spain, one of which she wouldn't even give the name of." She explained quietly, causing Sora to freeze up.

"W-Well, that's true." Loosely tucking a few strands of hair behind her ears, Sora admitted. "But it could be that she's a pretty private person, that's why she didn't tell us." She theorized, still trying to give their precious friend the benefit of the doubt.

Slowly, Sumire shook her head. "In truth, after the events of Reira's birthday, I got a little curious and did some research into Miki-san's lineage. However, I..." She paused for a moment, swallowing hard as she once again wondered if she should really share her findings with anyone else. "I couldn't find any records of a person named Suoh Miki in either Japan or Spain." With her thin brows furrowed, she revealed.

"What?!" Sora gulped. "Are you saying she is a fraud?"

"No! I don't believe that is the case at all!" Immediately shutting down that idea, Sumire denied. "Just look at the past school year we've spent with her. She's been nothing but kind and helpful to us. I just... think that there may be more to her than that meet the eye." She said, gently rushing a hand under her chin once more. "From the looks of it, even the Kanazuki-san, whom she's close friends with doesn't know the details." She analyzed. "So let's not pry too much, as it isn't just us who are in the unknown. Because I'm sure that there will be a day will come when Miki-san feels comfortable enough to tell us the full story." Taking Sora's hands in her own, she cracked a friendly smile. "I want to trust Miki-san," She revealed. "Do you?"

Sora peered down at their connected hands for a moment, thinking. Then, she lifted her gaze before returning Sumire's expression with a bright grin of her own. "Yeah. Of course, I do." She agreed sincerely. "Because Miki-chan is our friend."

Keeping her gaze glued in the direction her friends disappeared off to, Miki blinked a few times. "Kyoya-kun?" She called out to him, receiving silence as an indication to continue. "Why did they leave so suddenly?" She asked cluelessly.

"Why are you asking me?" Kyoya replied, feeling eyebrow twitched in frustration. How would he know the answer to that question? "What were you three talking about, to begin with?"

"Hmm..." Miki rubbed her chin lightly as she thought back to the topic of their conversation. "Oh," She clapped her hands together in realization. "We were talking about..." Her voice trailed off as she glanced up to meet Kyoya's questioning gaze, hesitating a little. "...How... Reira-chan is doing after her birthday party." Cocking her head to the side and allowing a few strands of hair to slip down her shoulder, she gave him a sweet smile.

"I see." Playing along with her blatant lie, Kyoya hummed with an unbalanced smirk. "Is she well?"

"Yes!" Nodding enthusiastically, Miki affirmed with her usual energetic demeanour back. "Sumire-san said she is making plenty of friends-"

"Ah! Miki-senpai! Kyoya-senpai! There you are!" Cutting their conversation short, Kaoru suddenly darted around the corner wearing a panicked expression, not bothering to even give his usual teasing smirk to either of them. "Something... Something awful has happened!" He exclaimed, wiping away the sweat that was gathered on his forehead.

"Calm down, Kaoru," Kyoya instructed calmly. "What happened?"

"Mori-senpai..." Slumping over, Kaoru panted heavily. "Mori-senpai lost to a first-year in the karate club!" He exclaimed loudly, causing both Kyoya and Miki's eyes to widen.

"Eh?!" Miki gasped in disbelief, covering her lips with the tip of her fingers. "I thought Honey-senpai was the only one capable enough to defeat him!" She exclaimed.

"It seemed like he was out of it before the match began." Kaoru elaborated, turning on his heel and gesturing for his two upperclassmen to follow. "He dropped his guard, so now Honey-senpai is..."

"Well, well... You lost, Takashi!" Nonchalantly standing before Mori, Honey tapped a hand to his chin while the other held Usa-chan tightly to his body. "What's up? Was your tummy hurting?" He inquired, tilting his head innocently.

"No, there was a gap in my guard." Keeping his gaze to the ground, Mori admitted.

"Hmm..." Hearing his confession, Honey blinked a few times. "Well, this really is a problem for you, isn't it? If you go and lose like that, people will think the Haninozukas are weak." He stated bluntly, causing Satoshi, who had been treating Mori's injuries to tense up.

"Mitsukuni! How could you say that?!" The boy snapped, only to be silenced by Mori as he held a hand up, signalling for him to stop.

Ignoring the boy's protests, Honey continued. "I tried staying silent and just observing, but now you've ended up making all the juniors worry." He narrowed his eyes. "What do you think you're doing?" He questioned, shoving a hand into his pocket, the air around him suddenly changed, becoming more intense as he glared down at Mori with a severe expression. If there's something you want to say to me, Takashi, just say it." He commanded sternly.

Mori didn't respond immediately. Instead, he stared up at his cousin with probing eyes, not paying even an ounce of attention to the hosts who all rushed into the gym after hearing the news of his recent defeat. "Then, with your permission, I will." He agreed with a small nod. "But before that..." He paused for a moment, standing up slowly. "Fight me, Mitsukuni. I want to challenge you to a duel." He declared simply, utterly shocking everyone who arrived just in time to hear the issue of perhaps the most legendary challenge that has ever taken place in Ouran's School History.

The news of Honey and Mori's duel spread like wildfire across the academy. Students quickly gathered, each making their plans to go see the great showdown a mere day before graduation. The Newspaper and Broadcasting clubs, in particular, lunged for the opportunity, creating papers and podcasts in record time to discuss this upcoming event.

"Wow." Standing on either side of Haruhi, the twins glanced over her shoulder at the most recent special edition of 'OU Spot.' "Now they've done it. Talk about a big fuss." They chuckled awkwardly, sweatdropping at the bolded headline.

 _'A Battle between Lord and Retainer! Showdown Scheduled the Day before Graduation!'_

"The Newspaper Club's editor-in-chief looks pretty thrilled to have such juicy news to dish out just before he graduates," Hikaru noted, peering up to see the third-year handing out copies of his revamped newspaper-series with a proud grin.

"Everyone at this school seems to continue their club activities right up until graduation, huh?" Haruhi deadpanned.

"But why did they put off the duel until the day before graduation?" Taking the papers from the brunette, Kaoru heaved a long sigh as he read the exaggerated title once again. "If they're doing it, they may as well hurry up and get it over with..."

Raising an eyebrow at his remark, Kyoya hummed. "You three are nearly second-year students, and yet you still can't fathom why?" He questioned before breaking into one of his usual 'business casual' smiles. "The longer you draw out anticipation over an event like this, the more you can milk it. See?" He stated, gesturing a new notebook labelled 'wager registry.'

 _He's making every last cent he can off those two... Right up until the very end!_ The first-year trio shuddered. _He must have ice in his veins._

"You're all so cruel..." Leaning against the walls, the blond who had been practically crying the entire week burst into a fit of sobs once again. "Gathering around and finding amusement in something so grave... Even going as far as placing bets on the outcome!" He accused, blowing his nose into his already drenched handkerchief.

"Ahm Tamaki-kun! Towels! Towels!" Quickly pulling out another towel from her endless supply stuffed into her school bag, Miki reminded worriedly.

"Looks like our resident 'bleeding his heart out' has resurfaced..." Glancing over his shoulder in annoyance, Hikaru grumbled. "I feel bad for Miki-senpai." He commented.

"Hey, it'll be okay." Patting the blond's back, Kaoru laughed dryly. "They asked you to serve as referee for their match, right? You'd better toughen up." He pointed out.

"I-I'll try my hardest! Though my heart is breaking..."

"But, as we're on the topic of those two," Hikaru hummed, resting his hands on his hips as his gaze flickered upward. "It seems they haven't said a single word to each other since Mori-senpai issued his challenge. They're usually such a close pair, it's strange."

"According to Satoshi-kun, Mori-senpai has been continuing his daily training late into the night," Kyoya informed, still tallying up the wagers in his notebook. "But, perhaps to hone his mental concentration, it seems he also started practicing Chinese calligraphy." He added.

"What?! Is he transcribing Buddhist sutras or something?!" Kaoru raised an eyebrow.

"As for Honey-senpai's side..." Miki tapped her chin thoughtfully. "Ah! Chika-kun said he's been hearing the sound of knives being sharpened in Honey-senpai's room late into the night." She announced, giving the group a bright smile as if 'knives being sharpened' was anything but a red flag for their lives.

"That is not something to just calmly mention like that!" The twins screeched, being set into a state of panic.

"Honestly though..." Calming down from the dramatics, Kaoru's eyes turned to a downcast. "I don't think Mori-senpai will win against Honey-senpai in the end." He stated.

"Kaoru?" Hikaru raised an eyebrow.

"Don't you think?" Rubbing his chin, Kaoru's brows furrowed slightly. "Imagine the six-foot-three Mori-senpai sending a four-foot-ten Honey-senpai flying or putting him in a judo hold..." He described, causing Haruhi and Hikaru to jolt in realization.

 _A bully...! He'd look like a total bully!_

"So I'll put you down for one wager on Honey-senpai, right Kaoru?" Kyoya asserted, swiftly adding another tally in for Honey.

"Hey! No fair!" Hikaru protested. "Put me down for one on Honey-senpai too!" He shouted.

"Ah! How can you take sides like that?!" Not even minding the tears that blurred his vision, Tamaki whipped his head around with a loud gasp. "Think of poor Mori-senpai!" He scolded before allowing the waterworks to double. "Fine then! I'll place ten wagers on Mori-senpai!" He cried.

"Calm down, Tamaki-senpai. You're taking sides too..." Haruhi deadpanned, noting how the blond was completely missing the point of 'not taking sides.'

"Hey! Then I'll place twenty wagers on Honey-senpai!" The twins retorted fiercely.

"What the heck?! Then I'll place thirty on Mori-senpai..." Tamaki shot back, flailing his arms in frustration.

"Hmm, so most people are placing their wager on Honey-senpai, huh?" As the three argued away on how many wagers they were going to place on each third-year, Kyoya heard a voice chime next to his ear as well as an increase of weight on his shoulder. It would be a stretch to say he even attempted to guess who it was. There are only two people in this school that would dare to act so familiar with him, one of whom was bawling his eyes out right now. "Well, I guess it can't be helped, Honey-senpai's martial arts skills are so renounced after all." Miki chuckled wryly. She was standing on her tiptoes, resting her hands and chin on Kyoya's shoulder as she read the wager registry. "Say, Kyoya-kun, who do you think is going to win?" Tilting her head, she gave him a curious gaze from the side.

Mentally noting in how close her face was, Kyoya raised an eyebrow. "Does it really matter what I think?" He questioned.

"Of course, it does!" Peeling herself away, Miki said in an obvious tone. "I want to know." She reasoned.

Feeling his eye twitch at that ridiculous response, Kyoya grumbled. He glanced back down into his notebook, scanning the wagers when an idea struck him. "Very well, Miki." The corners of his lips curling upwards into a smirk, he turned back to her. "Shall we make a bet on this duel then?" He suggested smugly.

"A Bet?" Miki blinked.

"The rules will be the same as the bet we made in Karuizawa." Shrugging lightly, Kyoya gave an open-palmed gesture. "We each pick a contestant we think will win, and the loser will have to endure a punishment game from the victor. Are those terms alright with you?" He proposed.

"Okay! Let's do it!" Without even a moment of hesitation, Miki nodded curtly.

Slightly taken aback by her enthusiasm, Kyoya's eye widened momentarily. "You're awfully quick to agree." He pointed out with an estranged expression. "If I recall correctly, you lost the last time we played, didn't you?"

"I did," Miki admitted bluntly with her happy smile. "But I quite enjoyed the experience, besides..." Her voice trailed off as she averted her eyes to the side.

 _It wasn't like she minded the so-called 'punishment' from last time._

"Besides?" Kyoya inquired.

"Oh, it's nothing." Snapping her mind back to reality, Miki shook her head. "So, Kyoya-kun? Who are you going to place your bet on?" Holding her hands beside her back, Miki cocked her head to the side.

"You can go first."

"Eh? Is that alright?" Miki's eyes rounded as she gasped lightly. "I placed my bet first last time, didn't I?"

"What kind of gentleman would I be, if I didn't let the lady take her pick first?" Give an egotistical simper, Kyoya stated.

"Hm... If that's the case..." Tapping her chin, Miki's eyes flickered down as she grew thoughtful. "I'll place my bet on Mori-senpai." She announced with a confident nod.

"Oh?" Mused by her choice, Kyoya hummed. "May I know the reason why?" He asked as he glanced down to mark her in on Mori's side of the wager.

"Because Tamaki-kun is wagering on him," Miki answered bluntly, causing the lead of Kyoya's mechanical pencil to snap from the sudden pressure he applied.

.

.

.

"Kyoya-kun?" Sensing his silence, Miki tilted her head to the side, trying to get a clear view of his facial expression.

"Once again, wasn't that idiot the reason why you lost our bet the last time?" Gripping onto his pencil with just enough strength to prevent it from snapping, Kyoya questioned with an unreadable expression.

"Mhm!" Without a hint of regret, Miki confirmed. "But either way, I trust in Tamaki-kun's choices." She declared, pressing a hand to her chest with a sweet smile. "Besides, I believe in Mori-senpai too. I believe he will win, for sure!" She nodded, full of confidence in her decision.

Kyoya froze for a moment as he studied her expression. The events that have occurred lately have been so tense and rigid; he's nearly forgotten how much he loved that frustratingly innocent and straightforward attitude of hers. Eyes crinkling softly, he turned back down to his notebook. "Very well, then. I'll place my bet on Honey-senpai." He acknowledged.

Haruhi deadpanned, holding on Usa-chan in her arms.

Just as she predicted, the location of the duel took place on the windswept hill that for some reason, even existed on school grounds. Much like Honey and Chika's fight back in the fall, the wind was picking up, heightening the drama of this showdown between the two martial arts masters. Most of the students across all three years were gathered on the sidelines. Among the mix, there were Satoshi and Chika, Nekozawa, Reiko, and the Black Magic Club, Kuze, Matsuyama and the athletics club, Kotaro and the broadcasting club, Kasanoda and the gardening club as well as the Host Club's regular guests. They all watched tensely as the cousins stood across from each other, taking readied stances in the soft grass.

"The duel between Morinozuka Takashi and Haninozuka Mitsukuno shall now commence," Tamaki announced, hiding the anxiety and worry that threatened to consume him whole. "This match shall be conducted in the Haninozuka style, meaning anything goes. If either combatant's shoulder touches the ground for longer than 20 seconds, if he steps out of the ring or if he is unable to continue fighting, victory shall go to his opponent. Is that clear?" He paused for a moment, studying the two as their concentration suddenly shot to new heights. "Begin!" He then declared loudly.

Almost as soon as Tamaki finished speaking, Honey pushed off the ground and launched himself into the air. "Hyah!" He shouted, extending a leg and aiming towards Mori's abdominal.

Mori, however, was quick to react. Raising a hand up, he grabbed Honey's karate uniform by the collar to stop him. "Yahh!" He grumbled, lifting his leg to deliver a swift kick on Honey's stomach in retaliation, sending the boy flying upward.

However, Honey saw through his movements. Pushing himself away right before the impact, he did a summersault in the air, landing on the ground without an issue.

Not giving the boy any leeway, Mori dashed forward with all his might. "Mitsukuni! Prepare yourself!" He roared, grabbing onto the collar of his uniform.

Instead of replying, Honey narrowed his eyes. Snaking his arm around Mori's, he locked it into a firm grip before leaning forward, tossing his cousin along into an over-the-shoulder throw.

Sensing himself about to hit the ground, Mori extending a hand downward, pulling his other arm out of Honey's grasps. He did a backflip over and used the momentum to deliver a swift kick to Honey's shoulder.

"They're not holding back at all!" Drawn into the tension of the match, Kaoru commented.

"I'm reminded again of how amazing Honey-senpai is..." Hikaru agreed, feeling a shiver rattle up his spine.

Lunging forward, Honey firmly gripped Mori's collar and pulled him close, causing all of the regular guests to shriek in a mixture of delight and excitement. Honey then reached behind him, pulling out one of those extending staffs out of his uniform and slamming it forward. Sensing the hostility in his movements, Mori pulled out a staff of his own, blocking the attack.

Repelled back into the air, Honey reached into his uniform. "Usa-chan... Shuriken!" He yelled, tossing five shurikens with bunny shaped handles down that dug into Mori's staff, causing the steel to shatter upon impact.

Chika shivered, realizing what the origin of that metal scraping sound he heard late at night was.

Mori's hands moved back from the recoil of the shurikens, completely exposing his body. "You're wide open!" Taking the chance, Honey delivered a direct kick on Mori's shoulder, sending him crashing towards the ground upon impact. "It's the end, Takashi!" Landing on his feet, the lolita declared, wasting no time charging towards his vulnerable cousin at full force.

"Mori-senpai! Watch out!" The Hosts shouted in worry.

Honey lept up into the air and extended his leg, unaware of how quickly Mori gathered himself. "Usa-chan..." He shouted only for Mori to snap up and grab him by the waist mid-air. "Huh?!" He gasped, trying to struggle out of his grip, only to realize their significance in height difference may pose that as a difficult task.

Carrying the boy away from his body, Mori moved him a little towards the side before plopping him down onto the ground firmly. "It's the end for you, Mitsukuni." He stated calmly.

"Eh?" Though at first confused, Honey quickly pieced the information together. He peered down, realizing that Mori had forcefully placed him outside the ring. "Oh...!" He blinked in realization.

"He's outside of the rink!" Tamaki's eyes widened in awe. "The match goes to Morinozuka Takashi!"

Immediately, the crowd erupted into thunderous clapping and roaring cheers for the victor of the duel, despite how anticlimactic the ending was. Basking in the congratulations and applause, Mori slowly stood up. Reaching into his uniform one last, he pulled out what seemed to be a piece of paper folded many times into a thin strip. "Mitsukuni." He locked eyes with the boy who was still in a daze from defeat, dramatically throwing the fold open as the paper rustled in the wind. "One, even when you start university, you will not forget to brush your teeth daily." He began, reading off of the document sternly. "Two, in order to prevent the onset of various illnesses, you will reduce the amount of cake you eat per day by 90 percent. And lastly, three." He paused for a moment, dropping the piece of paper to glare at the boy. "Mitsukuni, you are now 18 years old. You will stop bringing that rabbit with you to school." He demanded.

"Never!" Honey protested with tears in his eyes.

"You will stop bringing that rabbit...!" Gripping firmly onto his head, Mori insisted as his eyes gleamed with the strength of victory.

"Wahhh!" Flailing his arms in the air, Honey cried. Then, lowering his gaze, he pursed his lips. "I'll bring him once every three days..." He muttered.

Huffing out a small laugh at the compromisation, Mori's eyes softened as he gently ruffled Honey's blond hair. "Good man." He praised.

.

.

.

 _That was it?!_ After a few seconds of silence, the first-year trio deadpanned at the duo. _All of this was over a stuffed bunny?!_

"Kyo-chan! Kyo-chan!" Finishing up with their final curtsy bows, Honey then hurried over to the group, waving at the club's vice president. "Did our match bring in some profit?" He inquired curiously.

"Huh?" Raising an eyebrow in slight confusion, Kyoya nodded reluctantly. "Yes, we generated quite a bit of revenue for the club, thanks to you." He replied.

"That's great!" Nodding in satisfaction, Honey turned to take Usa-chan from Haruhi. "How about you all?" He asked. "Did you find our match exciting?"

"Of course!" Holding her hands in fists before her chest, Miki nodded enthusiastically. "It was super exciting! You even had Tamaki-kun wishing on shooting stars for you both!" She explained with a bright giggle.

"Hahaha!" Laughing, Honey then glanced over his shoulder at the crowd, listening as the regulars gathered and fangirled over the purpose of the duel while the newspaper and broadcasting clubs hurried off to write up special editions about the outcome of the match. "Everyone seemed like they were excited about the match too." He hummed happily.

"Uh..." Hearing his remark, the twins flinched. "Wait! You mean...?! You two faked all of this?!" They shouted in unison.

"No, the duel was completely real." Lifting a finger with an innocent expression, Honey shook his head. "I sort of guessed what Takashi's demands were going to be, so I really didn't want to lose! And I've noticed that all the times when he appeared to be looking at me, he was actually glaring at Usa-chan!" He explained with a serious expression.

"That was really what all this was about?!" Hikaru and Kaoru question, still in disbelief that they ripped a page out of their own antics.

"Actually, the two of us have known that someday we'd have to walk different paths." Chuckling slightly, Honey said with a wistful smile. He shifted his body to the side as Mori approached the group from behind him. "We've already prepared ourselves for it. Though we never imagined our three years of high school to be this much fun. But because Tama-chan invited us to join the Host Club, we were able to spend every day with you all, eat lots of cake and have lots of fun. Thank you all!" He grinned cheerfully, throwing a peace sign up while Mori smiled. "We really enjoyed ourselves! That's why we wanted to do something fun for everyone!" He announced, causing everyone's eyes to widen.

"Honey-senpai! Mori-senpai!" Tamaki was the first to break, bursting into tears once again as he threw his arms around the lolita boy who could only awkwardly hug back in his tight grasps.

"Thank you both so much!" Hikaru and Kaoru were also moved to tears as they clung onto Mori.

"We will all miss you very much!" Miki chimed, joining them in the group hug while Haruhi and Kyoya remained on the sideline wearing soft smiles.

"Tah-Dah! Look!" The next evening at the graduation reception party, Honey grinned as he presented his newly received diploma proudly.

"So this is a 'diploma.'" Gingerly holding the piece of paper in her hands, Miki gasped in delight. "It looks amazing!" She twinkled.

"Now he has actual proof that he's a high school graduate... Even though he looks like he's in elementary school..." Hikaru commented, glancing over her shoulder with a sweatdrop.

"Tamaki, fix your face," Kyoya instructed, glancing over at the blond who was once again covered in tears.

"What?!" Blowing his nose into another towel, Tamaki let out a small sob. "These are tears of humble joy for their graduation..." He reasoned.

"I feel like crying too..." Wiping away the tears that brimmed his eyes, Kaoru sniffled. "I know we'll still be able to see each other, but when I think about how we'll never see you both in Music Room #3 ever again..."

"Huh? Even though we've graduated, we still plan on showing up at the Host Club as always, you know." Tilting his head to the side, Honey pointed out, causing his underclassmen to immediately fall silent. "We may not be able to make it every day, but the two of us to plan on come from the University Division when we can. Right, Takashi?" He asked innocently, turning to Mori, who nodded in response.

"So then... What was that goodbye speech gave?" Hikaru and Kaoru questioned.

"Well, it is true our time as high school students is at an end, isn't it?" Tapping a finger to his cheek, Honey pointed out. "By the way, is Haru-chan still in Cooking Room #1?" He asked, diverting the subject.

"Honey-senpai!" Instead of answering his question, Tamaki exclaimed loudly as the tears that initially stained his face doubled and began to pour down his cheeks like a never-ending waterfall. "Why didn't you tell us sooner?" He cried, lunging towards the lolita.

"Haha, sorry! Tama-chan!" Honey giggled, patting the blond's back in an attempt to soothe him.

Breathing a sigh and shrugging in unison, the twin hummed. "Wait, why is Haruhi in Cooking Room #1?" They asked.

"I told Haru-chan I wanted some of her delicious ginger cookies for graduation." Honey replied with an excited shine in his honey brown eyes.

"I see. So you didn't tell us you come back to the host club because she might not have made them for you if she knew..." Hikaru deadpanned.

"Oh! I should go tell her the good news!" Jolting up, Tamaki quickly wiped away his tears with the sleeve of his suit jacket. "I'll be back." He waved, quickly rushing out of the main ballroom and into the hallways of the school.

"Okay, be careful," Miki called out after him before glancing to the side and spotting both Honey and Mori staring in her direction. Realizing that she hasn't formally congratulated either of them for their recent graduation, she quickly turned around to face them. "Honey-senpai, Mori-senpai. Congratulations on graduating high school!" She said, giving a sweet smile lowering her head in a sincere bow.

"Hehe, thank you, Miki-chan!" Honey laughed. "It's been a really fun year since you and Haru-chan joined. Let's keep having lots of fun next year, alright?"

"Yes!" Nodding enthusiastically, Mikia agreed. "I'm excited to see what the future holds." She replied before noticing Mori's gaze, which has been fixed on her for a while now. Peering up at him, she stared back for a few moments. "Mori-senpai?" She cocked her head to the side. "Is there something on my face?"

Mori didn't respond. For a few moments, he simply stared at her inquisitive, wide-eyed look. His gaze then shifted to the side, studying Kyoya who watched him with a guarded expression. "Are you happy?" Turning his attention back to Miki, he asked.

Miki blinked a few times, a little curious to why he would be asking such a question. But before long, she broke into a bright beam. "Yes!" She nodded, responding honestly. "Yes, I am."

Hearing her reply, the corners of Mori's lips tugged upwards. "Good." He hummed, gently patting her head.

A/N: For those of you who didn't understand that last section. Yes, Mori did have a small crush on Miki the entire time. I don't know if anyone has picked up on it, but if you look back on previous chapters and pay really close attention to how he treats her, you'll start to notice the subtle signs. (I promise, it's not coming out of nowhere!) Honestly, I thought this was only fitting because I've always seen Miki's personality type to be the kind that attracts Mori's. It's a very cliché Genki Girl and Silent Type pairing. However, in this chapter, he's obviously backing down out of respect for Kyoya because A. He knows Miki and Kyoya are pretty much close enough to be dating at this point and B. He knows that his personality type cannot make Miki as happy as Kyoya can.

I'm honestly really proud of this chapter. I used to write fight scenes quite a bit during my time writing Kirin Koka, so it feels nice to get back to it again. I hope I'm not too rusty XD.

In the next story chapter, the finale arc will finally kick off! So excited about it! However, before we can get to it, I will be releasing a side story just to act as a buffer before the grand finale as well as some semi-important plot details. Any guessed on who it's going to be about ;)?

With that, have a great day!

XOXO,

Astra.


	50. Side Story A House's End

_Who said Miki was the first?_

 _The infamously, spotless lineage of the prestigious Fernández has sunken many dark secrets deep into the passage of time._

 _This is only one of them._

 _-Side Story-_

A House's End

Drawn by the sound of a gentle slide, Agustin peered down at a light brown envelope that laid on the dark spruce office table. He's seen these many times in his life. And as usual, the envelope was stuffed-round with money. His browns immediately furrowed as his toffee brown eyes flickered up, sending a questioning stare through the thin frame of his glasses to the current Duchess of the Fernández family.

"You and Selene have remained here for the past four months, serving without pay," Elisa spoke calmly, glazing the tips of her fingers across the smooth paper material. "This is the least we can offer." She stated, leaning back and crossing her arms with her usual dignified aura.

She wasn't wrong.

Though Agustin had seen these envelopes many times in this lifetime; they have been particularly scarce in these past few months.

After the unsuccessful marriage arrangement with the Santiago family, the Fernández family accept their bankruptcy and quickly fell to ruin. Rita almost immediately filed in for a divorce soon after, leaving the mansion without batting an eye at who she formerly called her 'family.' Alejandro, either out of spite or shock, retired from his position as duke at the most chaotic point of his career, disappearing to the country-side of Madrid and leaving Elisa to clean up the mess and tie up loose ends.

With no more money left to pay the employees of the mansion, Elisa let them go as soon as she took her place as the stand-in duchess, deserting the estate to the fice people who remained within. Arden, Elisa and Elena, as well as Selene and Agustin who refused to abandon their lieges.

"Lady Elisa," Pressing his hand on the envelope, Agustin slid it back with a firm expression. "I cannot accept this." He refused.

"I command you to take it." Elisa denied his refusal without even a scrap of hesitation in her voice. "You and Selene were meant to leave the week after that incident, yet you remained here without care over the payment you received." She breathed a sigh. "I do not know whether or not to condone you both for your loyalty or scold you for your foolishness."

Agustin didn't respond.

The room stilled as silence ensued between the two, only filled by the pitter patter of rain tapping against the window. Even in the early spring, the rain was quite uncommon in the city of Madrid. If any, it would typically be a light drizzle, one that usually brought forth a rainbow later on in the day. Very rarely, would a heavy downpour occur.

However, today was one of those rare days.

Elisa's dark hazel eyes averted to the side as she stared out of the window for a few moments. She narrowed her eyes, studying the droplets as they trickled down, merging and splitting themselves into intriguing shapes against the starless night. "What terrible rain," She commented before shifting her gaze to the brown envelope. "As you know, tomorrow is the final day of the House of Fernández." She spoke without a hint of regret lace in her voice. "Father and mother have disappeared somewhere, while I will be leaving the country permanently. On the other hand, Elena..." She paused for a few moments, gently shaking her head from side to side. "Agustin," Turning her attention back to the man, she called out to him. "What I am about to ask you, do not think of it from an employer to an employee. Instead, think of it from a sister to a man." She requested, staring dead at the man who's eyes widened in confusion.

"Can you... Make Elena happy?"

 _We both know Elena's true feelings here, Agustin._

 _I also believe that I cannot rely on anyone but you._

 _So if you feel the same way, please take Elena with you._

 _I do not want her to suffer alone in this mansion._

Pacing through the open-air corridors of the empty servant's quarters, Agustin reflected on Elisa's words as he wandered aimlessly towards the roofed pavilion, not even allowing the quenching rain to disrupt his thoughts.

"Elena..." He whispered to no one in particular, using the downpour to cover up his faults of addressing his liege by name.

He kept his gaze down, observing how his hot breath had collided with the air, creating a misty puff that arose towards the sky. "The night sure is cold..." He hummed absently, turning his attention outwards towards the central gardens as he noticed a figure standing before the splashing fountain.

 _Hm...? Is someone out there in the rain?_ Slowing down his steps, he narrowed his eyes, trying to identify the person who would foolishly stand out in such weather in the servants' quarters.

Then, he spotted the distinguishing blonde hair.

"Milady!" Without even a moment of hesitation, Agustin pushed off against his feet and raced towards the figure, taking off the coat of his uniform along the way without regard for the cold or the rain. "Milady, what are you doing out here?" He shouted, catching Elena's attention.

Hearing familiar title, Elena turned around stiffly towards the man. Her wet hair clung to her cheeks, and her dampened dress hung on her thin frame. Her eyes were misty, almost hollow. It was as if she had just been staring soullessly out into the distance without a single thought to occupy her mind, doing nothing but allowing her body to be encased in the cold, wet air. "Ah. Agustin." She greeted him weakly, watching in a slight daze as he quickly threw his warm uniform jacket over her head to prevent her from getting any colder.

"To get yourself soaked like this, just what were you thinking?" He scolded with what almost seemed to be anger. "Either way, we need to get you under a roof immediately-"

"I was waiting for you... Agustin." Ignoring his words, Elena muttered with an uncharacteristically dull expression.

"What...?" Momentarily forgetting his worries over the drenched Elena, Agustin stared down at the woman in his arms with questioning eyes. "...Pardon me?" He urged.

"You've been serving me for so long, and I've been nothing but bossy, obnoxious and selfish," Elena began, closing her eyes as she pressed a hand to her chest. The scenery around her seemed to have painted an unspoken sense of tranquillity as the raindrops curled down the tips of her eyelashes, rolling off and trailing down her pale cheek. "But right now, I ask you to put up with my final act of selfishness..." She closed her eyes, taking a deep breath. "Could you reject me?" She asked softly.

Agustin flinched in the face of that request, not knowing what to say in reply. Wrapping a hand around her shoulder, he attempted to guide her back towards the roofed pavilion. "...Come on," He beckoned. "Let's go inside and-"

"I command you." Taking a step back, Elena squirmed out of his grasp and stared up at him with watery eyes. "I do not want your jokes, Agustin. Reject me. Please." She said, this time in a pleading tone.

 _Can you... Make Elena happy?_

"Milady," Swallowing hard, the man tried again. "This is hardly the place-"

"Don't touch me." Shaking his arm off and balling her hands into fists, Elena shouted over the storm that only became harsher as the night grew longer. Her dirty blonde hair was thrown up in the howling storm, flying in all sorts of directions and tangling in the harsh winds. "Right here, right now. Reject me. It has to be here, or else there would be no point." She insisted.

Sensing the purpose behind her actions, Agustin fell silent. As ordered, he didn't dare to touch her. Instead, he focused on scanning his surroundings, searching for a clue to why his liege would choose the servants' quarters courtyard of all places to bring up such a topic. Though the darkness of the night combined with the drizzling rain made it difficult to see, Agustin has been by the courtyard so many times that he could practically map it out from his memory. It was Elena's favourite spot in the house after all. His eye line darted around, searching deep within the sea of his memory before landing on the pouring fountain they stood before.

His eyes rounded.

 _That's right..._

 _This is the place,_ _where I made that promise to her._

 _I was sixteen-years-old when I first met Elena._

 _Receiving news of the Second Daughter of the House of Fernández's Debutante_ _, Lady Elisa, Selene and I took time off of Boarding School to return home to Madrid from Barcelona._

 _Debutantes are a timely tradition that has last with the Fernández family since the mid-1800s. They are essentially, debut balls for aristocratic women who are coming of age to be presented to the public as matured young ladies of the court. However, what was particularly strange about this debutante was the event date as they are usually held around Spring or Summer. So receiving the news of a debutante_ _being held in the dead of winter was certainly odd. However, the purpose of this party wasn't only to celebrate the second daughter's official debut into society._

 _As far as the public was aware of,_ _the House of Fernández only had one daughter._

"It's good to be back home," Elisa said, peering outside the limousine window with a tranquil expression. "While Barcelona certainly is beautiful, Madrid has more variety in activities and just feels so much more peaceful." She took a deep breath before breaking into a soft smile. "I could never get bored of this city." She hummed.

"Lady Elisa, you certainly are calm..." In the face of her carefree comments, Agustin sweatdropped from across the vehicle. "Are you not worried?" He raised an eyebrow.

"Hm? Why would I be?" Elisa cocked her head to the side.

"The young miss will be debuting at tonight's party," Sitting next to him, Agustin's elder fraternal twin, Selene informed. "Are you not worried that her existence could be a possible threat to your place as the heir of the Fernández house?" She questioned, seeming a little tense.

"Ah, you mean my younger sister?" Crossing her legs, Elisa propped an arm up against the side of the limo. "I wouldn't worry too much about her. She doesn't sound like she has any interest in the position of the future duchess."

"Have you met her yet?" Agustin asked, eyes rounding slightly as Elisa shook her head.

"I haven't." She admitted, resting a few fingers on her chin with an amused expression. "But I do know her name, and from what I've heard, she has quite the spunky personality." She revealed.

 _The Up and Coming Second Daughter of the House of Fernández_ _hides a dark secret surrounding the conditions of her birth,_ _one that only the Mederos family knows, one that both sides agreed never to utter a word and take to their graves._

 _She is, in fact, a bastard daughter._

 _Alejandro Fernández was notorious throughout the mansion for being unfaithful. He was a womanizer ever since his younger years, toying and charming women with his good-looks to his heart desires. Even when he was suddenly locked and tied down into a political marriage, he continued his debauchery ways._

 _The mother of the girl was one of those women._

 _She was once an employee working in the main mansion as an assistant chef until she was coaxed by his sweet and bewitching words. But when she discovered that she was pregnant with his child, she took off in the night, leaving nothing behind._

 _However, twelve years later, the product of those implicit exchanges appeared at the Duke's doorstep._

 _It seemed that after running off, the woman and her child lived a tough life, as sustaining the lives of two people off of the salary of a small-time chef was more than difficult. Not wanting her daughter to live in such poor conditions any longer, the woman decided to send her daughter back to the Duke with a letter pleading for him to take the child in and stating very clearly that if he were to reject her, she would waste no time exposing all the ugly details that are buried inside the Fernández family mansion._

 _With no other choice, the Duke begrudgingly took her in._

"Spunky, I've heard." Selene sighed as she gently shook her head. "But they also say that she hasn't even received the formal training required of a proper lady, are you sure it'll be alright?"

Elisa huffed a small laugh. "Selene, you worry way too much." She scolded lightly. "I'd say we should have more faith in-"

"GAHHHH!"

Before Elisa could even finish her sentence, a loud yelp erupted from outside as the vehicle came screeching to a stop, startling the three teenagers. Selene and Agustin immediately sprung into action, tensing up their bodies in case they would need to protect Elisa from any physical harm.

After a few moments of silence within the limo, they managed to conclude that the racket would remain outside. Agustin spun around and slid open the window to the driver's seat. "What's going on?" He demanded.

"I-It seems like a fight outside, sir." The driver stammered, still trying to recover from the shock of having to break in such a hurry.

"What?!"

On the open streets, people began climbing out of their cars. They quickly gathered into a circle around the uproar as whispering and hushing rustled through the crowd. Following their lead, Agustin, Selene and Elisa all exited the limo, though they didn't approach the site of the commotion out of the sheer caution.

Resting an elbow on the roof of a car, Agustin rose to his toes in an attempt to scout the situation.

At the center of the masses, a young man with dark brown hair was knocked to his feet, scrambling away in fear from what seemed to be a figure hidden under what appeared to be a hooded winter poncho. "H-Help!" The man cried, crawling away with his face drenched in tears. "I-I-I'm going to die!"

Agustin's brows furrowed for a few seconds as he studied the man. He swore he's seen him somewhere before. He blinked a few times before gasping in horror. "Hey, Selene." He tugged on his sister's sleeve who was trying to take a peek at the situation. "Isn't that...?"

"Cousin Maximiliano. Yeah, it is..." She replied with a deadpanned gaze. "Who would've thought I'd see him here?"

"Maximiliano Mederos from the Seville branch? Well then, I suppose that explains it." Though she was too short to see what was happening, combining the mention of that name with that with those wimpy, desperate cries for help, Elisa could pretty much deduce what was going on.

 _While there was only one House of Fernández was present the royal court, the Mederos family was a different story. They had multiple branches of the same family name, scattered across Spain. There was the Barcelona branch, the Seville branch and so on. Selene and I, in particular, are part of the Madrid branch. Doing so not only maximizes the support system and manpower of the House of_ _Fernández possesses but also introduced a rather interesting tradition to the master-servant relationship the two families share._

 _Unless special circumstances occur, once a_ _Fernández child_ _turned sixteen years of age; they were allowed to select one member of the_ _Mederos family, usually whom they have developed a deep bond with, to serve by their side until the end of time. The only conditions to enter this selection are that they must be at least a year older and have completed their training hence, why I am in the selected batch as well._

 _Lady Elisa at this point and time, is fifteen-years-old, about to turn sixteen in a couple of months, so the members of the other branches are doing everything they can to approach the girl in hopes of earning their families the honour of serving their longtime masters. Maximiliano, in particular, has been rather pushy. According to Lady Elisa, 'His advances feel more like romantic gestures than acts of kindness.' He also has always seen himself as superior to the other trainees due to his branch's high standing among the family, contrary to his lack of ability to even prepare a piece steak properly._

"H-Help! Somebody, help!" Maximiliano squealed in terror as he skidded backwards on his hands and feet.

Upon closer inspection, it was clear to see why the young man was screaming and crying as much as he was. There was a bright red mark on the side of his face with spots of blood splattered around. It seemed like he had just been recently punched in the face by the unknown figure. And it didn't seem like the person intended to stop just there as they stomped forth with arms laying stiffly by their side.

"Apologize!" A young female voice shouted as she stalked over to the horrified man. Reaching down, she grabbed him by the collar and pulled his face close. " Apologize, right now!" She demanded fiercely.

"I-I didn't say anything you!" Trying his best to struggle free, Maximiliano sniffled.

Realizing that things were going to get out of hand, Agustin whipped his head around. "Lady Elisa! Selene! We need to step in!" He suggested.

"Why would we do that?" Listening to their exchange with a faint smile in amusement, Elisa chuckled. "This actually seems quite entertaining, in my opinion."

"I must agree." Selene nodded diligently.

"But-"

"She's gonna kill me!" Maximiliano shrieked as he hugged his head defensively.

"Oh, I won't kill you." The girl chuckled dryly, dropping him back to the ground. "You have insulted someone with your words, so I figured it'd be best for me to beat you until you bite your tongue and scream until you hoarsen your voice." She growled, raising her fist and reeling it back when...

"Halt!" Pushing through the crowd of people, Agustin shouted, disrupting the tense atmosphere and drawing everyone's attention to himself. "What do you think you are doing?" He questioned, narrowing his eyes at the girl hidden underneath the winter cloak. "Fighting in the middle of the streets is disruptive against those who have agendas of their own, not to mention that you are physically assaulting this young man over here." He asserted, ignoring Maximiliano's pathetic pleas for retribution.

The figure glanced over her shoulder around. Though Agustin couldn't see her eyes, he could tell that she was sizing him up. As if he made one wrong move, she was going to dash forward and completely pummel him with all her strength. "So what?" She snarled. "He hasn't apologized yet."

"He clearly stated that he hasn't said anything to you." Agustin retorted calmly.

As his voice trailed off, the girl standing before him vanished at a remarkable speed, surprising Agustin. The crowd gasped loudly as she reappeared behind him with a disdainful smirk. She lunged forward, throwing her fist towards his back. "HAH!" She roared.

However, Agustin had caught onto her little plan as soon as she vanished. Relying on his instincts, he stepped aside just enough to dodge her strike before grabbing her arm and twisting it upward.

"Ow!" She yelped, feeling him push her head down and locking her in a tight hold.

"You are far too slow." Agustin huffed out a laugh, watching as she struggled to free herself from his iron grip. "Now then, you ill-mannered brute. Let's see what you really look like." He announced, pulling her hood down in one brisk tug.

"N-No!"

Long silky blonde hair broke loose from the cradle of her hood, flowing downward like a neverending waterfall, sparkling in the cold winter sun. He flinched for a moment, watching her glare up sharply at him with darkened hazel eyes.

His felt as if his breath was stolen away.

 _Those eyes..._

"And in the end, you let her escape." Standing in the packed ballroom as classical music played in the background, Selene commented with a light chuckle. The two siblings were off to the side near the snacks and refreshment table, watching as the room full of nobles danced and laughed into the night.

 _Still no sign of the Second Daughter._

"I let my guard down." Agustin corrected, turning away to hide the mild embarrassment on his face from his sister.

"Well, why did you let a little girl like that get away?" Raising an eyebrow of amusement and shifting her body to face him completely, Selene teased. "You're more than adequately prepared to take out people if Lady Elisa's life were to be threatened, I doubt a little girl like that would be much trouble for you." She pointed out.

Agustin rolled his eyes with a grumble. "Just drop the subject, Selene. Persistence is unflattering on you." He jeered, casting her a snarky glance.

"My, how uncute of a twin I have."

"By the way, where is Lady Elisa?" Raising an eyebrow, Agustin glanced around, not spotting the young lady anywhere within the vicinity of the food tables.

Shaking her head with a light sigh, Elisa chuckled wryly. "Where else could she be?" She shrugged before nudging her chin towards the direction of a large cluster of people. "The other branches of the family are trying to kiss up to her as usual."

"Ah, I see." Agustin deadpanned.

 _What a waste of time._

 _The truth is, those of us residing in the Madrid branch always have had an advantage over the rest of the family in terms of being selected; mostly due to our closer proximity to the Fernández family and the time we get to spend with them. However, in Lady Elisa's case, in particular, there was no point in even attempting to snatch up the position as her personal servant. She had already made up her mind long ago._

 _Throughout our family history, though there had never been any rules or customs against the notion, there had never been once where a woman was selected for the position. It was just assumed knowledge that butlers could do a better job heading the staff of the mansion than maids. Things became notably worse when Master Alejandro came into power since he saw women inferior to men._

 _Perhaps it was karma that he had two daughters._

 _However, things were about to change soon with Lady Elisa being the next head._

 _Selene was going to be the first female, selected to serve as a personal maid to Lady Elisa as well as become the next head of staff._

"I present to you, tonight's guest of honour - the second daughter of the Fernández family, Elena Valentina Fernández!" The Court Marshall announced, snapping Agustin out of his thoughts as the lights reined upon the balcony above the ballroom, casting a harsh light on the twelve-year-old girl that stepped onto the platform with an indifferent expression. Agustin peered up along with the rest of the crowd. Almost instantly, he found himself unable to tear his eyes away from the familiar figure. The one whose name was Elena, stood tall in her red evening gown, the front being cut right above her knees and secured with a golden belt while the back swept behind her like a trail of fire. Her long dirty blonde hair done up into a high ponytail, leaving only a few strands that hung beside her cheek, framing her face. He watched as she slowly made her way towards the base stairs, carrying herself with a blazing passion that he's never seen in any of the nobles prior to her.

"H-Hey, Agustin. Isn't that girl...?" Selene's eyes rounded as she pointed up as discreetly as possible.

"Y-Yeah..." Agustin muttered, just as surprised as she was.

Taking his daughter's stiff hand a plastered smile, Alejandro led her down to the center of the ballroom before taking and raising his glass with an unreadable expression. "Ladies and gentleman," He began in a honeyed voice. "I am elated to finally introduce our other pride and joy of the family, my second daughter, Elena!" He announced, gesturing the little girl whose expression did not change. "Elena has been sick for quite some time now due to having a weak frame, so I apologize I couldn't introduce her sooner. However, she is now recovering from her illness, so I hope you all can help to watch over her!"

Clapping immediately ensued as the crowd hollered, sending best wishes to the twelve-year-old while Alejandro went back to discussing business matters with a partner nearby. Agustin watched, captivated by the familiarly sharp and aloof glare in her eyes as they swept across the ballroom, landing on someone not too far away from him. She paused as her eyes widened for a few moments before stepping forward, promptly stomping through the crowd with a lack of the grace and elegance a noble girl her age should be carrying.

"A-AH!" Hearing an enraged voice erupt from the direction Elena was marching off towards, Agustin whipped his head around in a panic, spotting Maximiliano standing there wearing a disgusted expression. "You're the one from this afternoon!" He yelled, hand tightening around his glass cup to the point it began to tremble.

Elena narrowed her dark brown eyes. "I'm going to make sure you apologize this time!" She declared, resting her hands on her hips and pointing an accusing finger at the man who was almost a head and a half taller.

"T-That girl!" Agustin's muscles tensed.

"Father!" Gritting his teeth, Maximiliano was quick to run to his father, the head of the Seville branch of the Mederos household. "It's her!" He shouted, pointing an accusing finger at the girl. "The one that had the guts to-"

"Maximiliano." Interrupting an argument between these two for the second of the day, Agustin greeted his cousin in a flat voice.

"Ah! Agustin!" Maximiliano spun around gleefully at that voice, spotting a witness of the incident. "You saw it too, didn't you? This little bastard girl dared to lay her hands on me! A purebred Mederos!" He spat, shooting Elena a disgusted scowl.

"You-!"

"So?" Reaching a hand out to stop the blonde from making things worse, Agustin kept his gazed fixed on Maximiliano, speaking in a low voice that only he and Elena could hear. "Being a possible candidate for the next head butler of the Fernández manor, your duty is to protect your liege if the situation were to arrive. Are you going to admit that a twelve-year-old girl managed to take you down in broad daylight on the streets?" He questioned snarkily, watching as Maximiliano flinched up in distress. "If you wish to embarrass yourself like a fool, be my guest." He hummed with a taunting smirk on his lips.

"Ah..." Maximiliano opened his mouth, attempting to recollect his words with no avail. "I... I..."

"If not, then best you back down and forget about this. Lady Elisa is present after all," Backing away from his relative, Agustin gestured the cluster of people that were gathered in the corner of the ballroom before turning back towards Elena.

"You again." She huffed out a mocking laugh, tucking the few loose strands of hair behind her ear.

Agustin grumbled at the obviously forced 'noble lady' act she was trying to put on. He heaved a sigh. "Pardon my insolence, Lady Elena." Lowering his head to a small bow, he quickly apologized before taking hold of her wrist and began dragging her towards the open balcony.

"H-Huh?! Where are you-? Let go of me!" Attempting to shake out of his iron grip, Elena protested.

"So you are one of these manservants in the mansion too, huh?" Standing under the starlit velvet night sky, Elena hummed as her eyes swept Agustin up and down. "What am I supposed to consider you as? My enemy?" She questioned tauntingly.

Feeling his eyebrow twitch lightly, Agustin swallowed the mountain full of insults he wanted to hurl back. Now was not the time for that. "Think whatever you want of me, Lady Elena." He closed his eyes and shrugged indifferently. "But you must learn how to conduct yourself properly here."

"What?" Sensing that her mockeries didn't even rattle him in the slightest, Elena snarled in irritation.

"You are a noble, picking fights with other people on the streets in public is in no way a benefit to the reputation of yourself or the Fernández family." Shooting his eyes open, Agustin reminded sternly.

"Oh?" Raising a challenging eyebrow, Elena huffed out a dry laugh. "Does my commoner upbringing bothering you too? I must apologize for that." She said sarcastically.

"Don't be ridiculous, that is in no way I mean." Feeling his patience wearing thin, Agustin spoke bluntly.

"R-Ridiculous?!" Snapping her head up in disbelief, the blonde glared at him in fury. "Hey, do all butlers talk like you?"

"Lady Elena, do you even fully understand the situation you are currently in?" Ignoring her question, Agustin continued.

Feeling a little oppressed by his serious tone, Elena took a step back. "W-What is that supposed to mean?" She grumbled.

"You know better than I do that Master Alejandro is not particularly fond of you." Narrowing his eyes, Agustin stated the facts with no hesitation. "If Maximiliano went ahead and told on you as he intended to, he would no doubt take his side of the argument, and you would've been severely reprimanded." He paused for a moment, watching as her eyes widened in realization. "Unless of course, that was your original intent." He hummed, a smug smirk tugging on his lips. "If so, I apologize for intervening with your masochistic plans."

"I am not a masochist!" Face reddening from the embarrassment of his baseless accusations, Elena shouted. "Besides..." She grit her teeth. "It was that man!" She exploded, swiping her hand towards the side. "He said my mother feigned her love for father, and that now she wants to use me to cash in bribery money and child support. He was the one who insulted me!" Slamming a fist into the stone railing, she proclaimed.

Agustin flinched slightly as he once again noticed the burning passion that ignited behind her eyes. They drew him in like a moth to a flame.

 _Ah..._

 _It was those eyes._

"And I know everyone here thinks the same!" Elena continued as tears began to gather in her eyes, going unnoticed by her in her fit of anger. "All of you servants are just waiting like puppets in line, holding onto the hopes of serving my sister. None of you want to even get close to 'a bastard child' like me. But I won't let any of you look down on me like that!" She announced, pointing a finger directly at a stunned Agustin. "Because I won't forgive anybody who insults my mother!" She declared, tears flying in the air with her rapid movements, sparkling like pearls in the moonlight.

 _Her eyes were crisp and clear like the dazzling moon._

 _I felt as if I wanted to gaze into those eyes over and over again._

"Lady Elena," Stashing away his thoughts, Agustin called out to her in a calm voice. "That alone is enough to tell me that your mother is not that kind of person." He said peacefully. "It's easy to see that just by looking at you."

"Eh?" Taken aback by his difference in attitude, Elena's eyes rounded.

Leaning his body forward, Agustin brought his face closer to Elena's. "Because she raised a daughter, who is so proud of her own mother." He affirmed in a gentle voice.

Hearing those comforting words, the tears that had been circling in Elena's eyes began to fall. "I..." Her lips trembled as her voice attempted to form words with no avail. Instead of responding, she buried her face in her hands and began to weep.

"However, that is all the more reason why you must learn how to act like a proper lady of the court." Taking note of just how close their faces were, Agustin quickly straightened his body to back away. "You must not allow the efforts and risks your mother took to get you here, go to waste. I understand you may not like it, but this is the way it must be for you to survive in these circumstances." He reminded, clearing his throat and swiftly recomposed himself.

Biting her bottom lips, Elena did everything she could to stifle the hiccups that continuously escaped her throat. Clumsily wiping away the tears that stained her cheeks with the back of her hand, she stared up at Agustin. "You. What is your name?" She asked.

"... My name is Agustin." Pressing a hand against his chest, Agustin bowed his head.

"Very well. Agustin, you will teach me." She sniffled, announcing with as much confidence as she could muster at the moment.

Hearing her demand, Agustin blinked a few times. "Pardon?" He questioned, thinking his ears were somehow playing a trick on him.

"You will teach me how to become a proper noblewoman." Arms laying stiffly by her side, Elena clarified. "No one else here even wants to get close to me. I do not wish to compete with my sister for the title of the heir, but I want to do everything I can to establish wealth and power. Because one day, I want to bring my mother out of the streets. I want to return all the love and generosity she's showered me with, and indulge her in a life full of luxuries where she no longer needs to work until her eyes turn red or her back becomes sore." She paused for a moment as she took a deep breath. "And if doing that requires me to learn how to act like a lady of the court." She narrowed her eyes. "Then, so be it."

Agustin fell silent for a few moments as she studied the twelve-year-old standing before him. "Are you sure about that, Lady Elena?" Raising an eyebrow, he hummed in amusement. "My lessons will be particularly strict." He said, attempting to intimidate her.

"I'm not afraid." Crossing her arms over her chest, the girl retorted. "And could you stop with the 'Lady' honorific? I don't like it."

"But it is what I am required to address you by." Agustin declined as his brows knitted closer together.

"I don't like it." Shaking her head, Elena insisted. "Imagine you've lived your whole life as a commoner, but suddenly starting being addressed like a noble. I'm not used to it." She reasoned, casually waving her hand as a symbol of rejecting his rejection.

Agustin sweatdropped, while she can't carry herself like a noble, she can certainly make demands like one.

"Then, how about this? Just call me Elene when we are alone." Resting her hands on her hips, Elena proposed with a small grin. "That should be fine, right? Mr. Butler Agustin?" She grinned cheekily.

Huffing out a small laugh, Agustin wore a wry yet endearing expression. "Very well. Elena." He bowed his head.

 _A butler..._

 _That's right. That's what I am to her._

 _In that case, I must see to it that I behave as a butler until the very end._

 _The entire time, I remained by her side. Watching._

 _It baffled me how everyone renounced her solely because of her commoner roots, painting her as a scheming mastermind with a plan to steal the Fernández house's honour and wealth. When in reality, s_ _he was a hot-headed, sarcastic brute with a strong-will who was quick to be embarrassed and only knew how to challenge problems head-on without plans or the consideration for repercussions._

 _With the occasional assistance from Lady Elisa and Selene, I taught Elena everything she needed to know on how to be a proper noble lady, from learning how to properly introduce herself to understanding and remembering which utensils to use for which meals. Perhaps it was the drive to fulfill her mother's efforts in bringing her here, lessons that usually took someone's entire childhood to master, she managed to pass with flying colours in merely two years time._

 _Yet fate has once again proven to be exceptional cruel on this family. As m_ _erely months before Elena's sixteenth birthday, news came that her mother had passed away due to a long-term illness she had been harbouring._

 _Out of respect and direct request of Lady Elisa, she was brought in to be prepared and buried with the financial support of the Fernández family._

 _However..._

"Lady Elena, please open the door!" As Selene approached the small mortuary house on the outer edges of the Fernández lot, she could hear the faint knocking and her brother's voice calling out in a worried tone as Elisa stood worriedly beside him, holding her hands before her chest.

"Milady! Agustin!" Steps slowing down to a light jog, she lowered her head and attempted to catch her breath. "It's no use." She shook her head gently. "Lady Elena has even taken the Master Key of the mortuary house."

"Elena..." Elisa muttered, staring up anxiously as the firmly shut wooden doors. "I feel terrible for her, but in this season if we don't act quickly, the body could begin to rot and decay." Her brows knitted together. "It'd be best if we could bury the casket soon." She stated, bringing a hand to her chin thoughtfully.

 _Contrary to my initial predicts, Elena held no hostility against her sister._

 _Instead, they were extremely friendly towards each other, almost as if they were real sisters. Elena was incredibly supportive of Lady Elisa's efforts to earn her place as the next heir, and the notion was reciprocated with Elena's goals._

Heaving a long sigh, Agustin shot the locked doors an irritated glance. "Lady Elena. Please open this door." He requested, knocking on them one last time. "If you don't, I may have to resort to some extreme measures." He threated.

No response.

Gritting his teeth in frustration, Agustin studied the door. If he remembered correctly, it's not the sturdiest. It was mostly made of wood with only the frame that was lined with metal. He clenched his fists. "Lady Elisa, Selene. Please wait here for a few moments." He grumbled before turning on his heel and heading back towards the main mansion, leaving Elisa and Selene a little confused.

Five minutes later, drawn by the sound of something dragging against the ground, both women turned their heads to spot Agustin returning with a cloth bag slung over his shoulder while dragging what seemed to be a battle axe on the ground, borrowed from one of the many antique suits of armour stationed in the mansion.

Selene's jaw practically dropped to the ground. "Agustin, that-!" She pointed at the axe; seemingly she was about to scold him.

On the other hand, Elisa was quite calm and even a little amused. "Oh my, what a bold move." She hummed, covering her lips with the tips of her fingers.

"M-Milady, I don't think it's the right time to be saying that!" Whipping her head around, Selene protested. "Agustin, don't you dare-"

"I don't see why not." Interrupting Selene's empty threats, Elisa waved her hand. "Please do continue." She smiled, gesturing the doors in almost a playful manner.

"Milady!"

"Please stand back a little." Dropping the cloth bag onto the ground with a small 'thump,' Agustin took the handle of the axe with both hands. After making sure Selene had dragged Elisa away to a safe distance, he raised the axe over his head. "HAH!" He yelled, swinging with all his might towards the wooden door.

The sharp end of the axe immediately broke through the flimsy wooden surface, creating a small opening into the mortuary. However, Agustin didn't stop there. He pulled the axe out and kept taking precise chops at the poor mortuary house's door until it was just big enough for him to get into. Breathing heavy pants, Agustin dropped the tool onto the ground with a loud 'clank' and in turn, picked up the cloth bag once again.

"Now, if you will excuse me." Turning to Elisa, he gave her a quick routinely bow before gingerly stepping into the hole he created in the mortuary's door, minding the splinters from the stray pieces of wood.

Storming through darkened space, he made a straight line for the coffin resting at the back of the room. As expected, he found the fifteen-year-old, sitting on the ground and slumped over motionlessly on the casket, clinging onto it as if it were her lifeline. "Lady Elena, you've been like this for days." He pronounced, averting his eyes from her pitiful state. "They will be burying your mother tomorrow. You still have a small fever, staying here the whole time is not good for your health."

"I'll be fine; the casket is cold." Not even lifting her face to look at him, Elena muttered weakly as she continued to keep her cheek pressed against the hard cold surface. "If I just lay here, the fever in my body will eventually dissipate." She said, allowing her eyes to fall shut.

Agustin froze for a few moments, studying her. She looked so small, so broken. The girl who so proudly talked back to him at the debutante two years ago was almost non-existent; it was as if the departure of her mother had also sucked the very soul out of her. "Either way," Clearing his throat, he lowered his body to a crouch as he dropped the cloth bag before him. "You still need to eat. Here, I have brought some stuff for you." He offered, opening the bag in one swift motion to reveal some freshly baked bread he brought from the kitchen.

"I don't want it," Elena replied without even sparing the bread a glance.

In the face of such a swift rejection, Agustin's brows twitched slightly. "Perhaps I didn't make myself clear." He cleared his throat to indicate that he was serious. "Starting today, I want you to eat your food." He declared.

"You're really annoying." Pushing herself up feebly, Elena turned her head with a detestable glare. "I don't need to eat. Take it away." She repeated, enunciating each word individually.

With the sound of his patience snapping in his mind, Agustin lunged forward and grabbed onto Elena's wrist with one hand while the other reached for a piece of bread.

Elena gasped in shock as she felt herself being pinned with her back against the casket. "Eh?!" She sounded, peering up and spotting Agustin's large frame looming over her like some sort of death god. He narrowed his eyes at her miserable state.

"Did you not hear me?" He spoke in a slightly pained voice. "I said starting today; I want you to eat your food." He reiterated before ripping a bite out of bread with his mouth. Keeping the piece clasped between his teeth, he brought his face closer to Elena's astonished expression.

Realizing what he intended to do, Elena attempted to flee. "N-No!" She shrieked, thrashing her arms and accidentally swatting the bread out of his mouth in the process. "Absolutely not! I don't want to! I don't need it!" She shrieked, tugged her wrist out of his grip and escaping under his arm.

However, before she could get too far away, Agustin had recovered. Taking hold of her forearm, he reeled her back, forcefully into his chest. "Eat it!" He roared, trying to shove the bread into her mouth. "It's what your mother would've wanted you to!"

Despite knowing how futile it was, Elena did everything she could to resist. "And how would you know something like that?!" She yelled, turning her face away, keeping her eyes shut as tears began to gushed out of her eyes and spilled down her pale cheeks. "My mother didn't care for me at all! If she did, she wouldn't have abandoned me! She wouldn't have left me all alone to suffer!" She screamed, covering her face as she began to wail uncontrollably.

Thoroughly fed up with the nonsense she was uttering, Agustin grumbled. Dropping the piece of bread on the cold stone ground, he spun Elena around so that she'd face him. Then raising his hand, he delivered a clear slap across her face that resounded within the chamber walls, promptly silencing the sobs that occasionally escaped Elena's throat.

"Are you daft?!" He shouted bluntly, shaking her by the shoulders.

With her head snapped to the side, Elena blinked a couple of times as her mind attempted to process what has just happened. "W-What...?!" She sniffled, her lips trembling lightly as she reached up to touch her burning red cheek.

Panting heavily, Agustin had finally realized how riled up he had gotten over the situation. It didn't really bother him that he had slapped her, she needed someone or something to serve as a wake-up call before she did anything extreme. What really bothered him was that they were screaming and shouting inside the morgue, right before her mother's coffin. Perhaps it was not the best to be disturbing the dead in this sort of fashion. "Come with me." He said, tugging her towards the hole he bashed through the wooden doors.

"N-No! Stop!"

Ignoring her protests, Agustin continued to walk. Forcefully dragging her out of the dark, grim mortuary house and into the glaring sunlight, stomping past a perplexed looking Selene and Elisa.

"Oh my, now isn't this amusing?" Cupping her cheek with a light smile, Elisa chuckled.

"I apologize in place of my brother, Milady." Selene sweatdropped before glancing at the hole in the mortuary door. "So then, what shall we do about the door?" She asked with a deadpanned expression.

"We can simply have it replaced," Giving a carefree wave, Elisa instructed before allowing her expression to turn grim as she remembered something. "Just make sure father doesn't find out." She added in a distasteful voice.

"Agustin! Let go of me!" Elena kept her eyes squeezed closed, frantically flailing her arm in attempts to break free from his iron grip as the butler dragged her into the splashing water fountain of the courtyard in the servant's quarters.

Augustin quickly scanned the area. Due to it being midday, most of those who lived in this section of the mansion were busy at their posts attending to their duties, leaving the courtyard completely empty. If not, he would surely be reprimanded and punished then and there for laying a hand so carelessly on a noble. Either way, he knew he had to say his piece. Unwilling to let go of her hand, he spun around on the heel of his foot, watching as she collapsed to the ground in a mixture of panting and sobbing. Taking a deep breath, he recollected himself. "Look at this place." He said in a slightly calmer tone. "Look at this place and answer me, Elena. Where are you right now?" He asked.

"In this cursed Fernández Mansion! That's where! " Burying her face in her free hand, Elena screamed in retortion. "A place where the people despise me! A place where I'm not even allowed to address my own birth mother as my 'mother'! A place where I am going to be all alone! That's where!" She listed off, feeling Agustin's grip around her arm loosen. Allowing it to drop heavily onto the cobblestoned ground, she continued to cry, still refusing to look up at him or her surroundings.

"Do you still not get it?" Clenching his jaw at how stubborn she was being, Agustin knelt down before her and gently removed her hand from her face. "If your mother truly wished for you to be alone, she would've never sent you over here to this place, knowing she was ill!" He pointed out, watching as her darkened hazel eyes shot open at his words. "In this place, you have Lady Elisa; you have Selene... And you have me, Elena!" He asserted, firmly shaking her by the shoulders. "From today forward, if your mother cannot by your side any longer, then I will! So please, stop treating yourself like this. Please stop torturing your body and mind." He pled, feeling his eyes well up against his wishes as she peered up with a misted gaze.

"Do you mean that...?" She whimpered, bottom lips quivering along with her body. "Truly...?"

"Of course," Agustin affirmed without a shred of hesitation.

"Then promise me..." Biting her bottom lip, the fifteen-year-old girl leaned forward and collapsing into Agustin's arms. "Don't leave me, become my butler..." She requested desperately, reaching up and clawing at his suit jacket like it was her only pillar of support left in the world. "It has to be you. You need to stay by my side for the rest of my life." She uttered as fresh new tears pour from her cheeks.

"I will," Cradling the back of her head and pressing shaking frame against his chest, Agustin assured. "Milady."

 _In truth, ever since that evening we met, I never_ _wanted to_ _call her 'Milady.' Even if I knew those feelings were wrong, I had a strong desire against it._ _Because that word alone shall create an intangible barrier between us, one_ _that I knew no matter what either of us felt, would not be able to shatter under any normal circumstances._

 _However, if a 'butler' is what she requires me to be, so then be it._

 _I shall discard of these feelings._

 _So that whenever she gazes up at me with those blazing, passionate eyes, I will be staring right back without any of these selfish reservations of my own._

"Can you not do it?" Agustin flinched slightly as Elena's trembling voice pulled him out of his trip down memory lane, bringing him back to present where they stood before the very same fountain under the pouring rain. He stilled for a few moments, watching as the raindrops that fell from the gloomy sky mimicked tears as they trailed down the side of her face. He averted his eyes.

 _These feelings were wrong._

Taking that as his response, Elena smiled wistfully. "You've always been so tolerant of me." She turned on the ball of her foot, reaching up to take off the jacket he's placed around her. "Have a safe trip tomorrow."

 _However...  
_

Peering up, Agustin saw the lonely figure her backside created against the picturesque scenery. He bit his bottom lip. Lunging forward, he wrapped arms around her shoulder, pulling her back and effectively startling her as his black suit jacket slipped out of her grasps and fell to the muddy ground.

 _They aren't anymore. And I can't bear to see you suffer because of me, any longer._

"Agustin, let me go." She demanded feebly as if her voice was on the verge of shattering.

"I can't. I won't." Agustin refused. "Forgive me, no matter what I couldn't follow those orders of yours." He stated, gently burying his face in the crook of her neck, feeling the torrential downpour that surrounded them slowly turn to a drizzle.

Hearing that statement, Elena couldn't help but huffed out a dry laugh. "That's strange. Isn't it your duty to carry out my orders?" She questioned in a slightly sarcastic tone.

"It is, but I cannot lie to you either." Not even bothering to be sarcastic with her, Agustin retorted. "Up until now, I thought it was wrong of me to have these feelings for you. But now I know, that is not the case." His eyes crinkled as he tightened his grip around her.

"Agustin, if this is another one of your jokes-"

"It's not." Quickly shutting down her assumptions, Agustin asserted. "And if you can forgive my numerous moments of impoliteness, then I won't leave your side."

Elena's eyes rounded momentarily as tears once again began to prickle, spilling over to her cheeks and merge with the rain. Pressing her lips together, she spun around in his arm to face him and peered up. "I already told you, it has to be you." She repeated, clutching onto his shirt as she began to weep. "If it's not you then... I don't want it." She proclaimed.

Agustin watched as the mixture of tears and rain that rested on her cheek began to twinkle in the silks of sunlight that peeked out from the clouds above. "Ahh." Reaching up, he breathed lightly as he used his thumb to brush the stains and droplets away. "It seems all I do is make you cry." He whispered.

Standing in next to the large open windows of the Main Office, Elisa's dark hazel eyes remained glued to the two figures in the servant courtyard. The room would've been completely silent, if not for the ticking of the clock on her desk as well as the small creek at her door. She didn't even need to look over to guess who it was. "What is it?" She questioned without a shift in her eye line.

"Milady," Stepping into the room with an unreadable expression, Selene uttered. "Tomorrow... I..." She hesitated, unable to finish her sentence.

Elisa's eyes flickered over, studying her conflicted body language. Then, she heaved a long sigh. "Arden has prepared your ticket as well." She informed, turning her body around to fully face her. "Go pack up." She instructed without a tone in her voice.

"Yes!" Breathing out a sigh in relief, Selene nodded enthusiastically. "I will go immediately, milady." She announced.

"And stop calling me that," Elisa added.

"E-Eh?" Hearing that sudden request, Selene blinked a few times. "B-But..."

"No 'if's, 'and's or 'but's." Elisa interrupted sharply, shifting her body to face the window once again, staring at her reflection with what almost seemed to be distaste. "Starting tomorrow, I am no longer a woman of nobility. Instead, I will be a simple commoner by the name of Elisa." She paused for a few moments as her eyes fell to a downcast. "So stop calling me that, please." She whispered.

Selene's brows knitted together before softening into a wry smile. "I understand." She nodded before turning on her heel and exiting the room.

As the door clicked to a shut, Elisa breathed out a long sigh as her shoulders slumped over for the first time in many years. She peered up at the threads of light that fought to peek through the woven clouds, eyes melting into a gentle gaze. "This house, it's finally at its end..." She muttered with almost what seemed to be relief threaded in her voice.

A/N: I hope you all enjoyed this little side story. I've been super excited to release it because I've been eager to tie up the romantic loose end between Elena and Agustin. I've always imagined the Fernández family to be just littered with pain and tragedy despite being rather wealthy and well-off. I guess it's a simple case of money can never buy happiness, isn't it? What did you guys think? Did you guys enjoy this side story?

Other than that, I have a little announcement. Due to it being the end of the school year, I am currently being flooded with finals and year-end projects. Due to that, I'm sorry to inform that there will no chapter next week. But don't worry! I would never leave you guys hanging just like that! Instead, I will be releasing a collective 'Supporting Character Introductions' much like those in the original manga. It's something I've wanted to do for a while and I figured doing a quick roll call right before the finale couldn't hurt. It will be including all the original character I've introduced in this story, so please look forward to that!

With that, have a great day!

XOXO,

Astra


	51. Supporting Characters Introduction

_Supporting Characters Introduction_

 **Arden Mederos**

Age 26; Miki's loyal butler and companion.

A loyal and dutiful butler dedicated to Miki. Arden is a capable young man who would do anything to ensure his lady's happiness, both physically and emotionally and would ruthlessly strike down anyone or anything that stands in her way without a second thought if she were to wish it. He also harbours a great amount of respect and gratitude towards Elisa, who took him in as a child.

A/N: When I created Arden, I was honestly never expecting him to be so popular amongst the fanbase. It took me by so much surprise as Arden was always a character I saw as 'just a good guy', but it wasn't until he became so popular that I began to develop his character even further. So in many ways, where Arden is today is thanks to you all! I once joked about making an 'Arden x Reader' Side Story. Let me know if you'd like that!

 **Elisa Fernández**

Age 39; Miki's mother and the older half-sister of Elena, Current Duchess of the Fernández Household.

She is an intelligent, cunning and resourceful woman who would stop at nothing to accomplish her goals. Now is extremely stoic and silent, but in her younger years, she was much more talkative and mischievous.

A/N: Elisa's personality had undergone so many changes over the course of the story, it's a little crazy. At first, I didn't know what I wanted to do with her. Do I want her to be a truly cruel witch? Or did I want her to be a misunderstood mother? Overall, I am glad I went with the route I did as it made Elisa quite a compelling and complicated character. Just a few little extra facts: 1. Elisa is the most beautiful woman in the Fernández family, even more so than Miki. 2. Elisa's younger self's personality is in fact, exactly what Miki's original personality was going to be. Cynical, mysterious and a little mischievous. 3. Kyoya despises Elisa. He understands her motives and the reasons why she did what she did, but still cannot forgive her methods of gambling on Miki's life to set the Fernández house free.

 **Selene Mederos**

Age 40; Elisa's loyal servant and older twin sister of Agustin.

As the first woman to ever be selected as a personal servant, Selene is stoic, responsible and dedicated to her job of serving Elisa. Though she is serious on the surface, she can be quite playful with family and close friends as she especially loves teasing her brother.

A/N: Despite how they look on the surface, I imagine Elisa and Selene to share a more best friend-like relationship rather than a traditional Master-Servant one. In fact, Miki and Arden are the only pair that have that type of relationship considering Elena and Agustin are more lovers than anything.

 **Elena Fernández**

Age 37; Miki's aunt and younger half-sister of Elisa, Second 'Daughter' of the Fernández Household.

In her younger years, Elena was a little rough around the edges and quick to anger yet still extremely kind-hearted and passionate nevertheless. She takes an extreme amount of pride in her commoner roots and greatly respects her mother for raising her despite the circumstances.

A/N: I thought Elena being of commoner birth and a bastard daughter would make the most sense storywise, as her circumstances served as a great motivation for Elisa to end the cycle of misfortune in the Fernández family. It also proves that Miki's circumstances, while special it's not unusual in their history of lies.

 **Agustin Mederos**

Age 40; Elena's former loyal servant and current lover, younger twin brother of Selene.

Beneath his sharp-tongued persona, Agustin takes his job as a butler very seriously. Though he is playful and mischievous, he can also be stern if the time calls for it. He has been in love with Elena ever since they met at her debutante ball and finds amusement in making sarcastic insults to get her reaction.

A/N: For those of you that have been complaining about Kyoki taking a year to get together, imagine how long these two took.

 **Alejandro Fernández**

Age 68; Miki's maternal grandfather and father of Elisa and Elena, Former Duke of the Fernández Household.

Alejandro is a womanizing, tyrannical patriarch, leading with an iron fist as well as having a sexist view against women, believing that they were lesser than men and simply served as their objects of entertainment. He verbally and emotionally abused his legal wife over the years, causing her to fall into severe mental distress. He is extremely concern in keeping up the image of the Fernández family and will do anything to ensure nothing can place a dark spot on their lineage during his reign.

A/N: Despite many people pinning Rita as the main villain, I believe Alejandro is the true antagonist of the Fernández family. For one, he was the one who abused Rita to the point of where she is, leading her to become incredibly jealous and spiteful towards Elisa and Miki who arguably had a better life than her. And despite possessing the power to shield his biological daughter from his wife's abuse, he opted not to intervene. Overall, he is a character I love to hate.

 **Rita Fernández**

Age 66; Miki's maternal grandmother and mother of Elisa, Former Duchess of the Fernández Household.

Marrying into the Fernández family at a young age, Rita grew to be even colder and more sadistic than her husband whom she possessed resentful feelings towards. Despite sharing family ties with Elisa and Miki, she despises both of them. This leads her finding a certain amount of joy in abuse them, namely Elisa, her biological daughter. Perhaps she was better in her younger years.

A/N: Rita is a b*tch. There is no way around it. She is my attempt at making a villain whose reasons are understandable but do not redeem herself. A classic case of the abused becoming the abuser. This made her neither cartoonishly evil or overly sympathetic as a villain. I think she turned out pretty well.

 **Ueda Suzuno**

Age 25; Maid in the Second Suoh Mansion.

A kind-hearted maid who has taken the liberty of caring for Miki in Arden's absence. She is perhaps the closest to Miki throughout the Second Mansion Staff.

A/N: I would've honestly loved to feature her more throughout the story as I find her such a lovely character to write. I've initially planned for her to be Arden's canon love interest, though the two will simply share a 'couple-like' relationship while caring for Miki as both of them are mentally committed to serving her.

 **Yotsuboshi Sora**

Age 16; Student of Class 2-A in the Highschool Department.

An upbeat and energetic girl, though she is quite easily flustered and has difficulty conveying her true feelings to people. She is currently in a relationship with Kotaro and has been best friends with Sumire since middle school.

A/N: A little fun fact about her. The original one to introduce Miki to the host club was Jounouchi Ayame, but then I looked through the manga and realized she wasn't meant to be a fan of the host club at that point in the story. Thus, Sora was created.

 **Kazehara Sumire**

Age 16; Student of Class 2-A in the Highschool Department.

Sumire is a gentle, compassionate and observant young miss who has a huge love for romance novel and magazines. She is currently in a relationship with the drama club president and has been best friends with Sora since middle school.

A/N: When I created Sora and Sumire, I wasn't expecting for either of them to be such important characters throughout the story. But they turned out to be quite crucial towards Miki's development both as a character and as an artist, which I loved!

 **Ichimaru Kotaro**

Age 16; Student of Class 2-A in the Highschool Department, Member of the Broadcasting Club.

An understanding and chivalrous young man who is always willing to lend a helping hand to those in need. He and Sora are childhood friends who are now in a relationship.

A/N: Kotaro was actually meant to be more of a one-off character, rather than becoming someone who literally broadcasts every Ouran event. However, when I wanted to give the reporter a name instead of just calling him 'The Reporter', I decided to give the role to Kotaro to avoid the stockpile of extra characters you'd have to remember.


	52. 45 Once Upon A Time

_-Chapter 45-_

Once Upon A Time...

"And together, they ventured for the prince's kingdom and lived happily ever after. The End." Drawing a long and tired sigh, Arden gently closed the hardcover book.

"Again." Despite it being late into the night, the little girl who laid in the large bed requested with wide-awake eyes. "I want to hear the story again!"

"Again?" Arden raised an eyebrow. "Milady, you are eight years old now, haven't you had enough? How about outgrowing this story already?" He suggested with a wry smile, despite knowing that all his efforts will be futile.

"But I like it..." Sinking further into her pillow, Miki pouted as she pulled the covers over the bottom half of her mouth. "Please, just one more time? There are still so many things I don't understand about this story." She pled with large puppy eyes.

"Oh? What kind of questions would you have for a fairy tale such as this?" Arden questioned.

Holding her hand up in the air, the little girl began to list off her burning questions as she bent her fingers. "Why would the prince regain his sight the moment he and Rapunzel reunited? Why was he even blinded in the first place?"

Arden sweatdropped slightly. "Milady, aren't you overthinking it a little? This is just a fairy tale, after all." He spoke gingerly.

"But these details are too specific to overlook, and I don't understand why would the characters of this story make such weird decisions." The strawberry blonde reasoned with a serious expression. "For example, why did Rapunzel suddenly want to escape her tower?" Pushing herself up from her bed slightly, she continued to argue. "And, isn't her urge to reunite with the prince even after they were separated even weirder? She searched up and down throughout the entire desert for the prince, why would she suddenly gain such a strong dedication to him? And-"

"Alright, alright!" Gesturing for her to lower her voice, Arden chuckled. "I understand. I will read the story once more." He caved in, opening the storybook once again to the first page.

"Yay!" Throwing her hands up in the air, the little girl cheered as she leaned back, plopping onto the soft mattress with an excited grin.

Pausing for a moment, he glanced over at Miki who settled into her bed once again and laid ready for the third storytime of the night. "Though Milady." He called out to her, earning a small 'hm' in reply. "I'm sure one day; you will find the answer to those questions." His eyes crinkled softly before turning his attention back onto the book. "Once upon a time..."

 _~7:30 a.m.~_

Miki shifted onto her side, curling her body into a fetal position as the sunlight that shone through her silk curtains gently poked at her cheek, urging her to awaken from the long, nostalgic dream she was having. Slowly, her eyes fluttered open as it gave into the warmth and coaxing of the morning sun. Blinking a few times as they attempted to adjust to the brightness of the room, she sat up drowsily, allowing strands of her ruffled strawberry brown hair to fall, hang over her shoulder like a drape.

It was the last day of their two-week long spring break, meaning when she attends school the next day, she will begin her final year of high school as an official third-year. Being a little too overly excited about the topic, she spent all of spring break binge-watching coming-of-age dramas with her brother, whom for some reason kept sneaking glances at her as if he had something he wanted to say. However, whenever she pointed out how fidgety and hesitant he was being, Tamaki would always immediately shake his head, claiming that she 'probably wouldn't understand' or that she was 'too pure for the subject.'

The notion confused her.

Letting out a small yawn, Miki reached up to stretch her limbs when a familiar jingle began to play from her bedside table. She glanced over drowsily, taking a moment to register it was, in fact, her phone that was ringing. Leaning over, she grabbed the rose-coloured device, making sure to check the caller ID before answering.

Quite frankly, a loud shriek is not something she'd like to wake up to again.

 _Incoming call_

 _Hitachiin Kaoru_

"Kaoru?" Staring blankly at the name on display screen, Miki cocked her head to the side curiously before flipping the phone open and pressing it against the shell of her ear. "Hello?" She greeted as she flopped back onto her bed lazily.

"Good Morning, Miki-senpai!" Kaoru chimed from the other end of the phone before pausing slightly when he heard the slight rasp in her voice. "Oh sorry, did I wake you up?" He swiftly apologized, feeling a little guilty for waking her up on the last day of spring break.

"No, not at all." Shaking her head, Miki reassured as she stretched her arms upwards once again. "I just woke up as a matter of fact."

"That's good then." He hummed, letting out a sigh in relief. From the light tapping of utensils in the background, it wasn't difficult to deduce that he was most likely still in the middle of breakfast. "Say, didn't you mention you needed to head to the Ootori mansion today? To help Fuyumi-san with something?" He asked.

"Huh?" Miki blinked a few times as her hazy mind slowly attempted to process his words. "Oh, that's right!" She gasped, sitting up from her bed as if his reminder had sent an awakening electric shock through her system. "She said she was in the area, so she asked me to go over there to help her start a new 'Commoner's Gourmet Food' map." She explained before tilting her head to the side. "Why? Is something wrong?" She questioned.

"Oh, it's nothing. I was just wondering if you wanted to carpool with me there?" He invited with a hint of mischief laced in his voice.

"Carpool?" Miki repeated curiously.

"Well, I have some things I wanted to discuss with Kyoya-senpai, and I want to get out of here before Hikaru wakes up," Kaoru said nonchalantly. "But I'm pretty sure if I get there early, he's still gonna be sleeping. So I thought I mine as well come pick you up along the way. You know, to kill some time?" He reasoned.

 _Besides, he was sure Kyoya would love to see her too._

"Of course!" Without a hint of hesitation, Miki nodded enthusiastically. "I'd love to!"

"Great! I'll pick you up in an hour." Kaoru replied cheekily. "Be ready!" He snickered before hanging up the phone.

Flipping her phone shut, Miki swiftly threw her duvet covers off as she swung her legs over the side of her bed. Standing up on the carpeted ground, she began to make her way towards the closet before suddenly halting in her tracks. Slowly turning her head, she glanced over her shoulder, peering back at the king-sized bed with a puzzled expression.

That dream... She was sure it was a memory from her time still trapped in the main mansion with Arden. She blinked a few times, wondering why it would resurface in her mind after so many years.

 _How strange._

 _...nce... U ...on ..._

 _~11:30 a.m.~_

Kyoya raised an eyebrow at his jam-packed call history. He had just woken up and put on his glasses, and the first thing he had to deal with was the 22 missed calls from Tamaki. He felt his eyebrow twitch as he began to sluggishly scroll through his voice mail, only not even find a message related to what was so damn important for the blond to be calling him since the crack of dawn. He was about to call him back when an unexpected voice sounded next to him.

"Ah! You're awake. I can't believe you slept for so long." In a mixture of shock and confusion, his eyes snapped over to the other side of his bed finding Kaoru of all people; laying on on his stomach and casually reading a book.

As if that wasn't already a surprise enough, another voice chimed from the foot of his bed. "Good Morning, Kyoya-kun!" He whipped his head over, spotting Miki who gave him a sweet smile as she cradled a different book in her arms.

"It's not 'Good Morning' anymore; it's already lunchtime." Sitting up from the bed in a relaxed manner, Kaoru corrected. "Man, I'm starving!" He complained.

"Miki... Kaoru... How long have you two...?" Kyoya mumbled, staring groggily at the two intruders.

"Hmm... About two hours and a half now?" Swinging his legs over the side of his bed, Kaoru stood up with a light hum. "I wanted to make sure to leave the house while Hikaru was still asleep, so I got here early. And since Miki-senpai needed to come and talk to your sister, I brought her along." Covering his mouth, he snickered mischievously.

"Sorry for the intrusion." Closing her book and placing it on his bed, Miki tilted her head slightly. "We'd figured you'd still be asleep, so I suggested we waited in the foyer until you woke up, but then Kaoru ended up dragging me in here." She cupped her cheek as she heaved a small sigh.

"Well, that's because Akito-san almost caught us!" Kaoru justified.

"Ah, I see. My brother must only have afternoon classes today." Kyoya muttered, letting out another yawn.

"I really don't like being around him." Awkwardly scratching the back of his head, Kaoru stated. "He makes me feel so tense. Whenever I come over, he always gives me disapproving looks."

"Really?" Blinking a few times, Miki cocked her head to the side curiously. "Akito-san never does that to me." She informed.

"Wait, really?" Kaoru raised an eyebrow.

"Mhm." She nodded with an airy smile. "He usually just avoids me or calls me an 'airheaded fool' when he thinks I can't hear him." She explained, lifting an all-knowing finger.

"It's amazing how you can say that with a smile..." Kaoru sweatdropped. "Anyways, he always asks me things like what your school life is like or how popular you are." He continued to speak as Kyoya slowly got out of bed. "Why does he do that? It's as if he's trying to monitor your activities to keep you in check or something..." He grumbled in annoyance.

"Kaoru, don't speak ill of my brother." Descending staircase of his room with his two uninvited guests following close behind, Kyoya scolded. "Akito forwent club activities to focus on his studies during high school. He's just irritated because it appears I'm not taking my high school career as seriously." He revealed.

"Why, though?" Miki tilted her head with a troubled expression. "Despite being in a club, you've still always placed first in our grade." She pointed out as Kaoru nodded profusely in agreement.

"Perhaps my older brothers are far ahead of me. They've gone on to achieve great things." Kyoya gave a light shrug. "So until I graduate from university and can stand equal ground with them, I have no right to say anything against them." He admitted.

"But that's-!"

"Which is to say," Cutting off Kaoru's words of protests, Kyoya glanced over his shoulder with a self-satisfying smirk. "When that time finally comes, it will be my turn to shine it last." He proclaimed confidently, watching as Miki and Kaoru's eyes widened in amazement. However, before either of them could say anything else, there was a light knock on his door.

"Miss Miki. Miss Fuyumi is waiting for you in her room." Aijima informed as Tachibana brought in some tea and snacks for Kyoya and Kaoru.

"Oh, I'll be right there!" Nodding enthusiastically, the strawberry blonde hurried out the door. "I'll see you both later then!" She waved at the two with a bright smile.

"See you." Kyoya nodded.

"Have fun!" Kaoru sang.

Seeing that Miki was gone, Kyoya made his way to his dresser and began to change out of his pyjamas while Kaoru moved towards the lounge area of Kyoya's room. As Tachibana poured out the rose tea, his eyes wandered over to his upperclassman, spotting what seemed to be a silver chain around his neck. He raised an eyebrow in estrangement. Kyoya never really strike him as the type to be wearing a necklace for no reason.

"Kyoya-senpai, since when did you wear a necklace?" He decided to ask.

"This thing?" Peering down at the silver tag necklace resting on his bare chest, Kyoya hummed before allowing his expression to soften into what could only be nostalgia. "It was a gift." He simply replied.

Kaoru blinked a few times at his vague answer before an idea flashed across his mind. Covering his mouth, he attempted to hide the wide grin that began to form on his lips. "Hehe~" He chuckled. "Could it be from Miki-"

"Well? What was so important you felt the urge to sneak into a sleeping person's bedroom uninvited, my ill-mannered underclassmen?" Not allowing him to finish his sentence, Kyoya swiftly finished changing and lunged forth, grinding his knuckles into either side of Kaoru's head and effectively noogie-ing the boy.

"OWWW! I'm sorry! I'm sorry!" Comically flailing his arms, Kaoru yelped as he struggled to escape his upperclassman's form of torture. "I came to discuss with you about something interesting I found!" He explained, rubbing the sides of his head in pain. "You know how you told me the other day about the chairman's subordinate who went missing?" He asked, plopping down onto one of the couches.

"Yes. What of it?" Moving over to the lounge area, Kyoya sat down on the opposite side of the coffee table.

"Have you heard of any other strange incidents involving the chairman? Because I've been looking into the matter a bit myself." Kaoru revealed. "You've heard of Dr. Alleman, right?"

"You mean Tamaki's mother's physician?" Picking up one of the teacups, Kyoya brought it close to his lips. "He retired two years ago. His whereabouts are unconfirmed." He asserted.

"No, they're not. I tried sending an email to him." Kaoru said.

"Kaoru..." Kyoya stared blankly at his underclassman. "You aren't afraid of making rash moves, are you?"

"It turns out he's a friend of a friend of my dad's, so I was able to get his private email address." Kaoru shrugged.

Heaving a small sigh at how bold of a move Kaoru took, Kyoya went back to sipping on his morning tea. "And? What excuse did you make up for writing to him?" He questioned.

"I wrote, 'I'm visiting France, and I was really hoping to meet you. I really want to become a doctor when I grow up!'" Kaoru recited as he reached out to stuff a biscuit in his mouth. "I made myself sound like a disgustingly sweet and earnest 10-year-old, so he probably couldn't refuse to answer." He laughed dryly. "To keep up the act, I even misspelled a few words here and there. Soon after I got a reply from his wife that said, 'Just between us, the doctor isn't here right now. Keep this a secret okay?'" He said.

"You would make a great con-artist..." Kyoya sweatdropped.

"I guess adults can't lie in the face of the child's pure innocence," Kaoru spoke with almost what seemed to be pride laced in his voice. "Then, through a friend of a friend of my dad's relative, I learned another interesting piece of information." Leaning forward, he rested an elbow on his knee before propping his chin on his hand. "Did you know? The disease milord's mom has is a serious one, and there is no cure for it yet. When someone infected with it reaches adulthood, that person will begin to deteriorate rapidly." He reported, causing Kyoya's eyes to round in shock. "So then, why did milord's mother appear to be in perfectly good health when you met her?" He pointed out rhetorically.

"That's..." Kyoya's eyes shifted from left to right, becoming astounded by this new information.

"Speaking of which, Kyoya-senpai," Kaoru spoke again as he leaned back on his seat once more. "On an unrelated note, I had a few questions I wanted to ask. I've been wondering about this for a while now, even more so after you brought it up. Between Milod and Miki-senpai, Milord was the one that was given the bastard-status despite being older, right?" He hummed, crossing his arms over his chest. "But logically speaking, wasn't Miki-senpai the first to be... erm... created?" He described awkwardly. "So then, why was she born later than milord? It just doesn't make sense."

Kyoya paused for a few moments as his gaze dulled. "I have wondered about that before as well." He revealed reluctantly. "And though I do have a couple of ideas, I cannot be quite certain. The only one who should know exact details of how it happened is most likely limited to Miki's mother, Elisa Fernández." He said with a hint of guardedness in his tone.

"Milord and Miki-senpai... They both mean a lot to you, don't they?" Kaoru said through fits of laughter.

"What would you say that?" Calmly peering over his teacup, Kyoya raised an eyebrow.

"Because look at the evidence." Opening his palm, Kaoru gestured both Kyoya and the coffee table. "All this research and time you put in, just to make sure neither of them will end up hurt. It's a lot to do for just 'their sake,' isn't it?" He snickered cheekily.

Kyoya's eyes widened in surprise for a brief moment before allowing his gaze to drop towards the light-brown tea that carried his reflection within. "I was under the belief that if Tamaki realizes feelings for Haruhi, it would mean the end of the host club." He admitted wryly. "There was also the possibility he'd step aside for Hikaru, but either way, it didn't seem possible that things would continue as before. Ever since that day Haruhi became a member of our club, I figured I should resign myself to it if that's things were going to play out. But then," He paused for a moment as a gentle smile spread across his face. "That girl came storming into our lives without even as much as a warning. She took everything I thought I understood and completely flipping them on their heads. And now, things haven't ended up as how I predicted." His eyes shifted to the side as he continued. "Especially that fool, his idiocy has always exceeded my expectations time and time again. That's why," He sighed. "I've also decided to stop regarding this as just a bit of fun during high school, thinking it's only temporary." He spoke softly before allowing his brows to knit close. "That's also why if anyone tries anything that will harm either of them. I'll..." His voice trailed off.

"Hmm..." Hearing his declaration, Kaoru hummed thoughtfully. "Then maybe you should stop playing around with Miki-senpai now, shouldn't you?" He pointed out before feeling a chill jolt up his spine as Kyoya shot him a look that told him he was being too nosy. "Well, what I mean is that you should have a little more faith in her." He rushed to explain himself. "You said that if you were to explain to her the emotions she feels towards you, she would become something like a puppet without a clear mind in the relationship, right? While I would believe that if you were talking about her a few months back, but now I really don't think that's the case anymore." He speculated. "You saw how she handled herself during that birthday event; she's starting to become more independent by the day." Still seeing that Kyoya's unconvinced expression on Kyoya's face, he continued. "She has surprised you many times before, hasn't she? Maybe these are one of those moments." He suggested, lifting an all-knowing finger.

 _...a... Tim...e ..._

 _~5:00 p.m.~_

"I apologize for dragging you here on your break, Miki-san." Sitting in Fuyumi's room of the Ootori mansion, the two ladies sat across each other as they enjoyed some afternoon tea in the seating area.

"It was no trouble at all." Miki quickly waved her hand. "In fact, I'm honoured you called on me, and this map turned out amazing." She beamed, turning to stare at the freshly drawn 'Commoner's Gourmet Food Map.' It was a large-scale painting of Japan that spanned across one of the more spacious concrete walls of Fuyumi's room, colour-coded and labelled by regions and provinces, even going as far as drawing the little landmarks of the area for that extra amount of detail.

"Yes. I especially loved all the little icons you designed for the specialty foods; they look lovely with the bright colours of the map." Fuyumi chimed as she took another sip of her tea, before glancing over to admire the finished product. "Though, I can't believe we had to expand the scale of the map all the way to Hokkaido." She noted. "Well, I suppose that only means more gourmet food for Tamaki-san and I to try out. I'm quite looking forward to that." She said as she cupped her cheek dreamily. "Of course, you are welcome to join us whenever you'd like, Miki-san."

"Really?! I can come too?" Miki twinkled.

"I don't see why not." Fuyumi chuckled softly as she scraped the bottom of her cup on it's matching saucer. "You may someday become my sister-in-law, after all. It would be nice to spend more time together." She added brightly.

Miki was about to take a sip from her cup before flinching midway as what Fuyumi said finally processed through her mind. "Sister-in-law?" She repeated, staring up blankly at Fuyumi.

"My," Hearing the confusion in her voice, Fuyumi's eyes rounded. "Has there been no development between you and Kyoya-san since the school festival?" She questioned in disbelief.

"Huh?"

"Oh, dear." Placing her cup down on the saucer with one hand, Fuyumi cover her lips with the other in surprise. "You're much denser than I expected." Then tapping a finger to her chin, she hummed thoughtfully before allowing a small mischievous smile to curl on her lips. "Tell me Miki-san, is there any you want out of your relationship from Kyoya-san?" She asked with a teasing head tilt.

"Kyoya-kun?" Miki's gaze flickered up for a few moments as she was lost in thought. "Not really." She replied, hesitating slightly.

Fuyumi's eyes crinkled slightly."Why is that?" She pursued, trying to refrain her grin from widening.

Hearing that question, Miki's eyes line dropped down towards the tea rippling gently before her. "Because Kyoya-kun has always been so kind to me." She said absently. "Wouldn't it be greedy of me to want anything more from him?"

"Of course not!" Shaking her head, Fuyumi immediately shot down the notion. "Listen to me, Miki-san. If you want something from Kyoya-san, just ask him for it. I'm sure he'll be more than delighted to accommodate you, no matter what your request is." She suggested as she lifted a finger along with giving a close-eyes smile.

"Really?" The blonde gasped lightly.

"Mhm!" Resting her hands on her lap, Fuyumi nodded happily. "After all, you are very precious to Kyoya-san." She stated.

Miki's eyes widened at Fuyumi's comment. _I am... precious to Kyoya-kun?_ The idea resounded through her mind like a water droplet that rippled through a still pond of water. Now that she thought about it, she never pondered about how Kyoya saw her as a person. The only thing she really knew was that he viewed her as a 'benefit' to himself, just a tool to serve his goals. But... Did people ever see their tools as 'precious'?

As far as she knew, they didn't.

The thought confused her severely.

However, before she could formulate a response to Fuyumi's words, there was a knock on the door as it was thrown open to reveal Kaoru. "Hello? Miki-senpai? Fuyumi-san?" Poking his head in, he greeted the two with a weary look.

"Kaoru?" Instantly recognizing that voice, Miki whipped her head around. "What are you doing here?" She asked curiously.

"Well, I'll be heading home soon." The ginger informed as stepped into the room, ruffling his hair nonchalantly. "Shouldn't you be too? It's almost 5:15 p.m, Milord is gonna lose his mind worrying about you." He pointed out with a dry laugh.

"Ah!" Snapping her gaze up to the clocking hanging above the double doors, Miki gasped. "It's already this time!? I need to call Koganei-san!" She said, scrambling off to find her phone.

"Fufufu..." Watching as the strawberry blonde pulled her phone out of her bag, Fuyumi chuckled endearingly. "Having Tamaki-san as an elder brother. Miki-san, you're fortunate." She said in amusement.

"I can only imagine how much of a hassle it is..." Kaoru sweatdropped with a deadpanned smile.

Flipping the rose gold top open, Miki quickly scrolled through her contact numbers to find the Suoh family driver before freezing up. "Eh?" She blinked a few times, noticing something was slightly off on her dial screen.

"Hm? Is something wrong?"

Miki clicked around a few times, trying to see if she could solve the problem prematurely with no avail. Brows knitting together, she flipped the device around to show Kaoru. "My phone says it has no service." She informed.

"Let me see." Taking the phone from his upperclassman, Kaoru raised an eyebrow. Sure enough, whenever he tried to dial anyone's number, the simple message of the phone having 'No Service' would pop up.

"That's strange... The cellphone reception should be pretty good in this house." Glancing over his shoulder at the screen, Fuyumi cupped her cheek in thought. "Would you like to use the home phone instead?" She offered.

"Nah, it's fine." Kaoru hummed as he scratched the back of his head. "I could just give her a lift home." He proposed, casually toss the phone back towards Miki.

"Would that be alright with you?" Cocking her head to the side, Miki asked.

"Of course." Kaoru immediately reassured her with an enthusiastic thumbs up. "We carpooled here, to begin with, I don't see why we can't do the same heading back." He shrugged.

"Alright!" Giving a brisk nod, Miki beamed. "Thank you, Kaoru."

"What're friends for?" Returning her radiant smile with a bright grin of his own, Kaoru replied before checking his phone for the time. "Well then, we should start heading towards the main entrance now," He suggested. "The limo will be here soon."

"Ah! But I forgot my book in Kyoya-kun's room." Tapping her index finger to her bottom lips, Miki gasped lightly. "I'll go get it now!" She announced before throwing her bag over her shoulder and dashing out of Fuyumi's room.

 _... the...re ... wa...s..._

 _~5:15 p.m.~_

Kyoya stood on the upper level of his room, staring down at Miki's book that she had left on his bed. Gently, he picked the book up, glazing his fingers across the geometric design printed on the hardcover. As usual, it was some book about colour and design theory that he and many others would know little about. His eyes dulled as his mind wandered back to Kaoru's little advice from earlier in the day.

This was the second time someone has suggested for him to have a little more faith in Miki.

It wasn't like he didn't have any faith in her. As a matter of fact, he felt as if he could entrust her with many things he wouldn't be able to with others. But when it came down to subjects that related to her well-being, both physically and mentally...

"Kyoya-kun?"

... Just a little... He'd lose his mind.

Turning on the ball of his foot, Kyoya peered down beyond the top floor railings of his room. Sure enough, he could recognize that voice anywhere he went. Miki stood at the door, staring up at him with her usual blank expression.

"Kyoya-kun, if you want to go back to sleep, you should wait a little, you know?" Cocking her head to the side, Miki suggested seriously.

Kyoya felt his eyebrow twitch at her obvious statement. "I'm not going back to sleep." He grumbled in irritation, making his way towards the stairs that led to the lower floor of his room, book in hand.

"Then what were you doing up there?" Moving forward to meet him at the base of the staircase, Miki asked, only to freeze when she saw the book he carried in his arms. "Ah!" She gasped, pointing at the familiar object.

Approaching her, Kyoya extended his arm to gently bop the base of the book atop of her head. "You came back to get this, didn't you?" He smirked.

"Yes!" Nodding curtly, Miki reached up to take the book from him and cradled it in her arms. A relieved smile spread across her cheeks as she tenderly caressed the hardcover. "Thank you very much," Glancing up, she gave him a small bow in gratitude. "I'd be troubled if I lost this."

"A gift from the chairman?" Kyoya assumed.

"Mhm! It's a signed pre-release too!" Miki added proudly.

Seeing her excitement over something as simple as a signed book, Kyoya huffed out a small laugh. "Is Koganei-san coming to pick you up soon?" Switching the topic, he asked.

"Oh, I'm actually leaving with Kaoru," Miki informed. "My phone said it didn't have any service, so he's giving me a ride home." She said with a wry smile.

"I see." Humming, Kyoya turned away from her for a moment as he looked out the large sliding glass doors. He watched in silence as the orange and gold rays of sunlight stretched far across the horizon, creating a red to orange hue on the early April sunset. It emitted a soft light into the room, casting both of their shadows onto the wooden flooring that grew longer with each passing second. "What is it?" He questioned, not bothering to cast the blonde a second glance as he could feel her curious gaze lingering on him.

"Kyoya-kun," Holding her book closer to her chest, Miki stared directly at him with probing eyes. "There is something I want from you, is that okay?" She requested.

Kyoya raised an eyebrow at her odd behaviour. "If I recall correctly, I lost that bet from two weeks ago." Shifting his gaze to the side, he reminded nonchalantly. "So either way, I need to endure a punishment game, don't I?" He pronounced.

"Ah, that's right..." Averting her eyes slightly, Miki hummed absently as she began to rock her weight back and forth. "So that means I can have anything I want, right?" Turning her focus back to him, she playfully asked once more, placing her emphasis on the word 'anything.'

Closing his eyes, Kyoya heaved a sigh at how many times he had to repeat it. "Of course-" He was about to continue and reiterate the rules of their bet when he felt something soft graze against his lips. It felt like a gentle breeze, brushing over his skin with a taste of lingering warmth before disappearing almost as quickly as if came. His eyes shot open in disbelief as he processed what had just occurred, just in time to see the girl with strawberry brown hair pull away from the small peck with a dust of pink on her cheeks.

"That's what I want from you, Kyoya-kun." Bathing in the faint tangerine glow of the sunset, Miki announced brightly as she gave him her signature radiant smile.

 _Lose his mind... huh?_

With that little stunt, Kyoya lost what little sense of self-control he held onto when it came to her. "You brought this on yourself." He muttered to no one in particular as his body moved forward on its own. His hand swiftly encircled around her shoulder, pulling her close as if it were second nature while the other gently caressed her jaw, lifting her face towards him. He took a moment to observe her, watching with a smirk as her hazel eyes widened in a mixture of surprise and wonder. Then, drunk on his only desire to touch her, he directed her lips towards his and kissed her without hesitation. He felt her breath hitch momentarily at the strangely familiar sensation, but before long, she voluntarily kissed him back, pressing a shaky palm against his chest as her knees began to wobble.

Despite her weakening stance, Kyoya had no intentions of letting her go. Instead, he directed her body up against the walls next to the sliding glass doors to better support her weight. Snaking his arm around her neck, he cradled the base of her head and deepened the kiss. She made him wait too long. She tempted him too much. There was no way he would let her go so easily.

Miki's hand gently clawed at his clothes as her mind began to spin. She had neither the strength nor urge to resist him. So she resigned herself to him, indulging in the sweetness that tingled throughout her body and accepting the kisses that came over and over, sinking deeper and deeper each time.

Sensing that she was running out of breath, Kyoya finally broke the kiss. Panting softly, he leaned down to rest his forehead against hers, watching with a smug sense of pride as she struggled to regulate her breathing once again.

Miki peered up at Kyoya with misty eyes and flushed cheeks, emphasized even more by the sunset hue that emitted into the room. "Kyoya-kun..." She whispered through her parted lips, unable to say anything else. As feverish as she felt, she wanted to do that again. It was a new, special feeling. Something she knew that only Kyoya could give to her, no matter how many people she was to meet.

 _Something unique to Kyoya-kun..._

She didn't hate the thought of that.

But...

 _What's the name of that feeling?_

"We'll talk about this another time." As she was lost in thought, she hadn't noticed that Kyoya was slowly backing away from her, giving her space to move freely again.

"Eh?" She sounded, not understanding what he meant.

"Kaoru is waiting for you." He reminded with his usual snarky expression. "Besides, if I keep you here any longer, your brother is going to start bothering me even more than necessary."

"Ah! That's right..." Shifting her eyes to the side wistfully, a small pout began to form on her lips.

Sensing her unwillingness to leave him, Kyoya couldn't help but feel a hint of victory rise within himself. Gently poking her on the forehead, he brought his face closer to hers. "We'll talk about this next time, alright?" He smirked.

Blinking a few times at the familiar gesture, Miki then broke into a sweet smile. "Promise?" She asked, tilted her head slightly.

"Promise." He assured, planting a feathery kiss on her forehead.

 _... a... bea...utif... ul..._ _  
_

 _~5:45 p.m.~_

After finally sending off Miki and Kaoru in the Hitachiin limo, Kyoya closed his room door behind him with a weary sigh. His eyes almost instantly darted over to the wall next to the sliding glass doors. He couldn't help but allow a wide smirk form on his lips once again as he thought back to the events that transpired merely half an hour ago.

"What a troublesome woman..." He uttered to no one in particular.

It was just as Kaoru had predicted, Miki had taken him by surprise yet again. Now all he had to hope was Tamaki wouldn't give him an hour-long lecture about taking care of her as he was predicting.

 _Oh... My phone._ The thought of Tamaki reminded him of the 22 missed calls from earlier that morning before Miki and Kaoru appeared in his room, uninvited. Pacing up the stairs, he picked up his phone that was lost in the bedsheets somewhere, only to sweatdrop when he was met with a missed call count of 46. _He must've panicked when Miki disappeared._ He thought to himself before noticing that during the blond's final call attempt, he had left a voicemail. Clicking into it, he pressed his phone against his ear with a brow raise.

"Kyoya?! Come on; you can't still be sleeping!" Tamaki's boisterous voice immediately poured through the speakers, causing Kyoya to instantly regret all of his life choices. "I heard that Miki went over to your place this morning to see Fuyumi-san. Make sure she's back home for dinner! But that's not why I'm calling right now. Listen, I've got some big news, so prepare yourself!" He cleared his throat. "I'm moving into the main mansion!"

Kyoya's eyes rounded.

"In fact, I'm heading over there right now to greet my grandmother! I guess the power of my charms finally won her over, huh? Okay, I'll call you again later!" With that, the voice message came to an end, leaving Kyoya in a state of confusion.

 _Was this the reason the lawyer was tailing Tamaki? Does it mean this was the chairman's aim all along?_ His brows knitted together as his jaw tightened. _It's no use._ He thought to himself as he readjusted his glasses. _I can't discern the chairman's motives._

 _But I have a bad feeling about this._

Deciding it would be best to call Tamaki back to get the details of the situation, Kyoya quickly dialled his best friend's number and pressed his phone against his ear once more.

 _Ring... Ring..._

 _Ring... Ring..._

 _"Hello! This is Tamaki! I'm most likely extremely busy right now, so please leave a message, and I'll be sure to get back to you later-"_

Kyoya swiftly hung up as he grit his teeth in frustration. The pressuring sensation against his chest immediately shot up once his call went into an automated message system - something Tamaki would never allow despite how obnoxious that self-recorded message was. Deciding it would be best to head over to the Second Mansion to get a better understanding of the situation, Kyoya swiftly began to move down the stairs when his phone began to ring once again.

Thinking it was Tamaki, he quickly peered down only for the tension to momentarily leave him as the number was one he didn't recognize. He raised an eyebrow at the caller ID's area code.

 _+34...?_

 _Spain?_

Hesitantly, he answered the phone.

"Hello? Is this Master Ootori?" A recognizable voice quickly flooded his ears, confusing Kyoya.

"Arden-kun?"

"I apologize for calling you on such short notice," Arden was breathing heavily. Kyoya could hear his rapid footsteps in the background like he was rushing somewhere. He sounded tired, frantic and almost... afraid. "I couldn't reach milady, and she's mentioned she was going to be at your place today. Is she there right now? Please let me speak to her immediately!" He requested anxiously.

"Miki is not here right now. She just went home." Picking up the terror in his tone, Kyoya began to tense up in suit. "What's the matter?"

Arden cussed under his breath. "Master Ootori, I beg of you, please stop her immediately!" He instructed gravely. "Do not let her step into the Second Mansion!" He warned, causing the feeling that had been lingering on Kyoya's mind to grew even heavier with every passing second.

"Arden," Completely fed up with how much he was beating around the bush, Kyoya began to speak in a harsh tone as he dropped the honorifics. "Tell me right now, what has happened to Miki?" He enunciated.

There was a long-held silence before Arden finally broke. "Milady... Milady's custodianship has been transferred once again." He revealed in anguish. "And this time..." He swallowed hard. "This time, it's gone to Mistress Shizue."

Kyoya felt his blood run cold.

 _My phone said it didn't have any service._

Was it really just that?

Taking a deep breath, he did the best he could to remain calm. "Where are you right now?" He asked, shifting his eyes towards his phone.

"I am hurrying back as quickly as I can," Arden replied. "But the Suoh cooperation seems to have fired me from my position as a staff member, so I've lost all privileges to immediate flight booking." He said with a hint of spite laced within his voice. "The earliest flight I can take into Tokyo is next week. So please, you must go warn her in my place." He requested once more.

With his jaw clenching, Kyoya grunted. All of his unfavourable suspicions towards the Suoh family is coming true one by one, and it didn't seem like it was going to stop from there. "I'm going to check on her now." He said, rushing down the stairs. "Send over your information; I'll have Tachibana to arrange something for you to get here as soon as possible." He notified.

"Please don't concern yourself over me. I will get there on my own means as soon as possible" Arden asserted before pausing for a few moments. "I'm counting on you, Master Ootori." He then stated sincerely.

Hanging up the phone, Kyoya slammed his room door open in a fit of frustration. "Tachibana." He called out urgently.

"Yes, sir." The man in sunglasses appeared almost instantly.

"Bring the car to the front immediately. We are headed to the Second Suoh mansion." He instructed sharply, leaving no room for arguments.

"Yes, sir." Without question, Tachibana complied.

As he began to make his way towards the front of the mansion where the limo would be waiting, Kyoya swiftly dialled Kaoru's number.

"Hello?" Within two rings, Kaoru greeted his upperclassman in a carefree manner, completely unaware of has transpired in his absence. "Kyoya-senpai? Did-"

"Where's Miki?" Cutting him off, Kyoya interrogated.

"Huh? Miki-senpai?" Estranged by how impatient he was being, Kaoru hummed. "I dropped her off a couple of minutes ago. Is something wrong-" Before he could even finish his asking his question, Kyoya had hung up the phone.

 _Miki!_

 _... g...irl... tr...ap...ped ..._

 _~6:00 p.m.~_

"Master Kyoya, I cannot move in any closer." Pulling over to the side of the street, Aijima informed his young master solemnly. "The gates are closed, and there are moving trucks crowding at the front gate." He announced.

 _I don't like our chances here._

Brows knitting closer together, Kyoya peered out the window, spotting what seemed to be Shima and the staff of the Second Mansion standing around the moving trucks. "Wait here for a moment." He instructed the three bodyguards before opening the car door and rushing out. "Shima-san!" He called out to the elderly woman, drawing the attention of all the servants who watched at him with grim expressions.

"Master Kyoya." The housekeeper of the Second Suoh Mansion greeted him with a small nod in acknowledgment.

"What is going on here?" Kyoya raised an eyebrow, eyes sweeping across the familiar faces who all avoided his piercing gaze as they continued to pile their pieces of luggage into the moving vans. Even Antoinette was standing outside next to one of the maids, whimpering sadly with her tail hanging low. "Why are you all carrying suitcases?" He questioned.

"Master Tamaki will not be returning to the Second Mansion," Shima informed, watching as Kyoya's expression tensed. "The other servants are all being scheduled to begin working at a new place of employment starting tomorrow, and thus we are packing for our leave." She said, gesturing the various staff members of the mansion who lowered their heads in a bow.

"Was this done under the Director's orders?" Kyoya proceeded cautiously.

"Naturally, this is the will of the madame." Shima's eyes shifted to a downcast as she continued to speak. "We were prepared from the start." She admitted, though her reluctant tone seemed to contradict her words. "We knew this day would come eventually, and we had been instructed by Master Yuzuru to act in accordance with the madame's wishes when the time came." She revealed, causing Kyoya to flinch at the new piece of information.

 _By the chairman...?_

"What about Miki?" He pursued, recomposing his posture in an effort to remain calm. "What will happen to her now that you all are leaving?" He pointed out.

At the mention of that specific name, the air that surrounded the front gates of the Second Suoh Mansion seemed to have suddenly shifted. Kyoya's eyes narrowed, noting that the atmosphere had taken a rigid turn. The staff members to shuffled nervously, exchanging unsure glances among themselves as if they had something they wanted to say but were forbidden to. In the silence that ensued, Shima stepped in once again.

"I apologize, but we do not know anyone by that name." She assured diligently, though the pained expression she wore as she spoke seemed to tell a different story entirely. Kyoya opened his mouth, about the point out those blatant lies when Shima continued. "We are truly saddened we shall no longer have the privilege of watching over Master Tamaki as he continues to grow." She stated as she, along with the other staff members all lowered their head, bowing to show the utmost sincerity towards him. "Please take good care of yourself as well, Master Kyoya." She said before allowing the staff to scatter.

Kyoya watched in a mixture of confusion and disbelief as the maids, butlers and chefs each boarded their individual moving vans. One by one, they exited out of the long driveway and turned onto the main street that led towards the city, leaving him standing before the firmly shut gates of Second Mansion.

All except one.

In his perplexed state, he hadn't noticed a single maid who stood behind the thinning crowd, holding the handle of her suitcase before her with both hands, watching. Her platinum blonde hair that was usually tied up in a neat bun was now let down, swaying gently with the spring breeze that blew from the side.

"Master Kyoya..." Finally, she decided to call out to him.

Startled by the sudden voice, Kyoya snapped his head around. Instantly, he recognized her as the maid who was always accompanying Miki during her time in the second mansion. "You are..." His brows furrowed slightly.

"Suzuno, sir." Placing her suitcase down, the woman lowered her head in a bow. Taking a few moments, she slowly lifted her head, meeting his probing gaze. "I..." She paused, hesitating for a few moments before biting her bottom lip and solidifying her resolve. "I am fully aware of the consequences and retribution I could face for revealing such information," She admitted. "But I feel like you must be informed of this. Miss Miki is such a sweet girl. She does not deserve to be treated this way." She said, almost as if she were trying to reassure herself that what she was about to do was the correct choice.

Taking a deep breath, Kyoya took a step closer to her. "Where is she right now?" He asked calmly.

"Miss Miki... She..." Suzuno's voice trailed off as she cast the grand mansion a solemn glance.

 _...in a... to...we... r..._

 _~5:45 p.m.~_

"I'm home!" Seeing the door open as usual, Miki chimed excitedly as she took a step forward into the Second Suoh Mansion, only to be met with an empty grand hall and complete silence. She blinked a couple of times, a little confused to why she didn't receive anything in reply. Usually, be it a mixture of Tamaki and Suzuno's compliant 'Welcome home!'s and Antoinette's excited barks or Shima's stern reminder of maintaining an elegant image, at least a couple of the staff would be present to greet her. She cocked her head to the side as she glanced over at the door. "Hello?" Figuring that the giant doors couldn't have moved without out anyone operating it, she peeked her head around the corner only to jump back in surprise when she came face to face with a man she's never seen before. "Oh!" She gasped, covering her lips with the tips of her fingers. "Sorry, you startled me." She admitted with a wry chuckle, quickly examining the man from head to toe. He looked to be in his mid to late 30s, dressed in a different butler's uniform than the ones she was used to seeing in the mansion. "Are you new here?" She asked with a curious head tilt. "I don't recognize you."

"Yes, my name is Kouhei." Still holding onto the door with one hand, the butler pressed his other against his chest as he bowed his head. "I will be serving you from here on out." He announced seriously.

"I see." Readjusting her bag over her shoulder, Miki nodded in understanding. "Then I am in your care, Kouhei-san." Lowering her head to a small bow, Miki flashed the man a warm smile before allowing her eyes to dart around the room in search for anyone else in the main hall. "By the way, where is everyone else?" She hummed.

"They are currently busy." Without much emotion in his voice, Kouhei informed. "Dinner will be ready soon, please feel free to retire to your room, Milady." He asserted.

"Oh. Okay..." Though a little put off by his flat tone, Miki nodded compliantly. Tucking a few strands of hair behind her ear, she turned on the ball of her foot and began to make her way towards the grand staircase when...

 _Miki!_

"Huh?" As if she had heard someone desperately calling out to her, Miki whipped her head around, just in time to see the large wooden doors of the Second Suoh mansion close shut, sealing the last rays of sunlight out of the darkened hall.

 _Click!_

That sound of the lock sliding into place rang crystal clear in the empty Main Hall, jolting an unpleasant tingling sensation throughout her limbs as well as a strange sensation that began to crawl under her skin. It was that feeling again. The terror of being trapped, the urge to leave and the need to escape. Faintly, she could feel her pulse palpitate as her heart began hammering against her chest and echoing against her eardrums, blocking all sounds out. "Kouhei-san." She addressed the man shakily.

"Yes? Is something the matter?" Almost as if nothing had happened, Kouhei responded.

"Why did you call me that?" She questioned stiffly, feeling her voice choke at the back of her throat.

"Pardon me?"

"'Milady.'" She elaborated, slowly taking steps backward to get away from him as a theory she prayed was false began to formulate in her mind. "Why are you calling me that? I never permitted you to refer to me as 'Milady.' Where is everyone?" She repeated her question, double-checking her surroundings once more.

Realizing that she had caught onto what was happening, Kouhei clicked his tongue. He'd been told that she was a pretty naive and clueless girl and that he'd have at least have a couple of days before she could even begin to suspect something was wrong. Heaving a small sigh in frustration, he closed his eyes. "From this day forward, they are none of your concern." He then stated firmly.

"What are you talking about?" Miki's breathing began to grow uneven as she pressed her lips together in distress. "Where is Tamaki-kun? Suzuno? Shima-san? What have you done to them?!"

"I didn't do anything to them," Kouhei explained calmly. "But you will not be leaving this mansion from this day forward. It was the madame's wishes." He informed with a polite bow of his head.

Miki's eyes rounded as she flinched. The first thing she wanted to do was to collapse on her knees as her legs felt as if they were ready to give out beneath her at any moment in time. But instead of allowing herself to submit to the terror that grappled her body, she dug her nails into her palms, jolting herself to break through the stiffness of her limbs and sprint around the stairs and towards the back of the mansion.

"Milady!" Startled by her sudden movements, Kouhei followed in suit.

Miki sprinted through the empty kitchen and dining room as quickly as her legs could take her, trying her best not to stumble over anything and fall. As she thought, the mansion was completely empty. Other than she and that butler, there was no one else; not even Antoinette was anywhere in sight. She dashed into one of the many salons, arriving before a large, wall-length glass sliding door. For a few moments, a slither of hope began to shine through her situation just like the tangerine hue that shone into the salon through the glass doors. Placing her hands around the handle, she attempted to pull it open with no avail. Thinking that is was simply locked, she reached to the wall beside to unlock it only to find a familiar looking card reader panel in place of the usual hook mechanism.

She's seen that device.

It was the same card reader that was beside the door in her room in the main mansion.

"Milady, please calm down."

Snapping her head around, Miki pressed her back against the cold glass with a dreadful expression as she glared at Kouhei. "Let me out of here! Right now!" She demanded.

"I regret to inform you that the House is on lockdown; no one will be able to exit without a specific keycard." Narrowing his eyes at how rash she was behaving, Kouhei pronounced clearly before extending an inviting hand towards the blonde. "Now, would you please come with me-"

"Don't come any closer!" Watching him take a step closer, Miki instantly reacted by sliding her tote bag down into her hands and swung it towards him, forcefully smacking him across the head before bolting past straight past him as the man attempted to recollect himself after the impact.

"Milady!"

Ignoring his cries for her to stop, Miki made her way back into the main hall and up the staircase. Her legs were exhausted, her arms hurt that swinging attack, and her mind was on fire. Despite all that, she didn't slow her steps for anything or anyone. There was no way she was going to let some second-rate replacement of Arden get anywhere close to her.

As she arrived at the hallway that separated her and Tamaki's room, she was about to turn left towards her room, only to freeze when she noticed the familiar card reader next to the large doors to her room.

Possibly due to her split second of hesitation or the fact that she didn't have enough stamina to outrun a grown man, Kouhei had caught up to her. "You should retire to your room, Milady-" He gingerly took a step closer, speaking as if she were some sort of wild animal he was trying to ease back into its pen.

Snapping her head around, Miki's body tense. Her eyes swiftly darted over to Tamaki's room, confirming that there was no card reader there before dashing in. "Don't you dare call me that!" Placing a hand on the edge of the door, she shouted in a commanding tone she never knew she could use. "There is only one person in this world that can call my 'Milady,' and it's not you!" She declared before slamming the door to her brother's room close, hurriedly turning the lock as to prevent the man from coming in.

" Please open this door! Milady! That is not your room!"

As Kouhei knocked on the securely locked double doors, Miki began to pant heavily as she dropped her bag at the side, attempted to make sense of what was happening. Her heart was racing a mile per minute, not helped by the fact that she had just willingly locked herself into a closed room, with no escape. She returned home to find that not only everyone in the Second Mansion had vanished, but Tamaki was nowhere to be found either. There was a stranger, claiming to be her 'new butler' and familiar card reader locks had been installed throughout the house.

 _It was the madame's wishes._

She sucked in a sharp breath as those words began to echo in her mind, shooting a bone-rattling shiver up her spine. As if she were still trying to disprove her theory, Miki glanced over her shoulder, holding her hands before her chest.

 _Kuma-chan._

Other than the brown stuffed bear sitting atop the neatly made bed, all of Tamaki's belongings had been stripped clean. His closet was empty, his bookshelves were cleared, and his collectables were bared. In fact, if it weren't for Kuma-chan, Miki could've fooled herself to believe that she was in any other guest room within the mansion. She took a staggering step forward, only to collapse to her knees in horror. Staring blankly ahead at the empty room, the reality of the situation finally began to sink in.

 _She was trapped._

"Kyoya-kun... Tamaki-kun... Everyone..." She called out in a trembling voice as her hands dropped limply to her lap. "What should I do...?" She whispered dreadfully.

The Second Suoh Mansion, a place where she had longed to live in, had become her new prison.

 _Once Upon a Time, there was a beautiful girl trapped in a tower..._

A/N: Hey, you guys asked for development. I never promised bad things won't occur soon after :).

I just wanted to step in to give those of you who have read the manga a big head's up. Some of you may know, the first half of the final arc in the original manga took place over a week's time. However, much like what I did with the main storyline, I will be reworking the sequence of events and tailoring it to suit my re-telling of the story better. Meaning I will be condensing that one week into essentially 2-3 days. Some details and contents will be cut out, and I will not be including specific character point of views, only briefing over them as I did in the France School Trip arc.

With that, have a great day!

XOXO,

Astra


	53. 46 The Host Club Disbands!

_-Chapter 46-_

The Host Club Disbands! 

As March turned to April, the cherry blossoms scattered throughout Ouran Academy were in full bloom, just in time for the first official day of the school year.

 _This is the classroom Tamaki, Kyoya and Miki-senpai were in last year..._ Haruhi thought to herself as she stood before the sliding doors of Classroom 2-A, peering up at the sign with a sense of excitement pounding against her chest.

 _My new classroom..._

"Haruhi-kun! Good Morning to you!" As she slid the door open, Momoka immediately greeted with a friendly smile.

"Good Morning!" Sitting next to her friend, Kimiko waved. "Did you enjoy your spring vacation?"

Spotting Haruhi as she entered the room, Kazukiyo swiftly jolted up from his seat and rushed over along with the rest of his classmates. "Fujioka! About our first homeroom class of the new semester..."

Haruhi sweatdropped, remembering that the whole class moves up a grade together. Therefore, everyone in his class was going to be a familiar face either way. It seemed like they had been first years for so long, she's gotten quite comfortable with everyone.

Just as she was about to open her mouth and return their greetings, a set of hasty footsteps caught her attention. "Haruhi-kun! I just heard!" Rushing into their classroom with an anxious expression, Renge called out to the brunette.

"Renge-san?" Haruhi hummed, turning her body to face the manager fully. "I hope we have a wonderful second-year together as well." She said earnestly.

"Eee!" Cupping her cheeks together, Renge momentarily dropped her worries as she squealed in delight. "I do too! Actually, I'd love a good forever with you, Haruhi-kun!"

"Huh?"

"Nevermind that," Quickly shaking her head, the girl quickly snapped back into 'serious mode' as she leaned forward with knitted brows. "Is it true? The Host Club is on hiatus?" She asked nervously.

"Huh?!" Startled by the news, Haruhi's eyes rounded momentarily. She had known that Tamaki was accepted into the main mansions a day before, as he came by her house to deliver the news in person. But the Host Club going on hiatus was unheard of, even to her. "I haven't heard anything about that... Who told you that?" She questioned.

"Some girls who greeted Kyoya-sama this morning said he gave them the news," Renge explained as she rubbed a hand under her chin thoughtfully. "He said it has something to do with Tamaki-senpai and Miki-chan-senpai unable to attend club activities for a while. Even Music Room #3 is closed off-"

However, before she could even finish her sentence, Haruhi had already dashed out of the classroom.

Making her way up to the top floor of the South wing, Haruhi ran as quickly as her legs could take her. Rounding the corner of the Northern hallway, she could faintly see what seemed to be a few familiar figures standing in front of the taped off Music Room. "Tamaki-senpai! Kyoya-senpai! Hikaru! Kaoru!" She called out urgently.

"Haru-chan!" Honey waved at the sight of her, his taller cousin nodding in greeting.

"Even Honey and Mori-senpai are here..." As she got closer, Haruhi's steps began to slow to a speed walk as she mentally questioned what the two university students were doing in the High School division on their supposedly first day of school. Deciding to save that question for another day, she glanced around to notice the tense atmosphere that plagued the air. Tamaki especially, looking a little off. "Tamaki-senpai, what's going on?" Trying to catch her breath from that long jog, she raised an eyebrow at the blond. "Where's Miki-senpai?"

Ignoring her question, Tamaki's ocean blue eyes swept across the members of his beloved club. "Is everyone here? Good. There's something I need to tell everyone." He announced, omitting the twins' prominent protests at the absence of his sister. Then, after a few long seconds that seemed to have lasted for an eternity, he opened his mouth once again.

"I am quitting the Host Club."

Everyone froze.

"W-What...?" Hikaru stammered.

"You're quitting... the Host Club...?" Kaoru questioned, repeating Tamaki's statement as if he were asking for solid confirmation.

"Yes." Lips curling into a gentle smile, Tamaki affirmed in a soft voice.

"Why?!" As soon as his words sank in, Hikaru exploded. "We heard you were moved into the main mansion yesterday. Did that old shrew order you to do it?!" He accused.

"My grandmother did make the request, but the decision is mine alone." Eyes flickering to a downcast, Tamaki reassured solemnly. "When I entered the Main Mansion, I saw in person what is required to run the Suoh group. And to be honest, my hands are full with that alone right now." Hand laying stiffly by his sides, Tamaki explained. "But I am really am enjoying myself, and I feel that my vision of what I want to do with the Suoh group has become even clearer. That way-"

"Even so, you don't have to quit the Host Club!" Hikaru and Kaoru shouted in unison.

"They're right, Tama-chan!" Joining the twins in their effort to change his mind, Honey nodded in agreement. "You can just come when you have time, the way Takashi and I do-"

"But I don't want to do anything in half measures." Tilting his head to the side, Tamaki flashed a wry smile as he continued to speak. "Especially as it was I who invited you all to join. I truly apologize for leaving you all like this. I have no qualms leaving everything in Kyoya's hands so that the Host Club can continue on. Well, except for one thing." Pausing for a moment, he turned to the brunette who stood at the back of the group. "Haruhi. It's fine if you quit the Host Club from now on." He declared.

Haruhi felt her heart drop.

"Huh?" She uttered in a daze.

"Milord!" Hikaru attempted to intervene, only for Tamaki to ignore him as he turned to Kyoya.

"I more or else forced Haruhi to join in the first place," Tamaki inferred before nudging his chin towards his best friend's usual black notebook. "Kyoya, how much of Haruhi's debt to the club is left?" He asked.

Shooting his best friend an obscure look, Kyoya closed his eyes as he began to run the calculation in his mind. "She's served 327 of the 1000-guest quota we set for her." He listed. "If we calculate each guest at 20 Yen apiece, she's made a total of 6,540 Yen. If we add that to the sum we made from auctioning off her personal items; her remaining debt would be 45,893 Yen." He concluded.

"Very well. I'll pay the remaining balance." Tamaki nodded compliantly.

"Tama-chan?!" Unable to stand still anymore, Honey began to voice his concerns.

However, Tamaki continued to ignore the complaints he received from his club members as he made his way down the path between them, finally arriving at Haruhi. "Thank you for staying with us for so long, Haruhi. You've done a great job." He praised, reaching up to gently ruffle her hair as he brushed past her. "Your debt to the host club is paid in full." He announced.

"Milord!" Hikaru snapped in frustration at how aloof the blond was acting. "We've been trying to hold our tongues and trust you know what you're doing, but-"

"Thank you for lunch." Glancing over his shoulder, Tamaki waved as he continued his efforts of disregarding the twins' protests. "The bell should be ringing soon, so I'm going on ahead." He said, about to turn and leave when Haruhi's voice stopped him in his tracks.

"I don't understand what you mean!" Losing her composure, Haruhi shouted as loud as she could as her voice echoed down the long empty corridors of the Northern Hallway. "It was my own fault that I broke that vase. There's no reason for you to pay my debt for me." She declared. "Besides, you still have even told us what's going on here. What did the director say to you? Where is Miki-senpai? If you can't tell us either of those things, tell us why! Don't you trust us enough to say whatever is on your mind?!" She challenged stubbornly, causing Tamaki to flinch.

"The reason I can't say is that it has nothing to do with you, Haruhi." After a few long beats of silence, Tamaki's voice took a sharp turn as he spoke. "The problems I'm facing now don't concern you in the least. And I don't have any desire to explain myself so you can understand. That's all there is to it." He asserted harshly before turning on his heel and disappearing around the corner of the hallway, leaving the rest of the Host Club astounded by his cutting words.

"M-Milord!" Finally processing what had just happened, Hikaru and Kaoru attempted to run after him when they heard a faint shuffling coming from beside them. Snapping their heads around, they spotted Haruhi as she spun around and began making her way down the opposite end of the hallway without another sound.

"Haru-chan?!"

"Haruhi?" The twins called out to her with no response. "Haruhi! Wait!"

As the rest of the members of the Host Club chased after Haruhi, Kyoya averted his attention in the direction Tamaki disappeared towards. He blinked a little, before taking a few striding steps over and peering around the corner. "If you're going to collapse into a snivelling mess after saying something like that, then you shouldn't have said it, to begin with." He commented knowingly.

"B-But...!"

Sure enough, there Tamaki was. Contradictory to his previous distant and aloof demeanour, he was now back to his usual self. Evident by the way he was laying in a pool of his own tears, curled up like a pill bug on his side.

"Moreover," Taking a step forward, Kyoya planted a foot down on the blond's arm and began grinding it in with a condescending expression. "The more forcefully you declare it has nothing to do with Haruhi, the more obvious it is that she's at the center of it." He deduced, hitting a bullseye with his theory as evident by Tamaki's subconscious jolt. "Come on, what exactly did the director say? Spill it." He demanded, pressing a little harder on his foot.

"B-But I can't tell you!" Squirming under his foot, Tamaki began to flail his limbs frantically as he continued to sob. "I want to tell you so badly I can smell it, but...!"

"The term you are looking for is 'want it so badly you can taste it.' But that's wrong, regardless." Kyoya corrected with an irritated brow twitch. There were honestly times when he is just as, if not even more clueless than his sister. "I'm guessing the director threatened Haruhi in some way, correct? It certainly sounds like something she'd do." Huffing out a sigh, he speculated.

"Don't speak ill of my grandmother." Covering his eyes with his forearm, Tamaki uttered softly. "Everything she said was true, to begin with. Even though I want to tell you in detail, Kyoya, I can't." Pushing himself up, he hugged his knees close to his chest as a wistful smile curled upon his lips. "In the end, I couldn't even defend myself against a single thing my grandmother said..." He murmured. "As I am now, there's nothing else I can do."

Kyoya fell silent for a few moments as he thought over Tamaki's words. "Then," His brows knitted together as a dark shadow swiftly grew across his face. "Do you intend to continue obeying your grandmother without question and give up everything important to you?" He questioned in what almost seemed to be an accusing tone as he glared down at the blond.

"Wha-?" Picking up on the chilling tone, Tamaki glanced up at his best friend curiously. "It's not like that, Kyoya..." Averting his eyes, he ran a hand through his hair nervously. "It's not." He assured. "I want my grandmother to understand me no matter what it takes. I know my grandmother is trying to do the right thing, but in the end, I can't believe that it's wrong for people of different births or social standings to come together." He said thoughtfully. "We are able to come to understand one another. And even if we hurt each other some times, the more those people are precious to me, the more I want to protect them. I don't want to give up anything important to me, Kyoya. And it's thanks to these friends that I even have the courage to try and do this. I thought if I could draw on their strength, there is no limit to how far I could push myself." He chuckled wryly. "Since my grandfather's death, my grandmother fought for the Suoh Cooperation all on her own. That's why I must face her on my own as well." He paused for a moment as his gaze flickered to a downcast. "I don't know how long it will take, but I promise I won't give up. Not until I can put an end to our family's struggles once and for all. Until the day, my grandmother, my father, my mother, Miki, and I can stand on equal ground, along with Haruhi and everyone else."

Hearing his resolve, Kyoya calmed his temper. Taking his anger out on Tamaki would ultimately not do him any good either way. What mattered now was sorting out the situation at hand. "Very well, I'll see you in class." Heaving a sigh, he turned to walk away before pausing in his tracks. "By the way, Tamaki." Peering over his shoulder, he called out to his friend who responded with a light 'hm.' "Do you know where Miki is right now?" He asked.

"Miki?" Tamaki tilted his head quizzically. "Father said he sent her back to Spain to visit her family so that she wouldn't aggravate grandmother even further." He informed certainly. "Why? Did something happen?"

Shifting his eyes to the side, Kyoya hummed. "No, not at all." He replied.

 _The director..._ Sitting in classroom 3-A, Kyoya's eyes darted over to Tamaki, who's new seat of the school year was diagonally before him. Mr. Kobayashi, their homeroom teacher, was standing at the front of the classroom, going over the first day's orientation and agenda of the year as Kyoya became uncharacteristically lost in his thought. _I can easily surmise what she said to Tamaki. She likely hinted she would have Haruhi expelled from Ouran to make him obey her. I can understand his thinking, but it's not that simple. If the director truly sees Haruhi as a threat, Tamaki couldn't possibly think he could continue protecting her by simply obeying the director indefinitely._ _Moreover..._ He heaved a small sigh as he tapped his pen to a blank page in his school notebook. _I'm worried about Miki. Being trapped by herself in that mansion, she must be scared to death. I have Aijima and Hotta staking out in front of the Second Suoh Mansion to locate her, but that maid mentioned that there was a heighten in the security system. But either way,_ His eyes narrowed momentarily. _How would the director gain custody of her so easily? While it is possible that she threatened the chairman with Tamaki and Anne-Sophie's well-being, Miki has the Fernández family backing her up; there wouldn't be any way to..._

Suddenly, a plausible theory flashed across his mind, causing Kyoya to flinch up at the likelihood of it being correct.

 _Unless... The chairman..._

However, before he could overthink of it, his phone in the pocket of his pants vibrated lightly, signalling the arrival of a text message. Thinking that it was either Aijima or Hotta with a possible update on Miki's circumstances, Kyoya pulled the device out discreetly, only to be met with an emergency message from Tachibana.

From: Tachibana

Excuse me for interrupting you in class, sir. But your friends seem to be making a ruckus at the Suoh Corporate Office, demanding to see the director.

Immediately, Kyoya stood up with a casually raised hand. "Excuse me, sir." He called out, catching the literature teacher's attention. "I'm feeling a bit unwell. May I go to the infirmary?" He requested straightforwardly.

"Will you be all right going there, Ootori?" Mr. Kobayashi asked in concern.

"I'd like to have Suoh escort me there, if that's alright." Stepping out of his seat, Kyoya gestured Tamaki, causing the blond's eyes to round in confusion.

"Why don't you tell the director we're here?" Over at the famous Suoh Corporate Office, Haruhi stood at the front desk with the rest of the hosts behind her, inquiring reception eagerly. "There is something urgent we need to ask her. It concerns her grandson-"

"As we said, sir. Suoh Shizue is not in today." The young woman sitting behind the desk reiterated patiently. "And even if she weren't away on business, she would be unavailable to see anyone who does not have a prior appointment." She informed. "If you would like to leave a message for her, I would be happy to pass it on to her." She then offered.

"Ah, hello everyone!" Before Haruhi could say anything in response, a familiar voice greeted the group. Everyone quickly snapped their heads around, finding the Suoh family's infamous doting father, waving at them with a honeyed smile.

"Chairman!" The twins greeted.

Nodding at the hosts in acknowledgment, Yuzuru proceeded to approach them his usual relaxed manner. "I was told some Ouran students were making a commotion in the lobby." He explained before glancing past them at the woman. "Oh, and there's no need to tell the director about this." He ordered. "We'd best not trouble her any further."

"Yes, sir." The woman at reception complied.

"Now then," Huffing out a small sigh, Yuzuru's eyes then swept across his children's friends. "Perhaps I can help answer your questions. Let's step into my office, shall we?" He suggested, placing a hand on Haruhi's back as he began to usher them into the elevator.

Meanwhile, at Haruhi's apartment complex, the chime of the doorbell echoed through the silence of a Monday morning. Grumbling at the need to answer this uninvited guest, Ranka stomped over to the door, still holding his morning coffee in his hands.

"Huh? Who is it so early in the morning...?" Opening just enough of his door to stick his head out, Ranka greeted groggily, not even bother to hide his manly voice, only to freeze up when he realized that he knew the visitor from quite some time ago.

Standing on the outdoor hallway of the complex, the Suoh family lawyer, Kosaka lowered her medical mask to reveal her entire face. "It's been a long time... Ryoji." She greeted with a nostalgic smile.

Ranka's eyes rounded, instantly recognizing her as an old friend. "Yu...?" He muttered, taking a few moments to process the situation before breaking into a small smile. "How have you been? Would you like to come in?" He offered, opening the door a little wider.

"No," Shaking her head gently, Kosaka's soft expression swiftly vanished and took a serious turn. "I am here today to pay you a formal visit on the Director of Suoh Cooperation's behest." She announced sternly. "The director would like your daughter, Fujioka Haruhi, to study abroad in the United States. Furthermore, I am to inform you that refusing her proposal would be extremely unwise." She said, reaching forth to offer an official-looking pamphlet in Ranka's direction.

Brows knitting together slightly, Ranka took the files and began flipping through them with one hand, eyes rounding at the stockpile information of a 'Student Exchange Program.'

"The duration of her term would be until graduation." Kosaka elaborated calmly as she readjusted her bag over her shoulder. "As Ouran Academy has a foreign exchange program in place, it's a simple matter for the top-ranked students in each grade to be accepted into the program. Seeing as your daughter is a scholarship student recipient, all her study abroad expenses shall be covered as well." She informed.

"Yu, are you serious?! Why on earth would the Director of Suoh-"

"Isn' this an incredible opportunity for Haruhi?" Ignoring Ranka's question, Kosaka glanced up to meet the eyes of bewilderment on her first crush. "I'm certain being able to see the world at such a young age will be of use to her in the future. And all her expenses shall be paid for, at that." She added casually. "Pardon me for saying but considering your current economic situation; it would be difficult for her to ever have this chance again-"

Before she could even finish her sentence there, Ranka snapped. Thrusting his half-filled cup in Kosaka's direction, he splashed all of its remaining contents onto her as an act of retaliation.

"Ah!" Kosaka let out a small yelp.

"Don't you patronize me!" Ranka declared angrily, glaring at his old friend. "If my daughter really wanted to study abroad, don't you doubt for a second that I could find a way to make that happen! So tell me, Yu... Is this really the kind of work you became a lawyer to do?!" He challenged sharply.

"I see... To think Tamaki would accept such a condition..." Inside the chairman's office, at the top floor of the Suoh Cooperate Building, Yuzuru hummed thoughtfully at the information Haruhi brought to him. "But I still want to respect Tamaki's independence. If this is what he has chosen to do, unfortunately, there's nothing I can say to him." He stated calmly.

"But Mr. Chairman, I can't believe this is what he truly wanted." Haruhi asserted boldly. "Don't you feel the same way, sir? If you truly cared about Tamaki-senpai's wishes as you said, then why would you let him be taken away from everyone he cared in the Second Mansion? Even his little sister, whom he finally reunited-"

"Haruhi..." Cutting her off, a dark cast drifted over Yuzuru's expression as he rested his chin on his interlaced his fingers. "You know I'm fond of you." He disclosed. "In fact, I'm extremely grateful to all of you for being such great friends with my children. However, that being said..." He paused for a moment, eyes narrowing as they swept across the hosts as if he were sizing each of them up. "As things stand now, you are starting to get in my way." He said, causing a small shiver to rattle each of them to the core.

However, before any of them could point out the animosity in his tone, the doors to the Chairman's office slammed open to reveal Tamaki and Kyoya. "Haruhi!" The former shouted, seemingly on the brink of fury.

"Milord!" The twins jump to their feet, a little confused by how the blond knew they were here.

"Tama-chan! Kyo-chan!"

"You all ditched class and came here?!" Breathing heavily as he examined the scene before him, Tamaki uttered in disbelief. "What were you thinking?!" He yelled, stomping over and grabbing the brunette by the wrist. "Haruhi, go back right now!" He demanded, tugging her towards the direction of the exit.

"Tamaki-senpai!" Trying to shake off his firm grip, Haruhi attempted to reason. I want to know-"

Fed up with her intrusive actions, Tamaki whipped his head around. "Be quiet and just leave!" He snapped in annoyance, causing Haruhi to jolt at the hostility that was being directed towards her. "Haruhi..." Seeing such a hurt expression on her, Tamaki gritted his teeth. "Please..." He begged, running a hand through his hair in an effort to hide the obvious pain he felt from having to yell at her. "You're being a nuisance!" He pronounced bitterly, causing an uncomfortable silence to resonate within the air, following his previous declaration.

Honey was the first to speak, gently tugging on the dazed brunette's sleeve. "Haru-chan, let's go..." He advised, receiving nothing but a wordless nod as the hosts began to make their way out of the chairman's office, not even bothering to spare Tamaki a second glance.

Once the Host Club members finally disappeared down the end of the long hallway, Tamaki made his move, gently patting his best friend on the shoulder. "Kyoya, we'd better get back too." He suggested.

"Right..." As Kyoya nodded in agreement, he took one last glance over Tamaki's shoulder at Suoh Yuzuru with an unmoving, wordless glare. Then, he turned on his heel and shut the doors behind him.

As the sound of the doors being closed clicked into place, Yuzuru's eyes flickered downward as he pulled out his phone. "Kasai?" Dialling up his private secretary, he pressed the device to his ear as he continued to speak. "Send a message to the principal of Ouran Academy." He ordered. "Tell him I'm ordering the Host Club to halt all activities."

"What you all did was extremely irresponsible." Downstairs in the lobby, Kyoya reprimanded the group with a hint of frustration of his own. He had managed to send Tamaki back to school first, stating that he had some unfinished business at the office.

For one, he needed to make sure careless incidents such as these never happen again.

"Kyoya-senpai..." Kaoru muttered.

"But Kyoya-senpai, we were just trying to-"

"It doesn't matter what you were trying to do." Interrupting Hikaru's poor attempt at justification, Kyoya spoke sharply. "What you have just done could cause major trouble, both for them and us!" He scolded.

"Kyo-chan..." Sensing the irritation in his voice, Honey couldn't help but pick up that there was something else amiss. "Did something happen to Miki-chan? We haven't seen her all day." Quickly arriving at his conclusion, he gingerly brought up the topic.

Kyoya froze at the mention of Miki's name. He had been avoiding talking about her the entire day, especially when classmates such as Sora and Sumire asked him relentlessly about her whereabouts. Moreover, it seems like the Chairman had lied to Tamaki about her whereabouts, possibly to protect or avoid him knowing the truth about what happened to his sister. Either way, he had to be careful in class, just in case his and Tamaki's stories didn't line up, major suspicion could arouse.

However, these were members of the Host Club. They should, at the very least, understand the gravity of the current situation.

"Miki is locked up in the Second Suoh Mansion." He finally revealed.

"WHAT?!" The twins' bodies immediately stiffened, Kaoru especially seemed uneasy.

"Why? What happened?" Haruhi peered up with weary eyes, utterly astonished. "I thought Miki-senpai was set free after the Chairman took over as her custodian." She pointed out.

"Arden contacted me yesterday, saying that the Chairman has transferred her custodianship to the Director, who seems pretty keen on silencing her once again. " Closing his eyes, Kyoya crossed his arms over his chest. "So do you understand what the events that have transpired today could've done if it reaches the ears of the Director?" He questioned in an accusing tone, watching as everyone fell silent, unable to formulate an appropriate response back.

After a few moments in silence, Kyoya huffed out a frustrated sigh. "One wrong move," He muttered, shifting his gaze to a downcast. "One wrong move from us could spell doom for her."

"Milady, please open this door. You must eat your food."

Ignoring Kouhei's pleas for the sixth time that evening, Miki laid lifelessly on Tamaki's old bed, curled up on her side as she held Kuma-chan in her arms. It seems that when Tamaki departed the mansion, the movers never checked underneath his bed as they completely missed his secret stash of commoner's snacks that he's often shared with Miki over the year she's been living in the mansion. Like children, the two would often bring in new flavours and brands to add to his ever-expanding collection, sharing it only on special occasions. However, seeing as Miki had locked herself up in his room with a stubborn refusal to eat whatever the butler leaves for her at the door, she had no choice but to delve into his collection a little.

So far, that was only two bags of chips.

She had neither the appetite or desire to eat.

 _Surely, father is trying to get me out._ She reassured herself, burying her face into the fluffy bear stuffed-animal. _I just need to wait a little longer-_

However, before she could even finish that thought, a bolt of lightning crashed down from the skies, briefly illuminating the darkness of the room and effectively startling Miki as she jolted up to a sitting position.

"I wonder if Haruhi is okay..." Swinging her legs over the side of the bed, Miki stood on her feet and began to drag herself towards the window. Staring blankly ahead, she pressed a palm against the chilling window, watching as another bolt zapped down in the distance, crackling the skies as thunder ensued soon after.

It was strange. Back then, when she was trapped in the main mansion, she would jump for joy and watch enthusiastically as nature put on its special light show right before her eyes. However, now... She wasn't nearly as excited.

 _Why?_

She's seen lightning after being in the outside world, and things were still as exciting back then.

 _So why?_

She thought back a little.

Back to the time when she watched the lightning show with Kyoya at the beach.

Back to the time when Kyoya grabbed her to prevent her from running out into the lightning storm.

Lips parting slightly, Miki sucked in a harsh breath as another jolt of lightning split through the sky in a blinding flash, as if signalling her sudden revelation.

 _Ah... So that was it._

Kyoya wasn't by her side anymore.

The Kyoya that protect her at the beach.

The Kyoya that watched the fireworks with her.

The Kyoya that stood with her at the balcony on that evening in Madrid.

The Kyoya that pulled her out of the darkness of the pool as she was drowning.

The Kyoya that made time out of their busy schedule to take her to the Eiffel Tower.

The Kyoya that answered all of her curious, stupid questions about the world she was unfamiliar with.

The Kyoya that stopped her that one fateful day in the hallway, to invite her to join the Host Club.

Miki's lips quivered as the memories came flashing back to her all at once. "Kyoya... kun..." She whispered, body beginning to tremble at the intensity of the emotions that overwhelmed her. Her knees buckled as she fell to her knees on the carpeted flooring of Tamaki's room, clutching Kuma-chan tighter to her body.

She wanted to see him.

She wanted to see him so badly.

But she couldn't.

She had to wait for her father or brother to come and set her free-

Suddenly, another flash of lightning came, a brilliant shock of white that illuminated the darkened sky, zapping down towards the unsuspecting ground as a thunderous 'boom' followed soon after. It struck so close to the Second Suoh Mansion that the floors beneath her began to rumble as a response, effectively knocking over her bag that had been propped up against Tamaki's desk not far behind her.

Miki snapped her head around, startled by the sound of her bag dropping to the ground as the contents inside, including her drawing tablet and several art books, came spilling out. She froze for a moment as she began to stare with an unmoving gaze at her drawing tablet.

 _Or... did she?_

"Hey, Arden?" A little girl once asked. "Why did Rapunzel suddenly decide to escape her tower?"

"Father! I must speak with you!" Tamaki shouted as he ran down the grand staircase of the Suoh Main Mansion, chasing after Yuzuru in a hurry. It was the second day of school, and he had already received some troubling news first thing in the morning. "What do you mean by suspending the Host Club's activities?!" He questioned frantically.

"Tamaki." Slowing his steps to a stop, Yuzuru turned around to face him. "As the Chairman of the school, what else would you have me do when students leave school in the middle of class and come barging into the Suoh Corporate Headquarters, hm?" He reasoned sternly, yet still retaining a little of his usual teasing tone.

Taken aback by the rhetorical question, Tamaki flinched. "But that..." He bit his bottom lip. "Shouldn't I be the one disciplined?" He then inferred. "They only did that because I misled them! I should be the one taking the blame!"

Yuzuru didn't immediately respond. Instead, he studied his son's panicked expression benevolently. "Tamaki..." He addressed softly as a wry smile curled upon his lips. "You have endured a great deal since you left France and came to Japan. When you reflect on that, I'm sure you'll be able to endure a while longer." He reminisced. "It has never been more critical that you act with caution. Therefore I forbid you to cause any disturbances right now." He said, voice taking a harsh shift as he turned on his heel and continued to make his way towards the car that waited patiently in the driveway.

"What do you mean by that father?!" Confused by his vague language, Tamaki's brows furrowed slightly. "And also, do you know if Miki is alright? I've tried calling her several times now, and she seems to be-"

"Tamaki, will you at least remember this much for me?" Not bothering to face him again, Yuzuru cut him off mid-sentence. "You are not the only one who has been waiting for things to change." He stated before stepping outside the double doors of the Main Mansion, leaving Tamaki to contemplate what he meant as the small 'click' of the doors shutting resonated within the grand hall.

On the same morning, the Ootori men were gathered in the large modern dining room for a routine breakfast meeting. One of which Ootori Yuichi, the eldest son of the family, would drop by once a week to discuss business with his father. However, this morning was a little bit of a different one.

Kyoya had something to say.

"Schislaisse Syndrome?" Yoshio's eyes flickered to his youngest son. "It's an immune system disorder that is currently incurable."

"Yes, father." Digging his fork into a piece of his egg, Kyoya replied. "Its cause is still unknown, and I haven't been able to find a single documented case of a patient ever making a full recovery." He summarized.

Shifting his gaze away, Yoshio reached out to grab his cup and brought it closer to his lips. "We've treated a few patients suffering from Schislaisse in our hospitals, haven't we, Yuichi?" He asked, calmly taking a sip of his coffee.

"Yes," Yuichi nodded. "I believe there have been around 30 such patients admitted to our hospitals nationwide. All were women in their 20s and above." He notified.

"That's consistent with the disease's tendency to occur much more often in women than men." Kyoya continued, compiling all the information he's learned on this specific disease so far. "Its main symptoms are fatigue, fever, joint pain, intestinal abnormalities and rashes. Though these vary widely from patient to patient." He said, not moving his sharp gaze from his father's still figure. "A small child exhibiting the symptoms may be mistaken for simply having a weak constitution. Medicine treating the symptoms may lead to the patient to believe she has made a full recovery if her condition remains stable. However, this disease progresses with age, and there is still no cure. In many cases, complications arise and often result in death." He concluded.

"That's right, Kyoya." Nodding, Yuichi confirmed Kyoya's research as he hesitantly snuck a glance towards his father. "Just as you said, with current medicine where it is, there is no hope for a full recovery, and a dramatic improvement of the condition is impossible. The patient you met who seem to be miraculously healed was most likely experiencing a temporary remission."

"Perhaps..." Kyoya's voice trailed off. Sensing an effort in his eldest brother to cover for something, his eyes narrowed. "But there are still several things about her case that confuses me." He persisted. "If I may be so bold, Yuichi, would you be willing to tell me in detail about your patients' cases? There's a limit to how much information I can access by researching on my own-"

Suddenly, Akito dropped his utensils on his plate, creating a loud crash that cut Kyoya's sentence off midway. "Kyoya, stop this right now!" He reprimanded with a flood of irritation in his tone. "You should be considerate of how busy father and Yuichi are. Yuichi takes the trouble of coming over to have breakfast with us once a week so he can talk business with father, not spend his entire morning satisfying your idle curiosity." He scolded.

"Forgive me, Akito." Lips curling into a slightly mused smile, Kyoya apologized brazenly.

"And don't you forget you're starting university next year." Grumbling under his breath at the snarky attitude of his younger brother, Akito continued to speak. "Even if Ouran's entrance exams are more lenient, the medical department only accepts top scorers, got it? Don't think that just because you've gotten good grades up until now that you'll-"

"That's enough, Akito." Wiping his mouth with a napkin, Yoshio put an end to his second son's seemingly never-ending list of criticisms. "Kyoya," As he slowly rose to his feet, he addressed his youngest son. "If you really want to know more about that disease, I encourage you to push through on your own means and see how far you get." He stated. "Yuichi, we'd better get going."

"Yes, father."

Taking a few strides towards the exit, Yoshio suddenly halted in his tracks once again. "By the way, Kyoya." He glanced over his shoulder. "Are you getting along with the young Suohs as always?" He asked.

"Yes, we're good friends," Kyoya replied, a little estranged by the sudden question.

Hearing a satisfactory answer, Yoshio nodded in approval. "Be sure to keep it up." He encouraged. "Because in the future, the Suohs will most assuredly, become even greater use to our family." He said, before exiting the dining room with Yuichi following close behind.

Kyoya stilled, his brows furrowed slightly as his gaze darted from left to right, trying to understand the exact meaning of that cryptic message. Akito, on the other hand, peered over at his younger brother before letting out a small scoff and leaving the room, not even bothering to say good-bye.

As he made his way out, he stomped past Tachibana, Aijima and Hotta who each lowered their heads as a sign of respect. Not paying them any attention to them, he brushed past Tachibana and disappeared down the end of the long corridor.

Once the second son the Ootori family finally left, the bodyguard trio lifted their heads as they quickly paced over to Kyoya's side. "Sir." Tachibana addressed.

"Aijima, Hotta. Report." Quickly snapping his attention to them, Kyoya demanded.

"Yes, sir." Aijima bowed. "It seems like Miss Suzuno was telling the truth." He informed. "The security system in the Second Suoh Mansion has been completely redesigned. Though this time it seems like rather than keeping intruders out, it is far more interested in keeping whoever is inside staying in," He summarized.

"Furthermore, we've staked out in front of the mansion and has spotted no movement in Miss Miki's room," Hotta added, extending a hand forward to provide Kyoya with a photo of Miki's empty bedroom from the gates of the mansion.

"Are you sure you saw no movement?" Kyoya's brows knitted together as he took the photo.

"No, sir. We couldn't spot any." Hotta shook his head nervously.

Heaving a long sigh, Kyoya fell back to his chair as he stared at the photograph in his hands thoughtfully. He took a few seconds, trying to deduce where else she could be held when an idea popped into his head. "Check Tamaki's room." He ordered, returning the photo to Hotta. "Go around to the back of the mansion and check the same location. Send me your report then." He instructed.

"Yes, sir." Aijima and Hotta replied.

Seeing as now was a proper time to speak, Tachibana finally stepped forward. "Master Kyoya," He addressed. "I'm here to confirm that Sir Arden's flight from Rothenburg to Tokyo has been booked for this evening." He notified.

Hearing his report, Kyoya's eyes shot up as he raised a questioning eyebrow. "Rothenburg, Germany?" He repeated in a questioning tone.

"Huh? What do you mean?!" Standing before the shut doors of Music Room #3 with Kyoya, the twins shouted in unison. "Indefinite suspension of club activities...?!" Their eyes grew in disbelief at what was happening.

"Yes," Leaning with his back against the walls of the Northern Hallway, Kyoya affirmed as his eyes fell to a downcast. "That's what I was informed when I was called to the principal's office just now." He stated with a grunt in pent up frustration.

"But suspended indefinitely?! That's basically the same as dissolving our club!" Kaoru protested with an air of defiance as Hikaru fell abnormally silent. "Why?! Just because we charged into the Suoh Corporation Office yesterday?!" He questioned.

"It seems that's the reason they're giving for it."

"But that's...!" Kaoru paused, unable to find himself to say anything despite all the anxiety that plagued him. "I mean it's their fault in the first place for doing all those shady things! I don't see how we deserve such a punishment!" He reasoned desperately. "Milord said-"

"What is he doing...?" Hands balling into fists, Hikaru mumbled. "What does Milord think he is doing?!" He hissed angrily through his teeth, causing Kaoru to stop midsentence and snap his head around.

"Hikaru..."

"I know he has a difficult family situation to deal with..." Hikaru's body trembled in anger. "And I can understand if he can't talk to us about it right now because it's so serious. But how could he not even bat an eye when his own sister is in trouble and allow the Host Club to basically be disbanded?!" He yelled, huffing out his words painfully as if he were hurting along with the two Suohs. "And what he said to Haruhi..." His voice trailed off, finding himself unable to continue.

Kaoru and Kyoya watched Hikaru silently. Though they were not nearly as expressive as him, they were just as, if not even more worried. Everything that could go wrong is happening all at once. It was as if this string of events had been rigorously planned with many years of hard work, and it didn't seem like they've seen the end of it. For some reason, it felt like the storm has not passed yet. Another bomb was looming directly above them, just waiting to be dropped and expose another long-held secret.

Before the silence could become uncomfortable or awkward, a series of hasty steps could be heard in the distance. "Hikaru-kun! Kaoru-kun!" Kurakano Momoka popped her head around the corner. "Oh... And Kyoya-sama." As she rushed over, she panted lightly, lifting the edges of her skirt to greet her upperclassman. "Good Morning."

Seeing her in such a desperate state, Kaoru raised an eyebrow. "Princess Kurakano? Did something happen?" He asked worriedly

"Um... It's about Haruhi-kun..." Momoka muttered, holding her hands to her chest worriedly.

After hearing from Momoka that something has happened to Haruhi, the twins immediately bolted back to the classroom without even letting Momoka finish her sentence. However, what they arrived to see was something they never thought they'd witness again.

"Oh. Hikaru. Kaoru. Good Morning."

Standing before them, was Haruhi indeed. But instead of the well-groomed, uniformed Fujioka Haruhi, they all know and have gotten used to. The girl that stood before them was reminiscent of the Fujioka Haruhi they had met when she first opened the doors to Music Room #3 at the beginning of the last school year, complete with clouded glasses, a full head of bedhair and an oversized, hand-me-down sweater from Ranka.

"HUH?! Haruhi?!" The twins' eyeballs nearly fell out of their sockets as they struggled to decide where to point at her messy, sloppy appearance.

"Oh, this?" Gesturing her sweater, Haruhi laughed apathetically. "I thought if I can quit the host club now, it means I don't have to worry so much about taking care of my appearance right? Life is easier this way." She declared bluntly.

"What?!"

"Though I got upset the other day, It really is a lucky break to have all my debts cleared." Lifting an all-knowing finger, Haruhi spoke nonchalantly. "When I think about how I'll be able to live my life without the interference of overly excitable people-"

Before she could even finish her sentence, however, Hikaru and Kaoru had grabbed an arm each and dragged her out of the chaotic classroom. "You come with us!" They grumbled in unison.

"Haruhi! Just think about this a little!" Once they were outside, Hikaru swiftly pushed the brunette up against a pillar as he did his best to shake her out of what he could only assume a desperate protest against the disbandment of the Host Club. "Don't do something crazy out of desperation! We know how you feel about Milord, but-!"

"Hikaru, You got it all wrong." Shifting out of her indifferent attitude, Haruhi struggled against Hikaru's grip as she attempted to explain herself. "I'm not doing this out of desperation. Listen, yesterday I ran into Kosaka-san on my way home, and I think I've figured out why Tamaki-senpai is acting this way-"

"Haruhi?" A little further down the hallway, Tamaki gaped with an astonished expression, presumably called here by Kyoya who stood not far behind him. "Haruhi... Your clothes..." He muttered, watching as the brunette bit her bottom lip, shaking herself out of Hikaru's grip and began to take large strides towards him.

"Haruhi!"

"You're doing all this to get your grandmother to understand you, aren't you?" Brushing her shoulder past Tamaki's, Haruhi's steps halted to a stop. "Your grandmother forbade you to continue on with the host club, and you're not the kind of person to ignore her wishes and do as you please. That's why you need to take this time right now to make her understand, right?" She theorized, staring blankly ahead at the long hallway before her as she smiled softly. "It isn't just for the host club sake, is it? Your grandmother is a precious member of your family too. In order for that to happen, there's some reason why I can't be near you, isn't there? In that case, I will return to being the Fujioka Haruhi you were before I met you." She declared with a tone of reassurance. "So you can stop worrying about me, and do what you need. Senpai." She said determinedly.

Hearing her words of understanding, Tamaki pressed his lips together, suppressing the saddened frown that attempted to surface. "Thank you." Shifting his eyes to a downcast, he reached behind to gently ruffle her hair as they both began to walk in opposite directions.

"And that's the entirety of what Kaoru and I have unearthed so far." Kyoya summarized. Despite Haruhi's declaration to Tamaki that she was going to be alright, the scheduled meeting at the Ootori mansion later that day still commenced without a hitch. "Though it seems like Tamaki was not informed, there is no doubt in my mind that his mother's illness is none other than Schislaisse Syndrome. Though I naturally assumed that the perfectly healthy Anne-Sophie I encountered in France five months ago was only experiencing a temporary remission of her symptoms. The fact that her physician, Dr. Alleman, is currently missing and the whereabouts of the Chairman's right-hand man - Nakagaichi-san - is also unknown. There are simply too many suspicious events for everything to be on the up-and-up." He stated, slowly flipping back through the pages of his notebook with a tense expression. "There are other questions to be answered, as well. Why is the Chairman turning a blind eye to the activities of his subordinate, Kosaka while she goes about the Director's bidding? Why does he make no effort to convince the Director to accept Tamaki after having him torn away from his mother and forcing him into the Main Mansion? Why did he choose to transfer Miki's custodianship to the Director now after receiving it from the Fernández family six months ago? Why didn't he make any moves when the Director ordered for her confinement, and even went as far as lying to Tamaki about her whereabouts? I feel as if all of his actions suggest he is biding his time. If so, what is he waiting for? That's the one thing I just can't figure out. That's why I'd like to ask for your help as well." He concluded, peering up as his gaze swept across the hosts who gathered in his room, listening intently.

"If it wasn't just a temporary remission of her symptoms," Haruhi hummed. "What other reason could there be?"

"Kyo-chan, could it be a miracle?" Raising his hand like a child, Honey suggested. "Maybe her sickness miraculously went away! There have been cases in which cancerous tumours just vanish on their own, haven't there?" He pointed out.

"It is possible in cancer cases, but I doubt that happened here." Kyoya denied.

"Could it be..." Interlacing his fingers and resting his elbows on his knees, Hikaru murmured. "Human Medical Experiments?" He suggested with a dark expression.

"H-Hikaru...?"

"What if Milord's mom was made into a human test subject...?" Not responding to Kaoru's call of his name, Hikaru continued with his seemingly absurd theory as his body began to twitch in fear. "They might've taken that doctor captive and forced him to develop a new drug treatment. And the reason the Chairman's movements have been so suspicious is because of it being an Ultra-Secret-Hush-Hush-Plan!" Lost in his own delusions, he began to cover his face and fidget around in a panic. "Oh, god! We're all going to be silenced for finding out too much!" He yelled dramatically.

"Calm down, Hikaru, you're starting to sound like Miki-senpai!" Attempting to calm his brother down and drag him back to reality, Kaoru hushed. "You've been watching way too many sci-fi movies. Human Medical Experiments? As if that could really happen-"

"It does." Kyoya interrupted bluntly.

.

.

.

"EH?!" Everyone let out a collective gasp in surprise as Hikaru began to sweat profusely in fear of the scenarios from his Sci-Fi movies coming true.

"Well, we call them 'Clinical Trials' or 'Studies' to be precise." Leaning back in his chair, Kyoya specified. "The thought has crossed my mind at some point. If a cure for Tamaki's mother is indeed being developed, and if we suppose that she's involved in its creation, the most likely the drug is already in Phase II of Clinical Trials." He informed.

"Phase II of Clinical Trials..." Haruhi repeated thoughtfully.

"Phase II of Clinical Trials means the new drug has passed beyond in VIVO - animal testing and initial tests on healthy human subjects." Peering over at the brunette, Kyoya continued to elaborate. "And are now being conducted on a small number of patients afflicted with the targeted disease. That would explain why Tamaki's mother appeared to be symptom-free, and if her physician has been aiding the drug's development as Hikaru suggested, it would certainly explain where he's been as well. It does make sense since Dr. Alleman has studied the disease for many years." He theorized.

"Wait, so it really is...?" Honey's eyes widened at the possibility that they've found the answer they've been searching for.

"That being said, there's absolutely no information on any of this," Kyoya said, reaching out to grab his opened laptop and place it on his lap. "Clinical Trials are usually announced publicly. So for the trials to have progressed to Phase II without even a word of it leaking is extremely odd." He stated, pulling up the list of Clinical Studies Announcements once again as briefly skimming through it. "If either of the Suoh or Grantaine Corporation were making a bid to enter the pharmaceutical industry, it would have exploded all over the news. No matter how you look at it, there's no way all of this could've happened without at least some word of it slipping out." He concluded with a sigh.

"Wow..." Amazed by how much effort and knowledge Kyoya held on the subject, Kaoru couldn't help but gasp in admiration. "That's our Kyoya-senpai! Future Pre-Med student!" He praised. "You sure have done your research-"

Eyes shifting towards his underclassman, Kyoya gave him an odd look. "I'm not going to Pre-Med." He revealed.

"Huh?! You're not?" Taken aback by his false assumptions, Honey tilted his head to the side. "We thought you'd for sure be going into it..." He muttered.

"Since both my older brothers are in the medical field, I thought I should study business and become a management expert. I was planning on studying in the US during university and continuing at an American Business School after graduation to get my MBA." Kyoya pronounced as a self-satisfied smirk surfaced on his lips. "My brothers, particularly Akito, seem to think I'm going to chase after them in their wake. But I intend to overtake them using a different path." He mused smugly.

Haruhi blinked a little, mentally remarking on how amazing Kyoya was to be already planning on studying abroad. "Um..." Shaking her head and reminding herself to focus, Haruhi cleared her throat. "May I borrow that list of recent Clinical Studies announcements?" She requested. "If possible, could you print it out for me?"

"Anyone can view it on the internet," Kyoya informed with a questioning brow raise.

"Well... I don't own a laptop..." Scratching the back of her head, Haruhi mumbled.

"Ah, if that's the problem I can lend you one." Hikaru asserted nonchalantly.

"Oh! Is that really okay?" Haruhi's eyes rounded in surprise.

"Sure..." Averting his eyes as a deadpanned smile tugged on his lips, Hikaru laughed dryly. "I had one custom-built for your birthday a while back, but..." His voice trailed off.

Kaoru sweatdropped at the awkwardness that had begun to loom within the room thanks to his twin's statement. "All right!" Clearing his throat, he raised a fist in the air in an effort to clear the air a little. "Let's all go to Haruhi's house for an official 'New Laptop Launch Party' and a crash-course in laptop usage!" He suggested.

"Huh?!"

"Yay! We finally get to eat Haru-chan's home-cooking again!" Going along with the idea, Honey chimed.

"Hold on! I didn't say I was feeding anyone-" Reaching a handout, Haruhi made a futile attempt to stop them only for Kyoya's room door to be slammed in her face, practically ridiculing her that whether she liked it or not, they were going to show up at her house that evening with a hungry stomach.

As the night prolonged, the Hosts had initially split up the workload after eating dinner at Haruhi's house. However, while teaching Haruhi how to use her brand new laptop, the twins, Honey and Mori had nodded off to sleep in their exhaustion, sprawling out on the tatami floors in an undignified mess. Haruhi and Kyoya however, never bothered to take even a minute of shut-eye once they've set up and started their laptops. Stationed at two low coffee tables back to back, they worked endlessly through the night until the ticking clock on Haruhi's wall chimed five consecutive times.

Right around that time, the sound of keys jangling and the front door unlocking filled the modest apartment. "I'm home!" Ranka chimed as he stepped through the door happily. "Haruhi, are you asleep like a good girl- YEEEEEK!" However, his joyful mood was short-lived the moment he spotted the pile of sleeping boys gathered in his house where his daughter was supposed to be. "What do you think you're doing here?!" Not even bothering to take off his heels, he dashed straight into the room and tossed both Hikaru and Kaoru against the walls of his apartment as comical tears burst forth from his eyes. "How dare you enter my teenage daughter's bedroom at this hour?!" He accused, planting an angry foot over their heads.

"Gah! Ow! Ranka-san, please stop!" Hikaru and Kaoru shrieked.

"Kyoya-senpai," Ignoring the cries for help from the twins, Haruhi called out to her upperclassman.

"What is it?" Kyoya hummed, not bothering to lift his gaze from his screen.

"Take a look at this." Pointing at her laptop screen, Haruhi muttered. "It looks like Anneau Laboratory was holding Phase I Clinical Trials three years ago for women with the same immune system disorder as Tamaki-senpai's mother. However, the results of that study don't seem to be published anywhere." She informed.

Brows furrowing slightly, Kyoya leaned over to peer over the brunette's shoulder. "In some cases, results aren't published if the study was a failure." Heaving a sigh, he shook his head.

"But just last year, they went from being a research lab to an Incorporate Company." Haruhi then pointed out, scrolling the document sideways to reveal the transition in company type.

Kyoya flinched slightly at this new information. Leaving his work station, he quickly paced over to take a closer look. "They incorporated without publishing any research results...?" His eyes narrowed as he studied the name of this mysterious company. "Anneau Pharmaceutical... I've never heard of them before..." He remarked.

"Anneau..." Awoken by the ruckus the twins and Ranka were making, Honey rubbed his eyes drowsily. "That's French, isn't it? It means 'ring' or 'halo' or something..." He murmured.

"Or 'Tamaki' in Japanese," Mori revealed in a low voice, causing the entire room to silence down as the atmosphere took a tense shift.

"Hey, look at its spelling too..." Pushing through a confused Ranka, Kaoru studied Haruhi's laptop screen. "If you take away the letters 'a' and 'u' in Anneau, you'd get..." His voice trailed off as he reached forward, demonstrating his point by covering the 'a' and 'u' with his index finger.

 _Anne!_

"The Chairman is backing the Grantaine family's development of this new drug...?" The revelation quickly struck Kyoya as the gears in his mind began to spin at a remarkable speed. "And the only way they could've started a new company is if the new drug is nearly ready to hit the market. But how could they have gotten so far so secretly...?" He questioned, only to let out a small gasp as he remembered the conversation he had with his father the previous morning. His lips parted, and his eyes rounded. "Is my family involved in this too...?" He uttered, suddenly feeling a wave of cold sweat wash over his body as he recalled another specific detail that occurred a little later on in that same conversations.

 _Hold on._

His breath hitched.

 _This morning._

 _Did he say 'young Suoh_ _s_ _'...?_

Over at the Chairman's Office in the Suoh Corporation, one of the over-time workers on that late evening knocked on the door with a respectful head bow. "Sir. There's a call for you." He notified.

"All right." Turning around in his office chair, Yuzuru tore his gaze away from the night skyline of Tokyo with a small nod. "Put it through." He instructed.

It didn't take long before his private phone at the office began to play a repetitive jingle. Picking up the handset, Yuzuru pulled on the coil cord to press the phone against his ear. "Hello? Thank you so much for all your recent help, Ootori." He addressed, eyes narrowing as he calmly turned his attention back towards the view into the velvet night. "Without your family's help, we could not have kept the news of our venture into the medical field from getting out. Again, I am struck by how much influence the Ootori group has in the medical field." He advocated.

"It was nothing." On the opposite end of the receiver, Yoshio was also sitting in his private office located in one of the many hospital facilities owned by the Ootori family. "The new drug will save thousands of lives, which is the wish of any doctor such as myself. Of course, your generous offer to give the Ootori group exclusive distribution rights for the drug in Japan is also most welcome." He hummed, allowing a small sense of silence to stretch between them before speaking once more. "By the way, it seems my youngest son has taken notice of your plan." He noted.

Yuzuru couldn't help but let out a small chuckle. "Yes, well, Kyoya is quite a sharp young man." He praised.

"Indeed." Yoshio agreed. "I'm also quite pleased to hear that he is particularly close with your daughter of all people. I suppose it wouldn't be too early to discuss the possibility for a future union between them, would it?"

"If she wishes to marry Kyoya, I certainly wouldn't object to it." Closing his eyes, Yuzuru shrugged indifferently. "Though I must ask, Ootori. When did you figure out that Miki is my biological daughter?" He questioned calmly.

Yoshio didn't immediately respond. Instead, he remained silent as his eyes flickered to a dull downcast. "I knew the moment I saw her." He then stated without reservation as he began to lean back on his seat and as his gaze slowly trailed up to the chandelier hanging in the center of the room. "Strawberry Brown hair... An Autosomal Recessive Trait..." He muttered. "In the world's hair colour distribution, only 2% can categorize as red-heads. And among them, a mere 0.1% can classify as having a 'Strawberry' tone." He described. "That amounts to about 7.7 million people having such hair colour, which in comparison to the population of 7.7 billion, is a dime in a dozen. So for two people around you to possess such a rare trait," He huffed out a dry laugh. "It would be difficult to brush it off as a mere coincidence."

"Oh?" Raising an eyebrow, Yuzuru mused. "So, you've met my ex-mother-in-law before?" He asked.

"I attended her wedding many years ago when I was but a young boy. Since then, that colour has been burned deep into my memories." Yoshio answered. "So you must've been able to imagine my surprise when I saw the exact same hair colour appear on a girl so close to your son many decades later." He remarked, thinking back to the wave of nostalgia he felt when he got a closer look at Miki during the school festival. "After that, it was simply a matter of knowledge. Anyone who knew of the failed union between the Suoh and Fernández families as well as having an adequate understanding of Autosomal Recessive Traits would be able to figure out her identity as your biological daughter." He concluded simply.

"Those are some rather specific requirements." Yuzuru laughed dryly, loosely crossing his arms over his chest. "Indeed, Miki's hair colour is quite exquisite," He admitted. "It's no wonder Kyoya fell for her charms so easily."

Yoshio complied. "Though for a man who enjoys boasting about his daughter so much, your treatment of her is fairly cruel, isn't it?" He commented with a hint of caution in his tone. "As a medical professional, I cannot imagine that either her mental or physical health are in the best shape. The likely hood of her having a psychological trauma over being trapped is rather high." He observed.

"It's fine." Eyes dulling slightly, Yuzuru dismissed his advice. "The moment she fulfills her purpose, I will return her freedom." He assured.

"Either way... It will be all over the news tomorrow morning anyway." Yoshio hummed.

"If my father is involved, a cover-up would certainly be possible. My father would not hesitate to use any means necessary to keep it a secret." Kyoya assumed, reaching up to touch his forehead as the rest of the pieces of this chaotic puzzle were practically falling into place with little to no effort. "The owner of Anneau Pharmaceuticals is most likely the Grantaine family. The Chairman intends for the Grantaine family to receive the enormous profits from the sales of the new drug. If the Grantaine family becomes self-sufficient and no longer need to depend on the Suohs for medical and financial aid, they can finally rid themselves of the Director's control. Tamaki and his mother would be free... That must've been the Chairman's aim in all this." He proclaimed.

"But why now of all times?" Haruhi pointed out. "He could've chosen any other-"

"Because of this." Cutting her off, Kyoya swiftly moved towards his laptop a few steps away and pulled up a web page he had kept tabbed.

 _'Long-Held Fernández Family Dukedom Finally Draws its Curtains!'_

"For sure, the Chairman had another purpose for keeping this quiet - he didn't want the Director to know." He continued, eyes darting left and right as he skimmed over the familiar article once more. "But the due to this being such a large-scale project, preparations of publicizing this revolutionary drug such as this would surely cause whispers to begin spreading throughout the Corporation, regardless of how well-kept the secret is. So he waited for the Fernández family to completely lose its power so that he could use Miki as a method of distraction to keep the Director busy as he sets up for this grand unveiling." He inferred. "He'd go this far to keep such a thing from his mother, which means the Chairman's ultimate goal is..."

"It's out!" Over on the other side of the room with their laptops, the twins interrupted their upperclassman mid-sentence with even more urgent news. "The morning headlines! It's..." Their voices trailed off as everyone swiftly gathered around to see for themselves.

 _'France's Grantaine Company Announces Development of New Drug and Enters the Pharmaceutical Industry!'_

"Over here! Look at this one!" Honey shouted, pointing at another section of the article that was kept as sub-news under the day's grand headlines.

"So it's true," Kyoya muttered as his eyes quickly scanned the nameplate of the news. "The Chairman's intention was to overthrow his mother...!" He affirmed stiffly.

 _'Suoh Corporation Board of Director's Meeting Ends in Decision to Seek the Current Director of the Board's Resignation!'_

Standing before the body-length glass windows of Tamaki's room in the Second Suoh Mansion, Miki took a deep breath. Wrapped tightly in her hands, was a lamp. One of Tamaki's two bedside table lamps that he often kept switched on during their little past hang out sessions. Then next to her, laid a mattress that she had managed to drag off of Tamaki's bed frame and line up against the window.

Tightening her grip around the porcelain base of the unplugged lamp, Miki closed her eyes and pressed the edge of the lampshade against her forehead, as if she were offering a prayer to the gods above. She had spent the entire day before, re-drawing the entire layout of the Second Suoh Mansion by memory and plotting the most effective escape route on her digital tablet.

She was ready for this.

In the distance, she could faintly see the sunlight peek up from the line of the horizon, beaming an endless amount of blessings upon her plan of escape.

Dawn broke.

It was time.

A/N: Fufufu~ Do you guys remember back when Yoshio first met Miki, and his only response was 'Interesting'? At the time, many of us just assumed the 'Interesting' meant, 'What an interesting girl.' But now we finally learn the real meaning behind what he said - He's discovered Miki's secret!

For those of you wondering why I decided to allow Yoshio to be the one out of everyone to instantly figure out Miki's identity, let me ask you - Why wouldn't he know? Kyoya himself was so close to figuring out the truth so why wouldn't his father know? We all know how smart Kyoya is but he is still in high school. Yoshio should logically be wiser and sharper, at least for the time being. Besides, I thought that having him meeting Rita at a young age adds another layer of meaning to Kyoya and Miki's relationship. Like it wasn't just some chance encounter, but that their fates had been entwined together long before they were even born. And yes, Yoshio as a little boy had a mini crush on Rita upon seeing her at her wedding, I thought it's a pretty cute plot point and helps to humanize him a little. (As much of a b*tch Rita is, Elisa and Miki had to get their beauty from SOMEWHERE).

But next chapter, well. It's going to be quite an exciting one that I've been eager to share for a long time now. So, please look forward to that~

With that, have a great day!

XOXO,

Astra


	54. 47 Suoh Miki!

_-Chapter 47-_

Suoh Miki!

Tamaki sat at his desk in the Main Suoh Mansion, staring blankly at the flickering screen of his laptop as the dawn broke over the horizon.

 _'France's Grantaine Company Announces Development of New Drug and Enters the Pharmaceutical Industry!'_

 _'Suoh Corporation Board of Director's Meeting Ends in Decision to Seek the Current Director of the Board's Resignation!'_

"What is this...?" He muttered, utterly shocked by what he was seeing.

However, before he could think anything more of the situation, a sudden alarm began to ring, shattering the tranquillity that had initially resonated within the Main Mansion. He whipped his head around in surprise, not understanding where the deafening sirens were originating from. The only clue he had was the panicked voices and hasty footsteps that were coming from outside his room in the long hallway.

"What's going on?" One of the chefs questioned.

"Someone is breaking out of the Second Mansion!" A maid responded, causing Tamaki to flinch up as he felt a cold sweat run down his back. His limbs stiffened, and his breath hitched in his throat as his eyes began to dart from left to right, a horrifying thought grew deep within and nagging him at the back of his mind.

 _Could it be...?_

Panting heavily, Miki stood before the broken body-length window in Tamaki's room. Her ears were still ringing from how loud the sound of the shattering glass was as she tossed her brother's bedside lamp out the window mere moments ago. The cool April breeze immediately rushed into the stuffy room, bringing a sense of refreshment back to the air and instantly soothing Miki's heart. However, the tranquillity didn't last long as the sirens ringing throughout the mansion grounds quickly disrupted that peaceful scene. She took a shaky step backwards; her arms were sore from how many times she had to swing them in order to conjure the force needed to completely clear out the window frame of glass. However, the adrenaline that was pumping through her system easily nullified that pain. She hurried over the mattress she laid set out before the window, about to execute the next step of her plan when a series of thunderous knocks echoed from the locked doors behind her.

"Milady! What's going on in there?! Open these doors!"

Though Miki initially flinched slightly at that butler's commanding tone, she soon snapped out of her trance and grew even more agitated by the moment.

 _Arden would never speak to her that way._

Gathering all the strength in her body, Miki swiftly pushed the mattress out of the window with a firm shove, taking a small tumble forward due to how much her legs were trembling from the nervousness and minor excitement of this grand escape. She crawled over to the end of the window, peering down just in time to see the mattress land on the layer of grass and broken glass shards with a small 'thump.'

Huffing out short, staggering breaths, Miki scrambled to get back on her feet. All there was left was for her to jump and land safely on the mattress. She closed her eyes for a brief moment, blocking out the knocks behind her that grew more desperate by the second and listening to her heart hammering against her chest.

"Mother," She whispered. "Please give me strength."

Then as her eyes fluttered open, she pushed her feet off the ground and dashed forth, taking a leap of faith into the breaking dawn as her strawberry brown hair trailed behind her in a soft flutter.

"Tamaki! What's the matter?" Spotting his son make an unannounced entrance to his office in the Suoh Corporation Headquarters, Yuzuru quickly stood up from his chair behind the desk and rushed over with a broad smile. He had just attended to the board meeting, of which his mother was formally forced to resign from her position as Director, effectively ending her reign of terror over him, his lover and his kids for so long. As wonderful as that news was, he wasn't expecting to see Tamaki so soon, as he was meant to be attending school today. "What are you doing here?" He asked, quickly pressing the back of his hand against Tamaki's forehead. "Hm... You don't seem to have a fever though. Nevermind that." Unable to contain his eagerness, he quickly shook his head and grabbed his son by the shoulder as an excited grin spread across his cheeks. "Listen, Tamaki! I've got some great news." He announced. "Your mother's health is improving every day! I'm sorry I had to hide it from you, your mother's illness was very serious, and it took a while until we could find a cure. But there's no need to worry anymore!" He assured delightfully. "In fact, all our problem have been resolved. You can now see your mother anytime you-"

"At the price of what?" Not reacting to the news, Tamaki responded coldly, his words were more of a statement than a question.

"Huh?" Yuzuru blinked.

"Father. Answer me one thing." Reaching up to swat his father's hand off of himself, Tamaki lifted his gaze to stare at his father with eyes of disgust. "Where is Miki right now?" He questioned.

Taken aback by the question that seemingly came out of nowhere, Yuzuru stilled for a few moments before allowing his eyes to crinkle softly. "I see..." He uttered with a wry smile. "I'm sorry if the news this morning surprised you. I apologize for keeping my plans a secret from you and your grandmother. Miki had a very crucial mission to complete for me, but all of that is over now. You don't have to kowtow to your grandmother's whims anymore." He reminded, still attempting to cheer his son up with every piece of good news he had. "I know! Let's rehire everyone from the Second Mansion and bring Miki over as well." He suggested eagerly. "Once your mother's health improves a little more, the four of us can begin living together as a family." He declared proudly.

Tamaki's lips parted at his father's enthusiasm, he searched deep within himself, wondering if he felt anything of the sort with no avail. He could only find disappointment, disgust and sorrow rising within himself. "The four of us...?" He murmured lowly, clenching his hands into fists as his nails dug into the flesh of his palms. "Family...? Father... You don't get it."

"Tamaki?"

"What about grandmother?" Glaring up to meet Yuzuru's eyes, Tamaki began to shout. "Father, you don't understand my feelings at all! How could you do that to them? How could you even fathom sending Miki back to that hell after everything you've already put her through?" He accused. "How could you take away the most precious thing to grandmother in such a cruel way? All she wanted to do was maintain grandfather's legacy! They're your family, aren't they?! Aren't family supposed to be the most precious bonds?! " He roared at the top of his lungs, watching in a mixture of fury and pity as the man before him's expression turned dumbfounded. Slowly shaking his head, Tamaki took a staggering step backwards as tears began to swirl within his ocean-blue eyes. "I can't ever forgive what you've done, father...!" He said, collapsing to his knees and burying his face in his hands. "How could you...?" He muttered incoherently. "Why...?"

"Sir, a few students from Ouran Academy came to see you."

Not even an hour after Tamaki's departure, Yuzuru peered up at his secretary's announcement. His eyes were sunken, swollen, and the dark rings that surrounded them were ever so prominent from staying up all night. "Send them in." He instructed in a raspy voice.

Soon, the large double doors to his spacious office creaked open, and the familiar faces of his children's friends came filing in, each wearing tense expressions of their own. Yuzuru huffed out a breath as a fatigued smile formed on his lips. "I thought you'd come again." He said. "I'm heading to the airport to pick someone up, so I'm afraid I can't spare too much time. If you are here to talk about Tamaki, you just missed him. He was here earlier and indicated that he wouldn't ever forgive for my actions." He revealed as his gaze dropped to a wistful downcast. "Would you talk to him for me?" He requested. "The company wanted it this way, and I ultimately did it for Tamaki's sake."

"You didn't sir." Standing at the front-most in the group, Kyoya cut through Yuzuru's excuse like a sharp knife. "Ultimately, you did it for your own sake. Because you are the one who has lived under the Director's oppression longer than anyone else." He declared boldly, causing the hosts behind him to flinch up as they shifted their burning gaze to the second-year's backside.

"Ah." Interlacing his fingers, Yuzuru's eyes crinkled as he leaned forward to rest his chin on his hand. "Perhaps the third son of the Ootori family would understand me best. You're right, I've lived as her obedient son for a very long time." He admitted. "I let her force me into a loveless marriage, and even when she started demanding for an heir, I complied. But when I truly fell in love for the first time..." He paused for a moment as a blissful light seemingly illuminated within his coffee brown eyes. "It was as if my eyes were finally opened." He explained. "I was able to get a divorce with Elisa's help, but when my mother's threats spread from me to Anne and even Tamaki and... Well, you know the rest." He stated as his expression slowly tensed once more. "Now, at last, I gained enough power to overthrow my mother! I thought Tamaki would rejoice with me but..." He cut himself off, unable to continue as he remembered his son's parting words.

"You're unbelievable!" Hikaru immediately snapped. "Do you know how much you've hurt your children?!" He accused.

"Exactly!" Kaoru nodded his head furiously in agreement. "We know you've suffered too, but-"

"Quiet. We haven't heard everything yet." Kyoya said, extending his arm to stop the twins from literally pouncing on the man before shifting his attention back to Yuzuru. "So the reason you involved Kosaka was because you knew she had been acquainted with Haruhi's parents?" He questioned.

"That's right." Yuzuru nodded as Haruhi's eyes widened. "I knew my mother would soon deem Haruhi to be unfit to be associated with the Suoh family. I thought Kosaka's lingering feelings for Haruhi's father many years back would keep her from being as heavy-handed as another negotiator might have been." He elaborated. "Kosaka was also quite instrumental in for getting Tamaki into the main mansion. I wanted Tamaki to gain acceptance on his own talent and merits. But even after he had proven himself worthy 50 times over, my mother still stubbornly refused to acknowledge him. I decided then that she needed some encouragement from a neutral third-party. My mother wanted someone to watch Tamaki and those around him, so I took the opportunity to feed her that encouragement through Kosaka." He said as his eyes narrowed slightly. "If Tamaki had entered the Main Mansion after my mother's fall from power, then all he'd suffer for her approval would've been meaningless. That's why my priority was to get Tamaki into the Main Mansion before the board meeting, as I was able to count on Kosaka's accurate and cold analysis to convince my mother. Kosaka was perfect in her role as she also became quite an ally to the Fujioka's in the end." He huffed out a small laugh, as if demonstrating the little sense of pride he felt when the events went according to plan.

"So you have Kosaka-san playing into your hands right from the start..." Honey remarked. "So then was Miki-chan also part of your plan too?" He then asked.

Yuzuru shook his head. "Not quite." He murmured. "After all, that child has quite the natural talent in taking people by surprise."

"The truth is, my mother had been demanding for Miki's custodianship since I had received it six months ago. I knew she wanted Miki locked up again, so I figured that using her as a form of temporary red-herring when the time was right would be the smartest and safest choice." He spoke solemnly. "However, Elisa proved to be quite a serious problem in that aspect." He paused for a few moments, swallowing hard. "She may not have looked like it, but she has always been very protective of our daughter. Therefore I decided to wait until after the complete collapse of the Fernández dukedom and Elisa's relocation trip to make my move, so I could ensure that she nor Arden wouldn't be able to use what remaining power their family had left, to intervene in my plans of transferring her custodianship." He explained before allowing his gaze to dart up. "But do believe me when I say, once my mother had been taken care of, I had always planned on releasing Miki from house arrest, as I also want her to live with us as a family." He assured sincerely. "Either way, I do apologize for the harsh punishment I had to level on your club. It was because I knew you were looking into things I couldn't allow you to know, Kyoya." His eyes crinkled benevolently as he stared at the boy. "The length you would go through to protect my children truly is remarkable, but it would have been inconvenient if anything you stumbled on had ended up alerting my mother. Well, you can restart your club anytime you'd like. I'll let the principal know as well." He informed with a soft smile.

"Hey!" Hearing how calm the man was about the entire situation, the twins grumbled. "How dare you suspend our club just to keep from being inconvenienced-" They yelled, only to bu cut short when Kyoya stood before them once again and gestured for them to stand back despite how much his own body trembled with visible anger.

"I know you genuinely cared about your children, and you did what you did in order to rid them of your mother's control." He asserted, taking a deep breath in hopes of retaining his composure for the rest of the conversation. "But you misread my intentions. What I cannot forgive you for - is that used them to exact revenge on your mother!" He stated in a clear voice, causing Yuzuru to shrink back slightly at the sudden accusation. "Per the Director's instructions, you separated Tamaki from his mother and took him away from the only life he knew in France. You brought him here where she treated him with cold disdain as you said nothing to defend him. You left him to fend for himself while you waited on the development of that drug. And then, when the drug was on the verge of completion, you used Miki as a method to stall time. You passed her over to your mother as if she was an object, using her as bait to both satisfy and tear the Director's prying eyes away as you prepared for the grand reveal for this new drug and revival of the Grantaine Corporation." As he continued to list off each of Yuzuru's offences, Kyoya's voice only continued to burn with more hostility than ever. "You played the obedient son up to the very end, just so that you could take down your mother in the cruellest way possible. It wasn't just Kosaka you manipulated! You used your own children as pawns in your sick game against your mother!" He growled furiously, causing Yuzuru eyes to widen in realization.

"How could you do this to them?!" Beyond furious and on the verge losing his sense of reason, Kyoya lunged forward angrily only to barely be held back by Honey and Mori as their words of comfort fell short to his ears. "Are you not able to hear their voices?! They loved you! They looked up to you! They relied on you!" He exploded, voice growing louder with every sentence. "Yet you cause both of their childhoods to be filled with loneliness because of your petty rivalry and selfish actions. Just what..." He paused for a moment, pressing his lips together as he attempted to find his words. "Just what kind of fools do you take us for?!" The glare of his glasses reflecting Yuzuru's remorseful figure as he sunk his head between his shoulders, resting his forehead on his interlaced fingers.

As Mori readjusted his grip on an enraged Kyoya, he froze for a moment as he picked up a small shuffle sound from the hallway behind the thin crack in the large double doors. "Who's there?" Snapping his head around, he spoke in his low voice.

Immediately, the room stilled at his question as everyone's gaze darted towards the entrance in search of the signs of a possible intruder. Silence laid like a blanket that covered the room, muffling the slightest sound and raising the tension in the atmosphere as everyone stared expectingly at the faint crack in the grand double doors.

It didn't take long before the faint sound of footsteps could be heard echoing throughout the long corridor, and a figure appeared soon after, emerging from the shadows of the darkened hallway to stand before the doors. Kyoya felt his breath hitch as he instantly recognized the hue of hazel present in the person's eyes. He swallowed hard, watching as the door slowly creaked open to reveal the girl with strawberry brown hair, standing stiffly with a dazed look.

"Miki-senpai!"

"Miki-chan!"

The joyful calls for her name, however, fell short to Miki's ears. Her gaze was deadset ahead, staring blankly at Yuzuru with a chilling void in her hazel pupils. It was as if she had developed tunnel vision, as she paid no mind to the others surrounding them. "Father..." She murmured, slowly stepping forward, floating towards him as if she were a ghost.

"Miki..." Yuzuru felt his voice crack at the sight of her. "Why are you here already...? How..." He stammered as a sudden chill of fear and regret ran down his spine. "How much did you hear?" He asked.

"I broke myself out," Miki replied without a change in her tone or emotion. "I broke the window in Tamaki-kun's room and jumped out, using his mattress to break my fall. Aijima-san and Hotta-san found me, and I asked them to bring me here because they said I'd find both you and Kyoya-kun here." She explained, shifting her focus between her father's toffee brown eyes. "Now, may I asked you something?" She spoke. "Tell me, father... Was what Kyoya-kun said true?"

Instead of replying, Yuzuru averted his gaze sheepishly, unable to either confirm or deny the information she had overheard.

Kyoya was about to take a step forward once again, only for Honey and Mori to pull him back. He gritted his teeth at Yuzuru's response, snapping his attention towards Miki in fear of her reaction, only to find her completely dry-eyed.

"I see." She said, still not shifting her attention away from the man who shuffled guiltily under her piercing gaze. "Then, could I ask you something else, father?" She paused for a moment, biting her bottom lip. "Do you love me?" She questioned bluntly.

Yuzuru's lips parted slightly, only to find himself unable to make a peep. "At first, I didn't." He managed to gingerly choke out his words after a few attempts. "I... I don't think you would remember this, but... The first time when I visited you in your room, it had been nearly a year since you moved in. Up until then, Arden had chased me down around the Main Mansion, making a fuss and begging me to go see you. I was... Less than compliant." He reminisced, pressing his forehead to his shaky hands as if he were bowing his head in apology. "You were a child I was pressured into creating, then blackmailed into taking care of. You were a reminder to all of the misery and suffering my mother had placed Anne, Tamaki and I under. But then..." Slowly, he lifted his gaze from his hands and met Miki's emotionless face with a nostalgically wistful smile. "When I finally gave in and visited you, despite never even seeing me once prior to that, you called me 'Papa' and ran up to greet me with the sweetest smile I've ever seen on a child. Seeing that expression on you, I realized how stubborn I was being. You were just as much of a victim as the rest of us, and blaming you, a child, for all the things far beyond your control was extremely foolish of me. Since then, I swore that I would set you free from your hell and that you'd be nothing less than my beloved daughter." He resolved, gently tightening his grip on his folded hands. "So to answer your question, Miki. Yes, I love you very much." He proclaimed sincerely. "If I said that, would you believe me?" He asked, staring at his daughter with a pleading gaze.

Another beat of silence loomed within the room as the hosts turned to stare at Miki's backside, each wondering what she would do in the face of her father's honest words.

"Yes, father. I believe you." Miki replied, watching slowly as Yuzuru's eyes brightened with relief only to cock her head to the side as she continued. "If I said that, would you believe me?" She repeated her father's words, except hers, took on an entirely different meaning altogether. Yuzuru's smile dropped as he felt a shiver rattle up his spine at her expressionless face and toneless words."I don't matter because I was born to be a tool." Miki muttered, pressing a hand to her chest solemnly. "But Tamaki-kun is different. I understand that you were upset with grandmother's actions, I really do. But the way you were willing to use even Tamaki-kun, a child who was born out of the love between you and Anne-Sophie-san, to achieve your goal - it was cruel of you." She stated, turning on the ball of her foot and making her way out the door.

Watching as his only other child began to take long strides that distanced herself further and further away from him, Yuzuru jolted up from his seat. "Miki, I...!" His limbs stiffened, noticing that she has halted in her tracks at his call. "I..." He choked up, unable to find his words.

Miki stilled for a few moments. She pressed her lips together before glancing over her shoulder with a stony expression. "Face it, father. The 'you' right now, you are not a victim as you claim to be anymore." She spoke through a cracking voice. "You are not Rapunzel; you are the sorceress."

With that, she turned to pace past the members of the host club and exited the office.

"Miki-senpai!" Hikaru and Kaoru called after her, not knowing what to do at the moment. Kyoya however, immediately shook free of Honey and Mori's grasps. Snapping his attention towards Yuzuru, he shot him a sharp, disapproving glare before turning on the heel of his foot and running after Miki.

"Miki!" In the lobby of the Suoh Corporation building, Kyoya called out to the strawberry blonde as he sped walked after her. Despite his countless attempts to catch her attention and to get her to turn around, she was far too lost in the numbness of her mind to hear him. "Miki!" Fed up with her continually ignoring his calls, Kyoya reached out to grab her wrist. What he didn't expect, however, was just how weak her legs were. With one soft tug, her knees buckled, and she fell into his arms like a rag doll. It was as if she had been ready to snap and crumble at any moment, even before he had grabbed her.

"Kyoya-kun..." Leaning her head back to peer up at him, Miki murmured was a glassy stare, greeting him for the first time in a couple of days.

Finally able to get a better look at her, Kyoya glanced down, only to freeze at what he saw.

He was half-expecting for the usual doe-eyed expression to be staring back at him, but the girl that was wrapped in his arms, her eyes were lifeless. The sparkles of joy, the childlike curiosity and the many stories that were told within those hazel eyes with just a few simple blinks had vanished completely, leaving nothing but two black-hole like vortexes in their place.

That wasn't the Miki he knew.

She looked paler, thinner, and the dark circles around her eyes seemed even more prominent than it had ever been. Her usual fluffy and silky hair was now a little oily and dishevelled, not only that, but she was wearing the exact same outfit as she did when he last saw her. If anything, she resembled an antique ball-jointed doll than human.

"I'm sorry." As Miki slowly turned around to face him, she spoke in a flat voice. "I ordered Aijima-san and Hotta-san to bring me here."

Kyoya didn't immediately respond. Instead, he reached up gently and cupped her cheek with the palm of his hand as he studied her, noticing how she didn't even react to his movements anymore. Though it was quite evident she was looking directly back at him; it didn't seem so. Her hollow eyes seemed distant, like she was staring right through him and into a dark abyss. His brows drew closer, finding it painful to see her in a shell of her former self. Snaking his hand around her head, he reeled her into his chest. "If you want to cry, cry. It's fine." He assured, heaving a long sigh as he threaded a few fingers through her strawberry brown hair.

In his familiar arms, Miki blinked a few times. It was strange. Whenever Kyoya would hug her before, she would feel safe, happy and warm. But this time, there was none of that. She couldn't feel anything. Nothing but a stinging numbness that prickled her body and heart. "I told you, I don't like to cry." Wrapping her arm around him in return, Miki buried her face further into his chest as she searched desperately for the warmth she craved. "Because if I do, the tears will never stop."

"Miki-senpai!" The moment didn't last long; however, as Hikaru, Kaoru and Haruhi's voice exploded from behind them as them along with Honey and Mori came jogging after the two.

"Miki-senpai, are you alright?!"

"Are you hurt anywhere?"

Slowly peeling away from Kyoya, Miki turned her head towards her oncoming friends. "Everyone..." She muttered before nodding a little, reassuring them that she was okay. Then her gaze shifted over to a boy she didn't recognize among the group. He was short, with brown hair, glasses and an unkempt appearance. She blinked. "Who are you? And why do you have the same voice as Haruhi?" She asked, pointing at the mysterious boy.

.

.

.

The hosts fell silent at the question, realizing that Miki hasn't exactly seen Haruhi in her pre-host club days, as she hadn't joined until after Haruhi had.

"Ahha..." Laughing awkwardly, Hikaru slapped a hand over the brunette's shoulder. "This is Haruhi." He introduced.

"It's a long story." Haruhi deadpanned.

Miki hummed. Before she could say anything else, however, another familiar voice erupted throughout the lobby, startling the workers and visitors present and immediately drawing the blonde's attention.

"Milady!"

Carrying a folder under his arm, Arden dashed into the spacious lobby, ignoring the estranged looks he received from bystanders as he practically slid through the crack of the automatic sliding door, not even waiting for it to open completely. He made a bee-line for his lady and immediately wrapped her into the tightest hug he could manage, dropping his folder in the process.

"It's Ar-chan!" Honey exclaimed in surprise.

"Arden...?" Standing stiffly in his hug, Miki uttered as she noticed how much he was trembling.

"Thank goodness..." Arden whispered, letting out a shaky sigh of relief as he readjusted his grip around her. "Thank goodness; you're alright... I went to the Second Suoh Mansion and found it completely empty. I feared something might have happened to you in my absence... So I... I..." He choked back his words, finding himself unable to continue. After taking a second to rekindle his emotions, he slowly attempted to pull away. "Let me take a look at you."

Feeling Arden's hand pushing her body further away, Miki immediately protested. "No!" She screamed, wrapping her arms around the man and pressing her cheek against his chest once again.

Startled by her reaction, Arden's brows furrowed in concern. "Milady...?" He addressed gingerly.

"You were right, Arden." Hazel eyes falling to a downcast, Miki muttered. "A smile can really change a life. But please don't look at me right now." She requested. "If you do, I'll be breaking the promise I made, because..." She hesitated for a moment. "Because I can't find it in myself to smile right now."

Arden's eyes rounded slightly at her words before glancing up towards the hosts. He found himself speechless, scanning across each of their saddened expressions before making eye contact with Kyoya who stared back at him with a neutral expression. He nodded, gesturing a quick thanks for his involvement in getting him back to Tokyo before allowing his arms to loosen around Miki. "Understood, milady. I will not look at you." Tilting his head upward as not to make eye contact with her, he assured. "Instead, please excuse me while I go take care of some personal matters." He said, using his peripheral vision to find the folder he had previously dropped.

"Arden..." Backing away from the butler as he knelt down to pick up the file, Miki murmured. "Where are you going?"

The young man with chai brown hair froze momentarily at the question. He bit his bottom lip, staring down thoughtfully at the folder in his hands before finding an uncontrollable flame begin to burn within his chest. "Seeking justice for you, milady." He replied.

"Suoh Yuzuru!"

Yuzuru's tired eyes darted up at the enraged call of his full name, spotting Arden Mederos stomping into his office with flames practically spewing out his emerald-like eyes. He must admit that he's seen this coming from a mile away, but the idea of facing against such a passionate ferocity made him a little nervous. "Arden," Resting his chin on his interlaced fingers, he spoke calmly. "You should know that it is rude to address your superior by name." He pointed out.

"Superior?!" Arden almost let out a dry chuckle. "Don't make me laugh! I am loyal to milady and milady only; I was merely courteous towards you out of respect for being her father. However, as things stand now, you have lost all respect from both her and I. Therefore, I don't see a reason why I should continue addressing you with a title higher than the one you ever deserved!" He declared, moving slowly and deliberately closer towards the desk where Yuzuru sat at.

Yuzuru's brows knitted closer together at the foul attitude a mere butler was showing him. "Even if you are angry, this is far more than I was expecting." He stated in a low voice. "Where is all this anger coming from?"

Arden flared his nostrils at the atrocity of that question, finding his breath quickening along with his pulse. "Why don't you take a look at this?" He huffed, slamming down the files he was holding in his arms. "Did you really think passing Milady's custodianship to your mother was the 'safest thing' to do? She wasn't merely planning on confining her for eternity!" He spoke, the veins on his forehead practically popping out.

Yuzuru felt his heart drop as he opened the cover of the paper folder.

 _'Adoption Papers'_

"I wasn't just loitering around as I was waiting for my ride back," Arden continued. "I discovered that your mother was arranging for her adoption transfer to an anonymous contact. So I pulled some strings to get myself in touch with this person and offered up all of my savings to obtain the right as Milady's guardian!" He informed, tapping his index finger irritably on the table in emphasis.

Yuzuru's hands twitched at the notion. He bit his bottom lip, skimming through the files in disbelief. "How much did you pay?" Finally placing the papers down, he questioned. "I'll pay you back."

Arden paused for a second, studying the sincerity in Yuzuru's eyes. "500,000 Yen per month, with a yearly bonus of 4 Million Yen for 13 consecutive years of service. That amounts around 130 Million Yen." Taking a step back, Arden revealed as he let out a long sigh, attempting to even out his hyperventilation. "Nevertheless, I am not concerned with that amount of money in the slightest. My one and only priority is Milady's safety both physically and mentally, and I have no desire to pass along her custodianship as if it were a disdained hot-potato like you and your mother have done so far." He accused, watching as Yuzuru's eyes divert away in guilt. "In the end, I will do whatever Milady commands. So if you want the rights of being her legal guardian back, you better pray to every single god there is in your favourite Japanese Mythology that Milady will be generous enough to forgive you for all you have done to her!" He let out a guttural roar, glaring down at Yuzuru with his jewel-like eyes as if he were a predator staring down at its prey.

At the Tokyo Narita International Airport, Suoh Yuzuru sat in one of the VIP lounges alone contemplatively. It had been an exceptionally long day for him. He had pulled an all-nighter in anticipation, but the day didn't quite seem to play out as he expected. His mother had fallen out of power; his son chewed him out for his actions, he had unintentionally hurt his daughter, all the while learning that he was so close to permanently losing her from her furious butler. While all the events that had transpired were not all that pleasant, there was one thing he was confident could bring him some level of relief.

"Sir, your guest has arrived." His secretary entered the lounge with a quick bow.

"Oh." Snapping out of his thoughts, Yuzuru whipped his head around as he jumped to his feet, spotting a familiar figure step in behind the secretary. "Hello..." His eyes crinkled as he greeted the woman with soft blonde hair. "I've waited so long for this. I'm so glad you've come, Anne."

"Huh?! Milord's mother is in Japan?!" The twins exclaimed as they, Haruhi and Kyoya were holding a small meeting at the staircase connecting the second and third floor when Kyoya delivered the news. It had been three days since the big blow up at the Suoh Corporation headquarters, and despite Miki's return to Ouran academy, Tamaki was now notably absent.

"Yes." Kyoya nodded, readjusting his glasses on his nose bridge. "It seems that she's staying at the Roi Grand Hotel since she arrived three days ago." He informed.

"That's it!" Hikaru exclaimed as he pounded a fist on his open palm. "If Milord sees his mother, he'll be back to his old self in no time...!"

"Not quite," Shaking his head, Kyoya quickly shut down that notion. "It seems things aren't so simple. According to Tachibana, Tamaki is refusing to see his mother until he obtains his grandmother's forgiveness. And he's just been continuously playing the piano every day since then." He described, leaning his back against one of the nearby walls.

"What about Miki-senpai?" Haruhi then proceeded to ask. "How is she doing?"

"She and Arden returned to the Second Suoh Mansion after that other butler was recalled and have been living there since," Kyoya explained, flipping open his phone to skim through the messages he and the butler have exchanged. "It seems like the Chairman has made multiple attempts to rekindle with her and move her into the Main Mansion, but she simply won't budge." He revealed.

"I'll be honest, seeing Miki-senpai act like this is super unsettling," Hikaru admitted as he scratched the back of his neck. "I mean, she won't even come with us to try and visit the Main Mansion."

"And she didn't even crack when Kanazuki-san visited her." Kaoru pointed out sadly. "She's always so full of energy and smiling, so for her to be so quiet and unresponsive is..." His voice trailed off.

After a few seconds of silence, Kyoya pushed off the wall he was leaning on with a sigh. "Either way, the bell will be ringing soon." He reminded. "You all should head back.

"Okay..." The twins nodded in understanding.

"Um... Kyoya-senpai," Before leaving, Haruhi called out to her upperclassman. "Will we still be going today? To the Suoh Main Mansion?" She asked in confirmation.

"Of course," Glancing over his shoulder with a smirk, Kyoya answered. "We will continue visiting until we can see him." He smirked.

"Kyoya-kun..." Back in Classroom 3-A, Kyoya was just settling into his spot when Miki called out to him in a flat voice. "Where did you go?" She asked, not even moving her head to greet him.

"Haruhi and the twins called me out to discuss a few things, nothing for you to worry about," Kyoya responded, gaze darting over to see if she has somehow recovered bits and pieces of her former self. However, it was futile. She merely stared down at the cleared surface of her desk, eyes still as empty and detached as they have been for the past three days.

Before he had too much time to think about it, a figure approaching quickly caught his eye. "Excuse me, Ootori-san." Jounouchi Ayame appeared, stopping right before his desk as she addressed him.

"Jounouchi-san," Glancing up, Kyoya greeted her with a nod. "How can I help you?"

"I simply wanted to inquire you about the host club," Ayame explained. "Are you still on hiatus?"

Eyes flickering over to Miki momentarily, Kyoya then nodded. "Yes," He replied. "We're allowed to restart the club, but-"

"You're still waiting for Tamaki-sama to return, right?" Cutting him off halfway, Ayame finished his sentence knowingly. "Does this have a connection to the recent retirement of the Suoh Corporation's director? Or is it some problem with the legitimacy of his birth?" Her words immediately piqued Miki's interest while Kyoya flinched up at the sudden new development in the situation.

He narrowed his eyes, studying Ayame's ever-so serious expression carefully. "Jounouchi-san, what did you just say?" He questioned.

"Simply this," Folding her hands to rest on her lap elegantly, Ayame began. "Everyone knows there's an issue with the legitimacy of Tamaki-sama's birth and how his grandmother refused to acknowledge him. Though I haven't learned anything beyond what I uncovered back when I felt unfavourable towards him, it seems most of the host club's regular customers knew about the circumstances of his birth early on. It's quite natural for a fan to seek information about the one she adores after all. While it did create a bit of a stir when his situation became widely known, because of the kind person Tamaki-sama is, no one minded in the least. For that reason," She paused for a moment, her gaze shifting slightly over her shoulder as she gestured the small crowd that had began to gather around them as they speak. "Is there anything we can do to be of help to him?" She offered.

"We are all indebted to him and his club in one way or another," Stepping out the mass of people, Sumire pressed a hand to her chest. "That is why this time... We want to be of help to you too." She said, smiling softly at the two.

Miki then felt a light tug at the hem of her dress. She glanced over to spot Kirimi, standing next to her seat and holding an oversized stuffed cat. "Miki-neechan, is Tamaki-niichan coming back soon?" She asked innocently.

"I..." Miki opened her mouth to say something, but couldn't find her words at the moment. However, she didn't need to, as moments later, Reiko stepped forward to stand next to the little girl.

"This is for Tamaki-senpai," The raven-haired girl spoke as she offered her friend a wooden doll shaped into a cat. "It was entrusted to me by the former President. It's an ultra-special curse doll. It has a hundred times more the usual amount of curses to bring Tamaki-senpai the greatest fortune. And..." She hesitated for a second, before bringing forth a thin piece of paper covered in strange symbols. "I have a special talisman made for you again," She explained. "So you can reclaim your soul once more."

Taking the two object with a blank expression, Miki stared down at them. "My soul...?" She repeated quietly.

"That's right!" Appearing behind Reiko, Sora nodded enthusiastically. "Miki-chan hasn't been smiling ever since she came back from Spring Break, and Tamaki-sama stopped coming to school. Kanazuki-san here has been super worried." She winked, gently patting Reiko on the shoulder.

"Hey, Ootori! Is everything alright with Suoh?" Suddenly knocking on the sliding doors of Classroom 3-A, a couple of athletic club members from the previous school year barged in with relaxed attitudes.

Kyoya sweatdropped at the sight of them. "Shouldn't you be at the university division?" He questioned with a brow raise.

"Ha! What are you, my mom?" The vice-captain of the basketball team snickered before walking up and delivering a good-natured smack on Kyoya's shoulder. "Pass on our support to Suoh, okay?" He gave a carefree laugh, unaware of the irritated brow twitch that came from Kyoya.

 _Tamaki-kun... Can you hear them?_ Watching as people continued to pour into the classroom to offer their support, Miki thought to herself. _The voices of the people cheering you on... Ever since the day you came to Japan alone, you've encountered so many people. And during the time you've spent here, you've touched the hearts of so many people. To the point that now..._

 _You aren't alone anymore._

"Kyoya-kun." Calling out to him in a quiet voice, Miki turned her head, voluntarily initiating eye contact for the first time in days. For just a split second, Kyoya could've sworn he saw a flicker of light return to those hazel eyes. "Are you still going to visit Tamaki-kun today after school?" She asked.

"Of course." He gave a small nod.

"Can I come too?"

"Of course."

Standing before the massive gates of the Main Suoh Mansion, Kyoya reached forward to gently press the buzzer. He backed up a little, listening as a familiar chime played before a person was put through on the opposite end of the speaker.

"Yes?" A woman responded in a muffled voice.

"Pardon the repeated interruptions. It's Ootori again." Kyoya reminded routinely.

The receptionist let out an irritated sigh at his daily persistence. "I'm sorry sir, Master Tamaki is not seeing any visitors at this time." She informed.

Hearing that reply, Miki stepped forward into the range of the microphone. "If he is not accepting visitors, could you at least let me in please?" She requested.

The woman on the opposite end paused for a second. "Pardon, miss." She quickly recomposed herself by clearing her throat. "But you are...?"

"My name is Miki; I have lived here for 13 years," Miki answered.

There was a small silence on the opposite end. "... I apologize, miss." Finally, the woman spoke in a reluctant voice. "But we do not recognize anyone with that name." She pronounced clearly before hanging up.

Miki's eyes rounded slightly at the aloof response she was given in return.

"Judging by that little hesitation, they definitely recognized you..." Hikaru grumbled, ruffling his hair in annoyance.

"Wh.. the ...ll is th..." Miki muttered to no one in particular as her arms began to tremble.

"Miki-senpai..." Not being able to hear her incoherent words, Kaoru reached forward, attempting to comfort the blonde only for her to suddenly whip her head around with an expression he's never seen on her face before.

Anger.

"What the hell is that?!" She repeated, this time much louder, perhaps the loudest she's ever shouted in her entire life. "For thirteen years, I lived confined in this mansion against my will. How could they say directly to my face, that they do not recognize me now?!" She exclaimed incredulously. Her hands balled into fists, digging her nails into her palms as they trembled with rage. However, the adrenaline that began to pump through her veins completely nullified the pain as she took large strides away from the gate buzzer, the remaining hosts watching in shock at her first display of emotion in days.

"M-Miki-senpai, calm down-"

"Is it the Suoh name they want...?" Snapping her head towards Hikaru, Miki questioned with eyes blinded with fury. "If it's the Suoh name they want, then very well. I will go obtain that name myself, right now!" She declared, whipping out her flip phone in one swift motion and punching the familiar numbers.

It didn't take long, only one ring for the man to respond.

"Hello, Milady. How can I-"

"Take me to the Roi Grand Hotel immediately!" Cutting Arden's light-hearted greeting short, Miki commanded with an oppressive aura the butler found strangely familiar. "And find me Anne-Sophie-san's room number, I want to talk to her myself!" She proclaimed boldly.

Standing at the back, Kaoru shivered at the domineering atmosphere that emitted off of his usually sweet and gentle upperclassman. "Are you not going to stop her?" He asked, deadpanning up at Kyoya.

"Why would I?" Crossing his arms, Kyoya found a smug smirk forming on his lips at the sight. "I quite like this side of her." He hummed.

Arden heaved a long sigh as he tightened the white ribbon secured on the back of Miki's hair. "Milady, are you sure you don't want me to accompany you?" He offered worriedly, moving to the side to readjust the skirt of her dress for absolutely no reason, all the while avoiding to look at her face.

Together, the two of them stood before the gorgeously detailed birch wood doors of the VIP Suite in the Roi Grand Hotel while Kyoya and the rest of the Hosts returned to Ouran Academy to meet up with Honey and Mori. Beyond this door, they would surely find Anne-Sophie, Tamaki's mother - the woman Miki had dreaded yet looked forward to meeting all of her life. As Arden had picked her up from the gates of the Main Mansion, he had brought along one of her more decorated and formal, cream and gold chiffon dress with him, claiming that it would help to make an even better impression as well as boost her confidence in the process. However, the confidence he had claimed has definitely not appeared within her yet. In fact, all of the rage, anger and ferocity seemed to have vanished as Arden drove closer and closer to the hotel, leaving nothing but fear in its wake. Miki's hands were clammy; one was pressed against her chest while the other rested before her. Both were trembling uncontrollably.

"Milady..."

"No." Letting out a shaky breath, Miki denied his offer. "I need to do this with my own power." She insisted, moving her hand to allow both to rest before her. "I will see you later" She assured both him and herself, staring forth at the doors with resolute eyes.

Arden felt his nose sore, and a choking sensation became ever more present in his throat. Blinking back the glossiness in his eyes, he lowered his head into a deep bow. "Yes, until we next meet." He affirmed. "Good Luck, Milady." He then whispered before grabbing hold on one of the handles and opening the door.

Instantly, a blinding light filled her vision as she began to walk forth stiffly and aimlessly, waiting for her eyes to adjust. Her legs muscles felt tight, yet sluggish. As if in any second, her knees would buckle and she would turn on her heel and run away from the situation. Her hands gripped each other tightly till her knuckles were practically going white, and a lump formed in her throat along with the strong desire to scream. She gulped down a breath to silence herself while forcing her legs to keep moving forward.

Arden had closed the doors behind her. There was no going back now.

It felt as if an eternity had passed until the light that crowded her vision slowly began to fade, revealing the familiar woman with soft, golden blonde hair tied into a simple yet elegant bun. She was faced away from Miki, standing by the large wall-length windows with her palms pressed against the glass as if she were searching for something or someone down below. She seemed to have heard the doors opening and closing as she began to turn around. "Darling- Oh!" She paused and blinked a few times, undoubtedly a little surprised to see a foreign girl to be standing along with her in the room.

"Oh my, it's you!" However, the initial confusion didn't last long as Anne-Sophie immediately recognized Miki soon after. "The girl from Barbizon. How are you feeling now?" Covering her mouth with the tips of her fingers, the woman broke into a sweet smile. "A little better from your trip, I hope?"

Miki held her breath, watching in a panic as Anne-Sophie began to take brisk steps towards Miki in hopes of checking up on her wellbeing. "W-Wait!" She took a hasty step back, extending her arms to act as a barricade. A small awkward silence quickly ensued as Anne-Sophie tilted her head, a little confused to why the girl would be rejecting her in such a rigid manner.

Miki pressed her lips together in an effort to stop them from quivering as she recomposed herself. Gently clearing her throat, Miki reached out with trembling hands to grab the hems of her dress and lowered her head to a formal curtsy. "Greetings, Anne-Sophie de Grantaine." She forced her voice out of her throat and past her lips. "My name is Miki; you may otherwise know me as Mira Luz Fernández, the firstborn daughter of Suoh Yuzuru and Elisa Delora Fernández. However, that is not the name I wish to take on." Lifting her head, Miki returned to her hands to their position before her. "With your permission, I would like to be formally recognized as 'Suoh Miki' from here on out and earn the rights to address Tamaki-kun as my elder brother." She spoke in a loud voice, pronouncing each word as clearly as she could.

Anne-Sophie flinched at the sudden bold announcement and request. She froze on the spot, her large sapphire-like eyes studying the girl with a sense of warmth, compassion and... Guilt. "I see... So it was you..." Her eyes crinkled as she began to gingerly take steps closer to the strawberry blonde. "Of course, I don't mind. Tamaki must be lucky, to have such a wonderful girl like you as his sister." She spoke tenderly. "But dear," Reaching out, Anne-Sophie gently pressed her palm against Miki's stiff cheek. "Don't make such a face; I'm sure a smile suits you far better."

Hearing those words, Miki felt her heart stop.

 _Don't make such a face, a smile suits you better._

Before she even realized, moisture had gathered within her eyes as they turned glossy. Then, a single teardrop escaped against her will, falling from her eyes and rolling down the back of Anne-Sophie's hand.

"A-Are you alright?" Feeling the wetness leaving a trail against her skin, Anne-Sophie quickly jolted her hand away in fear that she was doing something wrong. "Why are you crying? I'm sorry, was it something I said?" She asked anxiously.

Her words swiftly pulled Miki back to reality as she took a step back in reflection.

 _Am I... crying?_

"I-I'm sorry. It's just... " Shaking her head, Miki quickly attempted to wipe away the moisture on her cheeks with the base of her palms, only to find herself unable to. Tears kept gathering and overflowing from her eyes, pouring forth like a never-ending waterfall that spilled down her cheeks. "I just..." She whimpered as she closed her eyes, attempting to stop the tears only to find them squeezing through the cracks between her eyelids. She was about to take another staggering step backward when she felt a gentle pair of arms encase and envelop her in a warm embrace. Her eyes shot wide open, spotting Anne-Sophie's serene expression staring right back.

"I'm sorry, Miki-chan." She apologized wistfully.

With those words, Miki felt something click within her as more tears came rolling down.

However, there weren't just simple tears this time.

As if Anne-Sophie had cast a magic spell, the numbness that plagued her senses ever since she was re-confined into the Second Suoh Mansion slowly began to dissipate, ushering in a gut-wrenching sensation that stung an endless series of pain into her chest. It felt nothing like fear, jealousy or disappointment. This time, it was far more powerful.

Sorrow.

Brick by brick, the walls that surrounded and contained that intense emotion began to tumble. She broke down. She covered her hands with her eyes, feeling as the droplets of tears began falling down one after another without resistance, and there was no sign of them stopping. As much as she tried to hold it in, the forgotten pain came out like an uproar from her throat in the form of a deafening scream that tore through the tranquillity of the hotel suite. She sobbed uncontrollably, her voice ripping through her heart, gut and lungs.

Anne-Sophie, however, didn't let go even in the face of that bone-chilling cry. Instead, she held on even tighter as she guided the weeping girl towards the ground, pressing her further into her chest as she crumbled into a sobbing mess. "I'm sorry... I'm sorry... I'm sorry..." She whispered sorrowfully through tears of her own. "It must have been lonely and very painful. I'm sorry that you had to endure everything you did. I'm sorry that we adults were so selfish and dragged you into this mess. I'm sorry that you had to deal with the consequences of our thoughtless actions." She closed her eyes, gently stroking Miki's strawberry brown hair in an effort to comfort her. "I don't ask for your forgiveness, and you don't have to ever forgive me. But all I ask is for you to cry now... Let it all out..." She murmured, listening as Miki continued to weep.

 _Perhaps, all this time..._

 _Rapunzel just wanted someone involved to apologize for what they put her through._

"Pardon the intrusion." Poking her head into the Chairman's Office in Ouran Academy, Haruhi hummed, spotting the Chairman sitting in his spot at the back of the room behind a spruce desk.

"No, no. I'm glad I could catch you while you were still at school today. Once in a while, I have to come to do my duties as Chairman, you know?" Yuzuru chuckled wryly as he searched through his piles of paper for what he needed to give the brunette, pulling out a brown envelope and passing it over to her with a fatigued smile. "This is for you. It's a little something we've started presenting to the top students in each year." He explained. "But it's fine if you decide you don't want it and dispose of it. Either way, I sincerely do commend you for your grades." He complimented, interlacing his fingers and resting his on them.

"Thank you very much," Haruhi muttered, staring down at the envelope curiously as she wondered about the contents inside.

Heaving a long sigh, Yuzuru closed his eyes. "My little coup put you in quite a spot, didn't it? For that, I am truly sorry. And I apologize for all the unpleasantness you've suffered as a result." He said.

"It's all right... I could tell by what you did that you cared about my well-being." Shaking her head, Haruhi quickly flashed a reassuring smile towards the dejected man. He's already endured enough from his family alone in the past week and really didn't need any unnecessary comments from her either way. "But Chairman, I do have one question." Holding the envelope close to her chest, Haruhi spoke, taking the silence as a means to continue. "Did you really love Tamaki-senpai more than Miki-senpai at one point?" She asked.

Yuzuru fell silent in the face of her question. His eyes flickered to a solemn downcast as he contemplated his response, formulating his words carefully. "No..." After a while, he finally responded. "Now that I think about it, I might have just been... Afraid of Miki." He explained as he brows slowly began to draw closer together. "I couldn't find it in myself to face her, because I knew very well that the countless hardships she's endured ever since she was born, were direct results of my selfish actions. I was afraid of her realizing that she had such a coward for a father. But when I first saw her," He paused for a moment, a look of peaceful nostalgia surfacing on his face. "I realized just how much she relied on me, and I wanted to protect her with everything I had. But that child is all grown-up now. She isn't a sheltered princess who could only look forward to my occasional visits anymore. She's carving her own path, making her own decisions and becoming more independent by the day." He remarked, tilting his head upwards to gaze towards the far distant behind Haruhi. "I suppose, in the end, I really did become the sorceress of her story." He huffed out a saddened laugh.

"What Kyoya said to me, really hit home." He revealed. "There was nothing I could say in my defence. But please believe me when I say, it never once crossed my mind to use Tamaki or Miki in such a cruel way. And even the 'revenge' upon my mother... It didn't start off that way." He muttered, returning his gaze to stare down at the strange wood patterns on the surface of his desk. "I just wanted my mother..." He hesitated, choking back his words slightly. "In the end, maybe all I wanted was for my mother to acknowledge me. My incredible mother, who could stand at the apex of everything and command it all... I guess I just wanted her to recognize that I was perfectly capable of managing my own business and choosing my wife. But instead, I wounded up hurting everyone I aimed to protect." He closed his eyes, breathing out another weary sigh. "I wonder what I should have done..." He uttered to no one in particular.

Haruhi's lips parted for a second as she studied Yuzuru's sorrowful expression. Then, before she could contemplate on whether or not she should say anything, her voice slipped past her lips. "I think you should have just talked to them." She said bluntly, catching the Chairman's attention as his eyes darted up. "That's something Miki-senpai says a lot, but for the most part, I do agree with the message behind it." Waving her hands to show that she meant no disrespect, Haruhi elaborated. "If you had just spoken to your children and the Director about all these things you're worried about and hoped for, none of these misunderstandings would've happened. I understand it now..." She muttered as she broke into a soft smile. "You and Tamaki-senpai are actually very alike. Even though you both always smile and talk endlessly about silly things, when it comes to what is really bothering you, you never say a word. I guess that makes you both extremely stubborn." She explained. "And that makes me think the Director might be the same way. I heard that after her husband died, she had to take over everything herself. For so long, you adhered to her decisions to protect those important to you, and I bet she never even asked you about it, did she?" Tilting her head to the side, she pointed out.

"No..." Yuzuru replied, staring flabbergasted at the brunette who has somehow uncovered so many things about his own family that even he hasn't been able to for nearly his entire lifetime.

"That's it!" Resting a hand before her lips, Haruhi chuckled lightly. "The three of you are really alike. So I'm sure you should all be able to understand one another, especially now with Miki-senpai apart of your family." She continued.

"Miki...?" Yuzuru raised an eyebrow curiously.

Haruhi gently nodded her head. "Maybe it's because of her sheltered upbringing, Miki-senpai has always had the ideals and attitude of a child. Which, in a strange way, has given her a sense of clarity on the world that many of us lose as we grow up." She described, shifting the files in her arms from one to another. "She always speaks her mind no matter what unless told otherwise. And as bad as that can be at times, I think it's one of the most interesting things about her. I think she'll be the perfect medium to your family since she'll be able to encourage you each to just speak your mind. So I think if you just talked to one another, you'll be fine." She assured with a tender smile.

Yuzuru pressed his lips together at Haruhi's words, sitting in silence thoughtfully. "That might be it..." He admitted. "All this time..." He breathed out his words before suddenly collapsing face first on his desk as tears began to pour forth from his eyes. "GYAHHHH!" He cried. "OH, WHAT HAVE I DONE?! HE'LL ONLY HATE ME MORE ONCE I TELL HIM!"

"C-Chairman...?" Haruhi sweatdropped, a little taken aback by the sudden shift in emotion from the man.

"Tamaki! Miki! Forgive your foolish father!" Yuzuru sobbed comedic tears as he began to bang his forehead on the desk, crying as if he were in some sort of melodramatic soap opera. "What was I thinking?! Why did I have to do it at a time like this?!" He howled in terror.

"What are you talking about?!" Haruhi exclaimed.

"I wonder when are they going to be back..." Tapping his index finger impatiently against the smooth surface of one of the many tables in Music Room #3, Kaoru uttered anxiously.

Sitting at the same table along with Hikaru and Kyoya, Honey chuckled as he took another bite from his cake. "Just be patient, Kao-chan. They'll be back soon." He reassured confidently.

"But this is so frustrating!" Collapsing onto the table in a small fit, Hikaru complained. "Haruhi was called to the Chairman's office, and Miki-senpai is going to see Milord's mother. Meanwhile, all we can do it wait." He described, huffing out a breath in annoyance.

Almost as if on cue, a light series of knocks rang on the doors followed by the sound of a small creak of one opening.

"Ah sorry, we are not in business right now-" Turning their heads towards the source of the sound, the twins hummed nonchalantly. Throughout the past few days, there have been occasional guests who have not been informed of the hiatus of the club and therefore accidentally barging in when they were least expecting. However, instead of a confused guest, they spotted their production designer standing at the doorway in a flowing cream and white chiffon dress and a wide-eyed expression.

"Miki-senpai...?" The twins muttered, jolting up from their seats as they stepped closer towards her.

Miki took a few moments, staring blankly at the twins. Then, the corner of her lips curled upwards as her expression broke into a radiant smile. "Hikaru, Kaoru!" She greeted the two, tilting her head slightly as strands of strawberry brown hair slipped down her shoulder and shimmered in the dusk that shone through the sheer curtains of the club room.

"Miki-senpai!" Kaoru's eyes gleamed at the sight. "It's Miki-senpai!" He cheered, reaching forward to encase the girl in a hug as him and his twin drag her further into the room.

"Miki-chan! You're back!" Honey bounced up from his seat, rushing around the table to join in the group hug.

Struggling to balance herself from the bone-crushing hugs she received from all directions, Miki chuckled lightly. "Honey-senpai and Mori-senpai," She greeted the two upperclassmen. "Are you here from the university department?"

Mori nodded as a relieved expression surfaced on his face.

Slowly standing up from his seat, Kyoya breathed out a wry sigh as he crossed his arms over his chest. He studied her for a moment, noticing that her eyes were a little swollen and puffy. "Your eyes are quite red," He pointed out. "Have you been crying?"

Miki flinched for a second before returning his questioning gaze with an awkward chuckle. "Ehehe..." Reaching up, she gently rubbed her eyes with her index finger. "Just a little." She admitted.

Kyoya's eyes softened for a moment before he took a deep breath. "So, how did it go?" He asked with a raised eyebrow, voicing the question that had been lingering on everyone's minds during that agonizing wait.

Lips parting slightly, Miki quickly cleared her throat as she stepped out of the group hug she had been centred in. Reaching out to grab the hems of her long dress, she lowered her head in an elegant curtsy. "It is a pleasure to meet you, everyone," She spoke in her usual airy voice. "My name is Suoh Miki, and I am the first-born daughter of the Suoh family. Please take care of me." She introduced herself, lifting her head and flashing the group a sweet smile.

"Does that mean...?" Honey's large beady eyes twinkled.

"Miki-senpai!" Hikaru and Kaoru began to shed tears of joy as they wrapped their arms around her neck, practically suffocating the girl in their mix of joy and relief.

Watching as Miki let out her familiar bell-like giggle, Kyoya's eyes crinkled softly. Then, as his and her gaze met, he huffed out a light smirk. "Welcome back." He said.

Miki blinked a couple of times as she processed his words. Indeed, the past week really felt as if she's been on an eternity-long journey, merely wandering aimlessly through an abyss of darkness. But now, she was finally back where she belonged. "I'm home!" Smiling brightly, she replied.

The happiness didn't last long, however, as the doors were slammed open with a loud 'smash' behind them as Haruhi charged into the Music Room in a panic. "Kyoya-senpai! Hikaru! Kaoru!" She shouted urgently, freezing for a moment when she spotted Miki, Honey and Mori.

"Haruhi!" The twins greeted her with an excited grin.

"Haru-chan!" Honey waved.

"Eh?" In the face of a boy she couldn't recognize, Miki blinked rapidly. "Is this Haruhi?" She asked, pointing at the brunette and questioning bluntly. "But he's a boy, and he looks so different..."

The hosts sweatdropped.

"Please don't tell me..." Hikaru grumbled as his eyebrow began to twitch.

"...She forgot everything that happened when she was through her mental shut down phase..." Kaoru finished with a deadpan expression.

"Ahh! Nevermind that - we've got a problem! " Setting aside that story for another time, Haruhi desperately worked to redirect the conversation back on track. "Tamaki-senpai's mother is taking the noon flight back to France tomorrow!" She announced loudly, causing the room to momentarily fall silent.

.

.

.

"EH?!" Everyone let out a collective yelp in surprise.

"Anne-Sophie-san never mentioned anything about that!" Miki gasped as she covered her lips with the tips of her fingers.

"But why?! She hasn't even seen Milord yet." Hikaru pointed out.

"It was only supposed to be a short visit." Haruhi shook her head. "That's how she got her doctor to agree to let her come. She's still in the middle of her treatment and travelling for an extended period of time it's too taxing on her health!" She explained.

"That Chairman..." Kaoru mumbled as a vein popped on his head. "How much trouble does he have to cause to the people around him?!"

"Tamaki-senpai is insisting that he won't meet his mother until he gets his grandmother's approval, and his mother intends to respect his wishes by going home without seeing him." Haruhi continued anxiously. "The Chairman is too depressed to do anything, so what do we do now?!" She asked frantically.

Hikaru took a second as he rubbed his chin thoughtfully. Then, after a few moments, a glisten flashed within his eyes. "Should we kidnap him?" He proposed abruptly, causing Kaoru, Haruhi and Miki to jolt at the thought.

"We'll go in and pull milord out of there - by force if it's necessary!" Huddling into a circle, Kaoru suggested. "If we get them to meet each other, something's sure to come of it."

"Yes, we could sneak into the Main Mansion!" Haruhi, who was practically crumbling under the overwhelming chain of events, agreed to the irrational nonsense that was sprouting up from the twins.

"If he makes a fuss, we can tie him up!" Hikaru asserted.

"And have a getaway driver waiting outside for our grand escape!" Miki added, lifting an all-knowing finger.

"Settle down, you four. Even you too, Haruhi?" Feeling his eyebrow twitch at the idiocy being displayed by his clubmates, Kyoya let out an exasperated sigh. "Exactly how light are you imagining the security at the Main Suoh Mansion to be? If by some miracle you make it onto the grounds, you'll be caught by security immediately." He pointed out, crossing his arms over his chest.

"Even so, we must help them meet!" Snapping her head around, Haruhi declared in a bold voice. "We can't let them miss this opportunity! Not when they are so close." She insisted.

Hearing the resolution in the brunette's voice, Honey and Mori swiftly exchanged a knowing glance. "Kyo-chan. Takashi and I will get Tama-chan out." The lolita stepped forward with a serious expression.

"But even you two will have a hard time..."

"Don't worry about us. I've got an idea." Flashing a determined smile, Honey nodded his head curtly. "Though there is not much time, so we need to act quickly!" He urged.

"Arden can help you as well!" Pressing a hand to her chest, Miki offered. "He worked in that mansion for 13 years; I'm sure he'll be of some use to you!"

Seeing the decision practically being made before his eyes without regards for any of his inputs or objections, Kyoya let out a long sigh of defeat as he gently shook his head. Turning away from the group, he quickly pulled out his phone and dialled his bodyguard team. "Tachibana, I need you to find the shortest route between the Suoh Main Mansion and Narita Airport for tomorrow." He ordered in an acute voice. "Use any mode of transportation necessary."

"Kyoya-senpai..." Watching as her upperclassman hung up the phone, Haruhi let out a small sigh of relief.

"Honestly, every once in awhile, you're just as reckless as those two," Kyoya remarked, glancing over his shoulder at the brunette. Then, turning to meet Miki's expecting gaze, he gave her a firm nod

Miki's eyes began to twinkle at his signal, lips curling into an excited grin, she turned to the rest of the host and extended her hand out as if she were a commander giving a tall order. "Listen up everyone; I give you all full permission to kidnap my brother. So I don't care whatever means you use, I swear on my honour of the Suoh family that we will bring Tamaki-kun to that airport tomorrow!" She pronounced in a crystal clear voice that resonated throughout the clubroom like a chiming bell.

A/N: Finally! Do you all know how long I have been WAITING to both write and release this chapter? Since I wrote like Chapter 3! It feels so great to finally share this with you guys, as I believe this chapter featured one of the most heartbreaking scenes I've ever written.

For those of you who wanted Miki's first big cry to be in Kyoya's arms - I'm sorry, but I didn't really think that was a good way for it to play out. Throughout all this time, all Miki really wanted, was for someone involved in the Suoh-Fernández family drama to be responsible and apologize for what they had put her through. And in the end, I believe Anne-Sophie being the one able to do that was the best choice overall for two reasons. One, I found it pretty interesting as the two of them are on two completely opposite ends of the spectrum. If we put Yuzuru in the center of this mess (which he is), their relationship creates an interesting cross-over pattern as Miki is the daughter of the first wife, while Anne-Sophie is the second wife. Secondly, it's simply due to their similarities in characteristics. As I've mentioned in a prior chapter, Miki and Anne-Sophie's personalities are actually quite similar despite their difference in age and upbringing. And I figured that, ou of everyone involved. Anne-Sophie is really the only one that could truly tap into the amount of emotional pain Miki had to endure over the years and be able to whole-heartedly accept and sympathize with her. That is why, I wanted Anne-Sophie to be the one to finally relieve Miki of her emotional pain.

I really hope you guys did enjoy this chapter~

With that, have a great day!

XOXO,

Astra


	55. 48 The Final Stretch, Run Tamaki!

_-Chapter 48-_

The Final Stretch, Run Tamaki!

 _10:40 p.m._

At the rear gate of the Suoh Main Mansion, the now second-year trio were waiting anxiously out back in the spring morning. Haruhi peered up curiously, hearing a faint piano tune play from within the towering walls surrounding the mansion.

"Haruhi? What's up?" Kaoru questioned as he remained crouching behind her, using his flip phone as a makeshift flat iron to straighten her soft brown hair.

"Did you hear someone playing the piano just now?" Haruhi asked, glancing over her shoulder at the younger of the twins.

"I don't know," Kaoru shook his head as he grabbed another section of her hair to straighten. "The grounds here are pretty expansive. Do you think it's milord?" He hummed thoughtfully before deadpanning. "If it's him, then he really doesn't plan to see his mother off today..." He commented.

"Speaking of not getting to the airport - what about us?!" Whipping his head around, Hikaru who had anxiously been pacing back and forth finally snapped. "How are we going to make it in time if we don't leave right now? Where the heck are Honey and Mori-senpai?!" He yelled. "'We've got a surefire way to get Tama-chan out of the Main Mansion, but even if we started on it right now, we'll just barely finish in time. You guys work out all the details of how to get Tama-chan to the airport, okay?' They said that and ran off somewhere yesterday, but we haven't heard a single word from them since!" He recited, making his best Honey impression as he began to furiously punch in the numbers on the dial pad of his phone before pressing the device against his ear shell. "Kyoya-senpai! Kyoya-senpai! What are we supposed to do?!" He shouted. "Milord's mother must be at the airport by now, right?!"

"Stop being a pest, Hikaru." On the other end of the phone, Kyoya let out a sigh in irritation. "We still have plenty of time if she's leaving on the noon flight." He pointed out before switching the topic. "Are the preparations ready on your end? Having to leave you three there to make do on your own is what makes me nervous." He stated.

"Our prep was perfect! How rude!" Hikaru rebutted, flailing his arms around like a child in annoyance. "Like I said, the only thing missing is Honey and Mori-senpai-" Just as he was finishing his sentence, the sound of two limos approaching in the distance immediately caught his attention.

"Sorry to keep you waiting!" Honey waved, popping his head out one of the vehicles as it came to a screeching halt.

"They're here!" Kaoru jumped to his feet, Haruhi at his side.

Nearly cracking under the stress of the circumstances, Hikaru began to shout. "Honey-senpai, you're late-!" However, he paused when he spotted Shima of all people exit the car alongside Honey and Mori.

"Shima-san!" The twins gawked, a little surprised by the extra reinforcement, only to see even more familiar faces began to emerge left and right from within the two limos. "And everyone from the Second Mansion!" They gasped, eyes widening in amazement.

"Sorry we're late!" Jogging over the meet up with the three, Honey apologized again. "It took us every last second to find everyone and then bring them here! It was especially hard finding out where Shima-san had gone." He emphasized, gesturing the older woman who stepped forward beside him.

"I was on Amami Island, endeavouring to get my scuba diving license." With a deadpanned face, the Second Suoh Mansion's old housekeeper elaborated. "I thought it'd be a nice hobby in my golden years."

"Why are all the old woman we know so powerful...?" The twins remarked to themselves, sweatdropping slightly.

"We've been informed about most of the situation." Ignoring their off-handed comment, Shima continued with a serious expression. "Please leave the Main Mansion security details to us. Most of us have served as staff in there at one time or another." She assured as everyone who once worked in the Second Mansion quickly gathered around her as they were symbolizing their support for her words. "We weren't able to help Miss Miki when she needed us, but we want to at least be able to help Master Tamaki this time around. I know we are all prepared to lose our jobs if it means helping him." She stated confidently as the rest of the staff members nodded in agreement.

"I've memorized the locations of all infrared sensors on the premises." Quickly ushering the pace of the conversation onto the main topic, Mori informed as he laid out the blueprints of the Main Mansion he's somehow obtained. "We'll slip in from the rear garden, avoid the various alarm traps then enter the mansion." He summarized, using his finger to trace through the route he had planned for them to take.

"Yes... However, there's no way to avoid tripping the alarm once you enter the mansion itself." Koganei, the former driver of the Second Mansion, warned cautiously. "If you can figure out precisely where Master Tamaki is before the guards get to you-"

"Oh! The piano!" Haruhi gasped as she remembered the melodious tune that had been flowing out of the mansion mere moments ago. "Just now, I heard the faint sound of a piano being played!" She said.

"The piano is in the salon on the second floor!" Suzuno reminded.

"In that case, the best route would be through here." Elegantly lifting her kimono sleeve out of the way, Shima pointed down at the map as she began to gently trace out the most efficient route for a break-in.

"Okay! Let's go!" After one final de-briefing on their plans, Honey straightened his posture as he exchanged a quick glance and nod with Mori. "Hika-chan and Kao-chan, stay here and keep watch!" He turned around to instruct the two, who immediately saluted as if they were part of the military.

"Roger!" They shouted.

"Haruhi." Mori, in turn, glanced over at the brunette who flinched at the call of her name. "Will you come with us?" He offered with his usual blank expression.

"Me?!" Haruhi let out a loud gasp, capturing the attention of Hikaru with her voice of surprise before beginning to wave her hands in refusal. "I... That's impossible! There's no way I can keep up with the two of you!" She declined.

"Haruhi. You must go." Hikaru said, stepping away from his twin for a second. "You're the only one who can convince Milord to come!" He declared.

"Hikaru...?" Haruhi muttered in confusion, not understanding what he meant.

Shoving his hands into his pocket, Hikaru chuckled nervously. "Yesterday, I said if he makes a fuss, we'll tie him up. But to be honest, it won't work unless Milord decides to come himself." He stated with a shrug.

"B-But," Haruhi opened her mouth to protest. "What I say won't-"

"Yes, it will." Cutting her off, Hikaru insisted with a gentle smile. "You understand Milord better than we do, don't you?" He pointed out with a wistful expression. "Though it frustrates me a little to admit it, anyone who sees you two together would know. So it's time to make a choice, both about milord and yourself." Shaking his head, the elder of the twins quickly snapped himself out of that melancholy state. "If you love Milord, go to him now! And make sure you get him to come with you!" He encouraged with that loud declaration, causing Haruhi's eyes to brighten as if she had uncovered a new sense of determination within herself.

"Haru-chan!" Cutting their time short, Honey called out to the girl with an urgent wave, reminding her that time was ticking.

Haruhi turned her head slightly, giving one last glance to Hikaru before nodding firmly. "All right, I'm coming!" Spinning on the ball of her foot, she complied, dashing off towards her two upperclassmen.

"Hikaru, we've got to hurry too!" Standing near the car parked at the side of the road, Kaoru called out.

"Right!"

And so with the assistance of Honey and Mori, Haruhi had managed to somehow keep up with the mini-infiltration team as they scaled a nearby cherry blossom tree to flip over the walls and made their towards the building the staff members had suggested, all the while avoiding the patrolling guards and the various trip wires laid throughout the mansion.

"There it is! The salon on the second floor! " Hiding behind a couple of bushes, Honey whispered as he pointed the building with a gleaming smile." That melody sounds like it's from some sappy samurai drama... Tamaki chan must be playing it!" He said definitely.

"Why would he be playing such a song now...?" Haruhi deadpanned slightly at the cheesy music before snapping back into serious mode. "Either way, how are we going to get up to the second floor from here-" Her voice trailed off as a small shiver rattled up her spine. Sensing an ominous presence loom from behind, the three of them whipped their heads around to spot Shizue's Dobermans, Bunshichi and Yashio growling lowly at the unwelcomed intruders.

"WOOF! WOOF!" The two dogs let out a series of threatening barks as they charged forth at the trio.

"Wah-!" Haruhi closed her eyes and attempted to shield her face, bracing herself for what's to come when Mori stepped forward before her and Honey, creating a barrier between them and the dogs. However, the moment the dogs spotted him, their entire demeanour changed as they instantly melted down into their affectionate selves. Following in suit, Mori knelt down as he began to pet the two animals.

"That's..." Haruhi sweatdropped. "So like Mori-senpai..." She muttered, watching as the two dogs snuggled up to Mori in adoration.

"Good! Now we're going in!" Nodding in satisfaction, Honey hurried the brunette along. "Takashi, you take care of Haru-chan!" He instructed as he ran ahead.

"But how?" Raising an eyebrow, Haruhi questioned. "How will we get to the second..." Her voice trailed off midsentence, however, when she felt Mori's firm arm grab her by the waist while his other hand plucked her glasses right off her face. "Eh?" She blinked a little.

"Close your mouth, or you'll bite your tongue, Haruhi," Mori recommended as he dashed forward, swooping up the brunette's legs into a princess hold.

"Eh?!" Haruhi let out a cry in surprise, her brain shortcircuiting as she failed to comprehend what was about to happen.

Mori dashed straight forward towards Honey, who stood firm with his hands overlapped before his body. Haruhi could only watch in a confused daze as Mori hopped directly onto Honey's hands as if they were a stepping stool before being propelled up and forward by the lolita as they flew into the air.

 _EHHHH?!_

A loud, crisp crash pierced through the spring morning as an urgent alarm immediately began to sound throughout the Main Suoh Mansion. Having his 'Samurai Drama Theme Song Guessing Game' with Shizue disturbed, Tamaki whipped his head around to see Mori laying with his back faced towards him in the pile of shattered glass. "M-Mori-senpai!?" He gawked in surprise. "Wha-Why would you...?"

"Ouch..." Tamaki held his breath, feeling his jaw drop at the sound of that voice. He watched, utterly flabbergasted as a familiar brunette shuffled out Mori's arms, unscathed. "Dang... my glasses broke..." She grumbled. "It's a good thing Mori-senpai took them off my face. I'm glad Kaoru told me to bring spare contacts along; otherwise, I'd be wandering around blind for the rest of the day..." She remarked, gently rubbed her eyes.

"Ha-Haruhi?!" Finally finding it within himself to speak, Tamaki exclaimed in disbelief as he took a few steps closer to his friends, who have literally crashed into his house.

Turning her head slightly at the call of her name, Haruhi sucked in a harsh breath at the sight of her upperclassman. Wasting no time, she quickly extended an inviting hand towards him. "Let's go, Tamaki-senpai! Your mother is waiting for you!" She declared boldly, causing Tamaki's eyes to widen.

"I'm.." Staring down at the small hand that reached out towards him, Tamaki bit his bottom lip. "Not going..." He finished, averting his eyes slightly with a wistful smile. "Seeing my mother right now wouldn't be-"

Unsatisfied with his response, Haruhi grit her teeth. "Are you really going to lie to me with this mouth?!" She questioned in frustration, lunging forth to grab the blond by the cheeks, pulling them as if he was a child.

Shizue gawked, taken surprise by her actions.

"N-No! Rump! Rump!" Trying to break himself free from the brunette's iron grip, Tamaki immediately began to flail around, only to find tears of pain beginning to form at the corner of his eyes from how painful it was to move in this state.

"The more you shake your head, the more it's going to hurt. If you keep being so stubborn, you'll end up with droopy cheeks." Haruhi warned with a mischievous chuckle before furrowing her brows slightly. "You keep hiding what you truly feel! How will this make anyone happy?!" She challenged. "If you're lonely, you should say that you're lonely! If you want to see your mother, you should say you want to see her! You, your father and your grandmother... You're all such big idiots! How can you be a family if you can't face each other and say how you feel?!" She shouted angrily, quickly capturing everyone's attention with her direct words and loud voice as she began to hesitate. "Tamaki-senpai, your mother is alive... You can see her and talk to her... Holding yourself back from going to her is just stupid..." Sniffling slightly, she slowly lowered her head as her grip on Tamaki's cheeks began to loosen. "It doesn't matter if your from a prestigious family or a commoner... Isn't being true to yourself the best thing?!" She questioned, tears brimming her eyes as the painful memories of her own experiences came flooding back to her as her hands dropped lifelessly onto the blond's shoulders.

Tamaki's lips parted. "...Of course, I want to see her..." He admitted quietly. "I haven't seen my mother in three years..." He murmured, pressing a palm against his forehead as he let out a shaky breath.

Sensing his dilemma, Shizue's eyes flickered to a downcast. "Tamaki," Standing up from her seat next to the piano, she called out to her grandson. "You may go." She pronounced, causing Tamaki's ocean-coloured eyes to round in surprise. "Go see your mother. Apologize to both her and your sister for me, for my past rudeness. And then," She paused for a moment, reaching out to the side as she gently brushed her fingers across the piano keys. "Come back and play your piano a bit more for me, please?" She requested with a wistful smile.

"Grandmother..." Tamaki uttered, glancing over to the clock momentarily. "But I wouldn't make it in time-"

"Milord!" Before he could finish his sentence, the sound of a helicopter zoomed from outside the shattered windows, along with a cry of his nickname the twins have so affectionately given him years ago.

"Ack! Hikaru?! Kaoru?!" Racing out the balcony along with Mori, Haruhi and Honey who had climbed up himself, Tamaki gasped.

"Get up to the roof! We'll drop the ladders" Cupping a hand over his mouth, Hikaru shouted as loud as he could to be heard over the beating blades. "We'll get you to the Chiba district by helicopter in no time!" He assured.

"Kyoya-senpai and Miki-senpai are standing by at Sakura Heliport to take you the rest of the way!" Kaoru added, holding onto the railings from inside the vehicle. "We can get you to Narita Airport in 30 minutes! You can make it!"

Finally obtaining his grandmother's permission, Tamaki and the three others quickly bolted up the grand staircases and made their way to the roof of the mansion where the twins were waiting as promised. "Milord, hurry! You too, Haruhi!" They shouted.

"Be careful!" As they helped Haruhi climb in, Honey waved as he and Mori began to back up a little.

"Huh? Honey-senpai? Mori-senpai?" Tamaki raised an eyebrow, a little confused to why they were speaking as if that was where they would be parting.

"There only room for four in the helicopter, Tama-chan!" As the vehicle began to ascend into the air, Honey cupped his hands around his mouth as he shouted as loud as he could. "We'll be waiting for good news!" He grinned, waving happily as the helicopter took off, flying in the direction of the Chiba district.

"Listen, Milord. There's a lot of traffic on the Shuto expressway today, so this is the only route we could take." Back on the helicopter, Kaoru began to explain patiently as he pointed down at a map of Tokyo city which had markings all over them, symbolizing the route they'd be taking. "But we're getting reports of dense fog around Sakura heliport, so we're going to have to take a detour to Nishigawa instead-"

"Master Hikaru! Master Kaoru! The fog is reported to have spread faster than expected." Cutting the ginger off midsentence, the pilot informed in a panicked voice. "It's already reached Nishigawa! Either we take a detour, or we'll have to turn back!" He shouted, causing everyone to freeze up at the unfortunate development.

"Absolutely not!" Leaning forward and clutching the headrest of the pilot's seat in anxiety, Hikaru immediately shut down either option. "We've already lost time taking this route! Force your way through the fog!" He instructed brashly.

"I can't! That's too dangerous!" The pilot protested.

Through the sizzling radio stationed near the front of the passager's rooms, Kyoya cleared his throat, quickly making his presence known. "Hikaru. Calm down." He reprimanded firmly.

"He's right; the pilot always needs to worry about safety first, you know!" Miki agreed, trying to comfort her tense underclassman.

"Kyoya?! Miki?!" Leaning closer to the device, Tamaki gasped in surprise at the voices of his best friend and sister.

"Is that you Tamaki?" Kyoya swiftly took over the radio as he addressed Tamaki. "Listen carefully to my instructions-" However, his words were soon cut short as another round of sizzling ensued, signalling that Kyoya's connection had been cut off, instead replaced by the fragments of a female voice.

"...aki..."

"Kyoya?!" Tamaki grabbed the radio in confusion, unable to understand the new words that were beginning to be put through.

"...maki, do you read?"

"Tamaki-senpai! Haruhi-kun! Hikaru! Kaoru!" However, before anyone could say anything more, a different voice pierced through the jumbling sizzles of the radio as it rang as clear as day.

"That voice..." Finding it familiar, Haruhi flinched for a second as her brain finally found the matching face. "Renge-san?!" She gawked.

"Change direction and land at Tokyo Heliport! I'll fill you in once you get there!" Renge directed cheerfully in her usually bouncy and energetic tone.

Almost immediately after, the first voice switched back onto the microphone as it addressed everyone within the helicopter in its usual sweet and soft-spoken tone. "Everyone, this is Sumire. I'm sorry, but we overheard you all talking about your plan yesterday." She confessed. "We thought that we'd prepare too, just in case and I'm now glad that we did."

"Kazehara-senpai..." Haruhi, Hikaru and Kaoru gasped slightly at the sudden reinforcements who were practically delivering charcoal amid a snowstorm.

"We told you that you could rely on us too, didn't we?" Sumire reminded. "Meaning you mustn't forget the power our families wield as well!" The four people in the helicopter pressed up against the windows, peering down in awe at the crowds of familiar and welcoming faces that surrounded the landing pads of Tokyo Heliport.

"Kazehara-senpai! Renge-san!" Once they have landed, the Tamaki, Haruhi, Hikaru and Kaoru quickly dashed over to the girls who have already dispersed, wasting no time getting into the cars that have been waiting on the side.

"Hurry and get into the car!" Renge indicated. "We should get to Dream Island Marina in five minutes. From there you can take my boat!" She informed as the car swiftly took off from the heliport, with many others that followed in suit.

"Your boat?!" Haruhi sweatdropped.

"Heh heh heh." Nodding her head, Renge began to chuckle proudly." You're sure to be thrilled. It's called the 'Symphony of Renge'!" Glancing over her shoulder and lifting an all-knowing finger, she winked mischievously.

 _11:15 a.m._

"Behold my beautiful boat - nicknamed 'The Comiket'!" Standing proudly at the Dream Island Marina, Renge stood before a giant rosegold yacht, gesturing it with a dramatic movement. "I had especially it ordered specifically so I could steer right up to convention centers for early morning events! It is complete with a reading room so that newly bought doujinshis can be read immediately, and a nap room for my all-nighter binge reading sessions!" She presented proudly. "We'll get to Chiba Harbour in no time, and the Class President will have his car waiting there to take you to Narita Airport." She informed.

"Hmph! Are you stupid? How could that big piece of junk pick up any speed?" Before either of the hosts could mutter a word of thanks, another familiar voice rang behind them, effectively taking a jab at Renge and her over-the-top vehicle. Tamaki turned his head, instantly recognizing the owner of that voice.

"Kuze-senpai?!" He gasped, spotting the former American Football team captain standing before them with his signature orange in hand.

"Take my family's speedboat, Suoh." He smirked smugly, pointing at a smaller and sleeker looking speedboat behind him, Matsuyama standing not far away as she waved at them elegantly. "It'll get you up to the mouth of the Hamada River beyond Chiba Harbour. Unlike that clunker over there, this baby can go up to 90 Knots." He described.

"We're fine as it is!" Not to be outdone, Renge snapped at Kuze as she snarled. "My rose-covered yacht is the most appropriate vehicle to bring Tamaki-senpai to his heartwarming reunion with his mother!" She insisted. "Plus the cameras are already rolling!"

"Shut up! It's obvious he needs speed and the ability to make tight turns!" Unwilling to back down, Kuze retorted angrily as he began to squeeze the orange in his hand, causing the juice to burst out of the fruit. "Look at the situation, woman!" He scolded.

Leaving her fiance to his bickering with an underclassman almost three years younger, Matsuyama approached the group."Excuse us for butting in, Tamaki. He insisted that he wanted to do this to clear his debt to Kyoya, but he's competitive about it as usual." She explained, giggling softly.

"Yo, Suoh! Forget them and take my family's car!" As if they were joining in on the already convoluted plan, the sports team captains called out to the blond with a friendly wave. "Boats are unpredictable as helicopters!" They reasoned.

"The Sports Team Captains?!" Tamaki gawked, a little astonished at the sheer mass of people who have pitched in to help him get to the airport to see his mother.

"If you drive fast, you'll be there in 30 minutes-"

"I'm afraid an accident on the Tokaido Highway between here and Narita has caused a traffic jam. It would take at least an hour by car." Cutting off the Sports Captains in their predictions, Ayame informed in her usual monotonous voice.

"Jounouchi-san?!"

"That being said," Ignoring Tamaki's continuously surprised calls for the familiar faces, Ayame continued. "Even if you went by boat, you'd still have to continue by car once you've reached either Chiba Harbour or Hamada River. Unless you have a police motorcade to clear traffic for you, you'll get stuck in the same situation. But it's too late to request one now; it's 11:20." She reminded, closing her eyes regretfully. "There is really no chance you'll make it to the airport by noon." She stated.

"Hey! We won't know unless we try!" Refusing to accept such an outcome, the sports team captains protested. "Suoh, take my car!" They offered almost aggressively.

"Certainly not!" Quickly shutting them down, Renge stepped forward as she patted a hand over her chest. "Tamaki-senpai, take my boat!" She asserted.

"No, take my boat!" Kuze insisted.

"E-Easy now! Let us think for a minute!" In the face of so many passionate proposals, Hikaru and Kaoru sweatdropped as they stepped in to calm things down.

"What should we do?" Shuffling closer to Tamaki, Haruhi muttered anxiously. "At this rate-"

"Kyoya and Miki are still waiting at Sakura Heliport, aren't they?" Tamaki questioned in a low voice.

"Well, yes, but..."

"Hmm..." Resting a hand to his chin, Tamaki hummed thoughtfully. "Yes, it's coming to me now..." He began to slowly nod his head as if he had discovered something interesting. "Right! It's decided! Hikaru! Kaoru!" There was a flash in his sapphire-like eyes before he quickly snapped his fingers, beckoning the twins forth much like he used to.

"Yes, sir!" They saluted.

"Send an emergency message to those two. Tell them to bring the car down to the mouth of Hamada River at Hakuhari." He instructed, going back to his usual king-like persona before pointing his finger dramatically at Kuze. "Kuze-senpai! We would be grateful to borrow your speed boat!" He affirmed.

"Ah! Sure! Of course!" Though a little surprised at being chosen, Kuze immediately nodded.

Shifting his point to Ayame, Tamaki continued. "Jounouchi-san, please keep me updated on the latest traffic conditions via phone!" He requested.

"Understood." Ayame nodded, re-adjusting her glasses, which sparkled with its signature glare.

"Tamaki-sama, what about us?" Standing to the side, the regulars of the Host Club asked eagerly. "We want to help too!" They cooed.

"Ah, yes. My fair princesses." Reaching forward to take Tsubaki by the hands, Tamaki shot her his usual love-struck daze. "May I request out most special cheers of encouragement to press us onward?" He inquired softly. "It would certainly lighten my heart along with my steps."

The girls squealed at the request with star-stuck eyes. "I-It would be our pleasure!" They nodded in excitement.

"Sports Captains, I ask you to please escort these sweet princesses safely back to Ouran."

"All right! Leave it to us!" The Sports Captains quickly complied with wide grins.

"Haruhi, Hikaru and Kaoru, you three come with me!"

"Roger!" The twins nodded, wasting no time as they rushed over to the speedboat.

"Ta-Tamaki-senpai!" A little overwhelmed by the blond giving out orders to the crowd like rapid-fire, Haruhi exclaimed. "You heard Jounouchi-senpai, why are we going by boat?" She questioned, confused by his decision.

"Haruhi," Not bothering to turn and look at her, Tamaki uttered. "There comes a time when a man must fight even when he knows it's a hopeless battle." He proclaimed.

"Huh? What nonsense is this...?" Haruhi raised an eyebrow, not understanding what he was implying.

Clearing his throat, Tamaki lifted his head with his usual stupid grin plastered across his face. "If I'm going to fight as the King of the Host Club, it better be done in high style!" He shouted, causing Haruhi to jolt back as she finally understood his absurd reasoning.

 _In other words... He chose the flashiest way._

"Dear Friends," Turning his head to sweep his gaze over the mass of people who had rushed here with the sheer desire to help him, Tamaki's eyes crinkled softly. "I beg your pardon for all the fuss me and my family have caused." He apologized, boarding the steps of the speedboat so he could oversee the crowd a little better. "And though it pains me to trouble you more, I ask that you lend me your power!" He shouted, thrusting a fist into the air as the crowd followed in suit.

"Yes, Sir!" Everyone present let out a loud cheer, responding to his rallying cry with one of their own.

 _11:20 a.m._

Standing near the helipad at Sakura Heliport, Miki was shuffling around on her feet as her hands tightly gripped onto the radio transmitter. The wind was especially strong at such a high altitude, as her hair was thrown all over the place. Though it didn't seem to bother her, as her attention was focused solely on the device within her hands. "What should we do, Kyoya-kun?" She peered up at him anxiously. "It's already 11:20 a.m."

"They're most likely fine," Kyoya said, reassuring her for the seventh time in the last fifteen minutes. "If I had to take a guess, they are probably with the regulars and some others from our school." He predicted, feeling his eyebrow twitch slightly. "Even after I told them to follow my instructions exactly, going off on their own like that…" He grunted.

"B-But…" Miki stammered as her eyes flickered to a downcast. "If Tamaki-kun doesn't make it here soon…" Her voice trailed off, unable to finish his sentence.

Sensing her hesitation, Kyoya glanced over momentarily as he studied her worried expression. Heaving a long sigh, he turned and lowered his body, staring directly at her from eye-level. "If you don't trust that idiot to make it here on time, then what about trusting in me?" He offered with a smug look.

"Eh?"

"Yesterday, You said that you are swearing on your honour as part of the Suoh family to ensure that Tamaki meets his mother." Kyoya reminded, reaching up to gently tap her forehead with his index finger. "I won't let that honour go to waste. So believe in me." He ensured, the corners of his lips curling upward.

Miki blinked a couple of times at his statement as she reached up, gently brushing her fingers over the spot on her forehead where his warmth still lingered slightly. "Okay," Breaking into her usual bright beam, she nodded. "I trust in you, Kyoya-kun!"

Almost immediately after she said that, Kyoya phone began to ring within his pocket. He raised an eyebrow, swiftly fishing the device out of his pocket and checking the caller ID.

 _Incoming Call from_

 _Hitachiin Kaoru_

"Kaoru?" Peering over his arm, Miki cocked her head to the side curiously.

Accepting the call, Kyoya brought the device up and pressed it against the shell of his ear. "What is it?" He inquired.

"Kyoya-senpai!" Kaoru's voice was muffled. He sounded as if he was shouting into the microphone, trying to outmatch the sound of the thrashing winds and a motor running in the background. "Milord ask for you to bring the car down to the mouth of Hamada River at Hakuhari! Long story short, we are making our way up in Kuze-senpai's speedboat right now!" He notified urgently.

Kyoya grumbled, annoyed by Tamaki's 'My-Pace' attitude as per usual. "Very well. We'll head there now." He replied, drawing a short breath before closing his flip phone and effectively ending the call. "See?" He raised an eyebrow, eyeing Miki's joyful expression with a snarky glance.

"Does this mean we are commencing Plan B?" Holding her hands in fists before her chest, she asked eagerly.

Kyoya simply nodded as he averted his eyes, slightly irritated by how his teasing question literally rolled over the strawberry blonde's head.

"Okay, I'll send a message to Arden-" Miki hummed excitedly only to freeze when her phone began to play its familiar tune once she pulled it out of her pocket. "Eh?" She blinked a little, staring down blankly at the caller ID. "Sora-chan…?" She muttered curiously, capturing Kyoya's attention as she answered the call and brought the device to her ears.

"M-I-K-I-C-H-A-N!" The second the call when through, Sora's voice popped in as she pronounced Miki's name clearly in an agitated tone.

"H-Huh?" Miki tilted her head.

"Don't 'Huh?' me!" Sora asserted. "What's this about you actually being Tamaki-sama's sister?!" She questioned aloud.

"Eh?"

"Calm down, Sora-san." Faintly in the background, Sumire's voice could also be heard as well, presumably standing next to her best friend. "I'm sure Miki-san had her reasons too, there is no need to be upset over it." She pointed out.

"It doesn't matter! How could she keep such a juicy secret from us?!" Sora whined as the microphone on her end became muffled, presumably due to how much she was flailing her arms. "Now that I think about it more, 'It may just be a common name' is such a flimsy excuse, I feel like an idiot for even believing that!" She complained.

"W-Wait, Sora-chan, Sumire-san." Unable to keep up with the conversation, Miki blinked a little as she felt her brain begin to shortcircuit. "How did you two-?"

"Ahh, about that…" Sumire's voice became the central focus as she brought the microphone closer to herself, though Miki could still hear Sora's faint murmurs in the background. "We've eavesdropped a little on your conversation yesterday in the Music Room because we were a little worried that you might need some extra assistance. However, we ended up overhearing not only your rescue plan but also you declaring that you were Tamaki-sama's sister." She explained apologetically. "So, now Sora-san is…"

"Aghhh! Why couldn't I see it?" Sora's ranting became a little louder with every new point that she was reminded of and brought up. "The way that they were acting towards each other, it wasn't as lovers but as siblings! I can't believe we couldn't even pick up on something as simple as that!" She grumbled. "Ahh, and to think at one point, I even thought they looked good together as a couple. I am thoroughly disgusted with myself right now." She announced irritably.

"That…" Sumire sweatdropped at her best friend's frustrations before turning back to the main topic of the phone call. "The truth is, Sora-san and I have already figured out that there was something you weren't telling us," She stated in a soft voice. "But despite that, we still wanted to wait until you talked to us about it yourself."

Miki froze at her explanation. "Why...?" She asked, unable to understand her friends' actions.

"Because you are our friend and we believe in you, Miki-san," Sumire affirmed in her usual sweet and gentle tone. "And no matter what your status is, no matter which family you're from. That will not change."

Hearing those comforting words, Miki's lips parted a little as her eyes rounded, she felt the moisture begin to gather within them as her nose turned sore.

"But you better be prepared for the next time we meet!" Cutting back into the conversation, Sora proclaimed fiercely with a hint of delight and relief laced in her voice. "I expect a full-length explanation from you, details and everything!" She demanded.

"S-Sora-san..."

"But for now, let's focus on getting Tamaki-sama to Narita Airport!" Clearing her throat, Sora then declared as she veered the conversation back on track. "And then after all that..." She paused for a moment, her tone shifting to her usual light-hearted one once again. "We can finally get to know the real Miki-chan, right?" She asked expectingly.

"Sora-chan... Sumire-san..." Sniffling slightly as tears of joy began to brim her eyes, threatening to spill, Miki nodded. "Yes! Yes, absolutely!" She assured. "I promise to tell you both everything afterwards."

"Miki-san..." Sumire hummed happily.

"Alright!" Sora cheered. "Now that's settled, do your best, Miki-chan! You and Ootori-san better get Tamaki-sama to the airport on time!" She reminded playfully.

"Of course! Leave it to us!" Swiftly wiping away her tears with the base of her palms, Miki nodded resolutely.

Kyoya's eyes crinkled slightly, watching as Miki slowly hung up the phone with a blissful smile. "Good news, huh?" He asked, studying her profile for a second as she turned to face him.

Holding her phone close to her chest as if it were a priceless treasure to her, Miki tilted her head to the side and flashed him her usual radiant smile as the winds began to pick up once again, this time in the form of a soft breeze. "Yes, the best news." She agreed enthusiastically. Kyoya's eyes widened, spotting the crystal-like teardrops that twinkled at the corner of her eyes. Combining those with her swaying strawberry brown hair that weaved through the wind, as well as her sweet smile...

Kyoya felt his breath hitch.

She was absolutely beautiful.

"Master Kyoya, Miss Miki!" On the other side of the heliport, Hotta called out to the duo with a small wave, effectively snapping Kyoya out of his thoughts. "The car is ready!" The man addressed.

"Coming!" Miki sang as she spun on the ball of her foot, about to walk off when Kyoya's voice halted her in her tracks.

"Miki..."

"Hm?" In response, Miki turned her body to the side with the intentions to turn around and face him. However, she found that she couldn't move when a firm pair of arms encircled around her shoulders, gently tugging her backward and into a familiar grasp. She subconsciously sucked in a harsh breath as her heart rate began to palpitate at the warm breath trickled down her neck. She shuddered at the sensation, sinking into the warmth of the gesture.

As he leaned forward to rest his chin on her shoulder, Kyoya let out a small chuckle at how quickly and naturally she melted into his arms. "I love you," He stated simply.

Time stopped for just a moment as Miki slowly began to process his words. Her hazel eyes rounded at the notion of his sudden declaration. "...Eh?" Her lips parted slightly, letting out a small gasp.

"The girl that I've mentioned that I was in love with..." Bringing his lips closer to her ears, Kyoya whispered. "It's you." He elaborated.

 _Kyoya-kun... Is in love... with me?_

As she stared down blankly at the concrete ground before her, Miki's thoughts began to grow hazier by the second. It was as if her body was shutting down from the strange mixture of joy and sadness that sprouted within her, as she struggled to understand both feelings, his and her own.

"Master Kyoya, Miss Miki!" However, before either of them could say anything, Hotta called for the two once more.

"But right now is not the time to talk about this," Slowly peeling away from her and taking a few steps ahead, Kyoya mused at the dazed expression he was awarded with. "We need to get going. We'll talk about this later, okay?" He assured, sending her blank stare a triumphant smirk.

"O-Okay..." Miki muttered, remarking on how her back suddenly felt a little chilly without Kyoya's embrace.

 _11:35 a.m._

"Tamaki! Over here!" At the mouth of the Hamada River, Kyoya stood with Aijima and Hotta, watching as Kuze's family speedboat docked near the bank of the river with a rippling splash.

"Kyoya!" Spotting his best friend, Tamaki began climbing up the ladders and out of the vehicle, Haruhi following close behind.

"Honestly! Going off on your own like that...!" As Aijima and Hotta helped the four of them out of the boat, Kyoya couldn't help but scold him out of frustration. "I told you to follow my instructions exactly, didn't I?!" He reminded in annoyance.

"S-Sorry. But..."

"Did you really think I wouldn't have a contingency plan?" Cutting off whatever his reasonings were, Kyoya huffed out a breath before allowing his lips to curl upward into a smirk. "Even if I do say so myself, I'm rather confident in my own powers of calculation. I had already surmised that you would end up taking this route." He hummed, readjusting his glasses as Tamaki and Haruhi joined him back onto the main streets, finding a clear-straight road lined with men in the Chiba police uniform as well as members from the Kasanoda Clan, leading directly ahead and onto an accident-free Tokaido Highway. "Like this, you'll get to the airport in 15 minutes." He informed smugly.

"W-Wait," Spotting only one car, Tamaki hesitated. "What about Hikaru and Kaoru...?" He asked.

"We won't all fit in the car," Rushing up from the river banks, the twins called out. "You two go on without us!" They directed.

"Hikaru... Kaoru..." Tamaki's sniffled lightly before lunging forward and grabbing the two into a tight group hug. "I love you guys!" He cried happily.

"We love you too!" The twins responded, hugging him back in glee.

"Good Luck, Fujioka!" Kasanoda, who had also joined in to help ensure his minions' cooperation, waved as Haruhi ran past him.

"Kasanoda-kun!" Haruhi gawked.

"Tamaki! Hurry up!" Kyoya, who at this point, already arrived at the passenger seat ushered, waving the blond over.

"R-Right!" Giving the twins one last pat on the back, Tamaki dashed over along with Haruhi. However, the moment he opened the car door to let himself in, a hand reached out to grab him by the collar and dragged him into the vehicle. "WAH!" He let out a squeal, not having enough time to assess what was happening. The only thing he saw was a hand being reeled back as if the person was about to slap him. He closed his eyes, bracing himself for the impact, only to find that it never came. After a few seconds, he gingerly opened his eyes to find his sister, sitting before him with trembling arms while her eyes were hidden behind her bangs. However, before he could say anything, the hand instead patted down on his shoulders as she threw herself into his arms, shuddering ever-so-slightly. "M-Miki?!" He stammered, a little surprised by the rollercoaster of emotions that had occurred within her in that mere moment.

"Milord, Haruhi!" Watching as the brunette finally climbed in behind the two siblings who sat before each other in silence, Hikaru and Kaoru called out as the car began to start. "You'll make it!" They assured, giving the group a big grin and thumbs up.

Turning around the stare out the rolled-down car window, Haruhi suddenly felt a bittersweet sensation rise within her. "Hikaru... Kaoru... Thank you!" Watching as they became further and further away as the car began to pick up speed, she shouted back.

After they had promptly taken off and turned onto the highway leading towards the airport, Tamaki stared down at the strawberry blonde, who still didn't seem to have any intentions of letting him go just yet. "Hey, Miki..." He whispered comfortingly, attempting to reach around and embrace her only for her grip to tighten around his neck.

"Tamaki-kun... You..." Miki murmured as her arms began to tremble. "You big idiot!" Then suddenly out of seemingly nowhere, she let out a loud scream as large, bead-like tears started to roll down her cheeks and wet his shoulder.

"E-Eh?" Tamaki muttered in confusion.

Pulling away from him, Miki stared directly into her brother's ocean-blue eyes, pressing her lips together in an attempt to stop herself from crying with no avail. "I heard what you tried to do when I disappeared!" She shouted. "So why...? Why didn't you search for me and come talk to me?!" She questioned out loud, shaking him by the shoulders as if she were trying to knock some sense into him. "We promised that whatever happened from now on, we'd shoulder it together! Yet... Yet you still went off alone again..." She bit her quivering bottom lip, quickly retracting a hand to wipe away the tears that clouded her vision. "Listen to me, Tamaki-kun." She continued, grabbing onto both of his shoulders once again. "Even if the world were to turn against you, even if the world were to shun and abandon you, I'd still stand by your side no matter the cost! Because we're siblings! We were both born to unfortunate circumstances caused by this family, so in the end, we can only rely on each other!" She declared loudly as her voice began to crack. "So, please... Just once in a while... " She begged, losing her composure as she collapsed into his arms again. "Rely on me... please..."

Tamaki felt his nose become sore as his sister broke down into a weeping mess in his arms. "Miki..." He muttered, wrapping his arms around her and pulling her as close as he could in a bone-crushing hug. "I'm sorry... I just... I wanted you to be able to live happily again..." He confessed, tightening his grip around her. "But thank you for being safe..." He whispered, letting out a shaky breath. "Thank you..."

Haruhi's eyes crinkled into a wistful smile, while Kyoya simply huffed out a small wry chuckle at the scene.

After a few moments, as the two finally calmed down, Tamaki peeled away as he began to wipe away the moisture within his eyes. "Speaking of which, how did you two get the police to clear out that accident on Tokaido Highway so quickly?" He asked curiously. "I thought Jounouchi-san said-"

"Ah, about that," Wiping away the dried tear stains on her cheeks, Miki sounded. "I might have abused the Suoh Corporation power, just a little bit." She admitted bluntly.

"M-Miki..." Tamaki sweatdropped. "Is that even allowed?" He pointed out.

"Probably," Averting her eyes to the side, Miki hummed, unfazed. "I'll explain to father later. But Tamaki-kun, afterwards we need to have a good talk with father and grandmother." She suggested. "The four of us, as a family." She emphasized, tilting her head slightly as a peaceful smile surfaced upon her cheeks.

Tamaki nodded in agreement as he reached forward to pat his sister on the head gently. "Yes, as a family." He returned her words with a tender expression.

Seeing as they were about to approach the main entrance to the airport loading area, Kyoya cleared his throat. "As much as I hate to disturb this touching moment between you two; Tamaki, when we let you off at Terminal 1, head for the North Wing Gate 15. They've already begun boarding, so just run past the security checkpoint and head straight for the gate." He instructed as he peered over his shoulder, giving the blond an encouraging look. "Run on the plane if you need to. My staff will sort things out with the airport." He explained.

Tilting his head slightly, Tamaki blinked. "What about you two?" He asked, his gaze darting between his best friend and his sister.

"I'll wait with the car." Closing his eyes, Kyoya asserted. "I'm sure it's going to become a tearful reunion scene straight out of a movie, right? I'd rather not get involved with something like that." He smirked.

"This is your first time seeing Anne-Sophie-san in three years, right?" Miki added. "Wouldn't it be best if there was no one else to bother you?"

"Oh..." Sensing that she should follow in suit, Haruhi muttered. "Then maybe I should also stay in the car." She suggested, only for Tamaki to reach out and grab her hand, interlacing their fingers in a tight grasp.

"Haruhi, stay with me to the end." He requested nervously, clasping her hand so tightly that he realized how much he was trembling. "I haven't seen my mother in years, so my hands are shaking..." He chuckled awkwardly before turning to glance forward at Kyoya in the front seat. "Kyoya, thank you," He mumbled, reaching a fist forward.

"You're welcome." Kyoya huffed, returning his gesture by giving him a fist-bump.

"Miki, I love you." Tamaki then turned to Miki, pulling her close for a quick hug.

"I love you too, Tamaki-kun." Miki giggled airily, giving him a hug in return.

Suddenly, the car halted to a screeching stop as Tachibana pulled the breaks on the vehicle. Kyoya immediately whipped his head around. "We're here, get going!" He shouted, directing the two to move on ahead.

As Haruhi opened the car door and began to dash out, Miki had a blank second where she just stared at Tamaki's backside. She wanted to say something else. She wanted to do something more to encourage him, just as he had done for her many times over. But for a moment, she couldn't find the right words. She bit her bottom lip, searching for the right words when a particular phrase she had been waiting to say surfaced from her sea of memories. Swiftly climbing out of the car behind them, she sucked in a deep breath as she began to gather all of her energy within her diaphragm. Finally, she let out the loudest scream she could muster.

 _"RUN! BIG BROTHER!"_

With that powerful outcry, Tamaki suddenly felt as if his body had been charged with electricity. He felt his feet push off against the ground in a renewed force as he began to run faster and faster, bolting straight into the opening glass doors and into the crowded airport.

Slowly, Kyoya exited the car to stand alongside Miki as she slowly peered up to greet him. The moment that those hazel and greyish eyes locked with one another, time seemed to have halted between them for just a little while, as if it were trying to preserve each little moment they shared.

"I'm sorry, Kyoya-kun." Breaking through the comfortable silence, Miki was finally the first to speak as her eyes flickered, the tears that had been accumulated seemed like they were about to flood. "I'm so sorry. Even after all this time, I still can't understand what love is." She bit her bottom lip as her fists clenched tightly. "Love is such a sensitive and complex emotion. Not everyone can express how they truly feel, so they end up contradicting themselves or lying, which makes it even more difficult for me to understand." It was as if she had allowed something that seemed to fiercely burn at her throat pass through, as the tears that inevitably poured down her cheeks were feverish, trailing along her chin as she struggled to wipe all of them away. "But I still really wanted to know though, especially after you said you were in love, I wanted to know what you were feeling. But, I-." Too choked up to continue speaking, she wounded up hiding her face within her hands as the tears slipped through the gaps between her fingers.

Kyoya's hand reach forwards but halted in its tracks as his expression distorted bitterly.

"But I do know one thing," Once she calmed down a little, Miki attempted to recompose herself as she glanced up to stare at him through her blurry vision. "When I was locked away in the Second Mansion - all I could think about was you. Without you, nothing in my world seemed beautiful anymore." She confessed, her hazel eyes glistened with tears as if they were two large topazes. "I wanted to go out; I wanted to be by your side. That's why I broke out on my own." Before she realized, her voice had deflated as if she were withering away along with the tears that continued to spill from her eyes. "So please, allow me to continue to stay by your side…" She requested through her cracking voice. "I don't mind if you see me as a tool. I simply want to be with you, that is all." She said. "Nothing else is necessary. All I want to do… is be with you."

Gently, Kyoya leaned forward to take hold of her wrists and moved them away from her face, effectively switching them with his hands as he cupped her cheeks, forcing her to stare up at him with a dazed look. "Miki, listen to me when I tell you this." He spoke, softly caressing her cheeks with a pained expression. "You are not a tool. I don't care if you were born to be one or created to be one; you were never a tool to me, to begin with." He asserted.

Miki's glossy eyes rounded in confusion, as she forever swayed between her identities of being a tool or a person. Her brain had gone blank by his simple statement, unable to process what he meant. "If… I am not a tool, then why…" She murmured, eyes narrowing as more tears spilled over those hazel pupils. "Why did you continue to stay by my side…?" She asked.

"I told you this already, haven't I?" Tracing a thumb over the apple of her cheek and effectively wiping away a few droplets of tears, Kyoya's eyes crinkled. "It's because I love you, Miki. As a person, as a woman." He stated.

"B-But I…" Miki stammered, unable to find the proper words to respond. "I don't understand love..." She uttered, her gaze dropping low as her brows drew closer together in a frown.

"You really are a simpleton." Kyoya huffed out a small breath in a mixture of frustration and affection, before brushing back a few loose strands of her hair with his fingers. "Allow me to explain this in a way that even you would understand then." He said, lowering his body so that he was staring at eye level with the girl. "Tell me, Miki. Why did Rapunzel decide to escape her tower?" He inquired.

 _Why did Rapunzel decide to escape her tower?_

It's a question Miki had pondered over for the many years she's lived. Because up until then, Rapunzel's motives and actions had never made sense to the sheltered child.

But now, she was different.

But now, despite not being able to grasp everything. Little by little, she was able to understand the joy and sorrow, the anger, the fear, the jealousy, the pain, the disappointment... The special feeling one may feel towards someone... She may not have been able to experience them all, but by communicating with others and watching them grow through it. She felt like she could understand a little more.

 _And she may have found her answer, to both that and a personal question of her own._

"Because..." Miki began, feeling another flow of tears gush through her eyes. "Because she fell in love with the Prince. And I fell in love with you, Kyoya-kun." She answered, the words slipping past her lips as if they were the most natural thing to say to the man standing before her. She reached up, pressing her hands against the back of Kyoya's as if confirming that it was indeed him. "I love you, Kyoya-kun. I love you so much." She declared, her lips curling upward into a sweet smile.

Finally hearing the words he's been waiting for, Kyoya smirked victoriously. "Correct." He praised, before bringing her face closer and placing a long-awaited kiss on her lips.

"Hika-chan! Kao-chan!" Standing outside the customs division of the airport, Honey and Mori were the last to arrive as they greeted the twins who were staring out of one of the tall airport windows, watching as flights took off and landed.

"Honey-senpai, Mori-senpai! Nice work!" Kaoru chimed, waving at the duo as they approached.

"Huh?" Honey tilted his head slightly, noting that there were still quite a few members missing from their little reunion, specifically the ones that arrived way before them. "Where is everyone else?" He asked, glancing around in search for them.

"Milord and Haruhi are still inside the airport." Shrugging nonchalantly, Kaoru informed. "Kyoya-senpai and Miki-senpai..." His voice trailed off slightly as he remembered the scene he briefly witnessed before making his way into the airport. "Well, it's best not to bother them right now." He suggested with a light snicker.

"Oh." Honey beamed softly as he understood what he meant. "And Tama-chan's mommy?" He continued.

"He got to see her off," Kaoru affirmed with a wide grin. "Their reunion only lasted five minutes, but I'm sure he can go see her whenever he wants now." He suggested.

"I wonder..." Leaning his side up against a window with a thoughtful expression, Hikaru hummed quietly. "I wonder if Haruhi confessed to milord...?" He asked rhetorically, speaking his thoughts out loud.

"Hikaru..."

"She probably did, huh?" Hikaru chuckled breathlessly, lips curling to form a wistful smile as a thin film of tears coated his eyes.

Kaoru gave a wry smile. "If she did, it means all your hard work paid off." He muttered, watching as Hikaru's body began to quiver as he reached a hand up to rub his eyes. "I'm sure she'll be able to get her feelings through to him." He assured.

"Y-Yeah..." Hikaru nodded.

"Hika-chan!" After watching with a tender smile for a little while, Honey sprung over to his underclassman with his arms wide open. "You can cry into my chest if you want." He offered teasingly as Mori appeared behind the boy, awkwardly patting his head.

"I-I'm fine!" Sniffling back the last of his tears, Hikaru jolted at the weird treatment he was receiving left and right. "Can everyone just shut up?! Where are Kyoya-senpai and Miki-senpai anyways?!" He complained, flailing his arms with his usual grin back on his face.

A/N: I'm so sorry that this chapter is a day late! I was travelling on a plane all yesterday, so not only was I so tired by the time I got the hotel, but I had also lost all my sense of time once I arrived at my destination :/. Overall, I really hope you guys enjoyed this chapter, it has been full of excitement, heartwarming moments and lots of tears.

It's been one hell of a ride, but Kyoki is finally official! REJOICE EVERYONE!

I wanted to take the opportunity today to explain a little on Kyoya and Miki's relationship, as I answer the question - "Between the two of them, who exactly fell in love first?" I know I've asked a few of you guys this question in the comments and the responses so far have varied. Some say Kyoya, while others say Miki. I've even had some say both as they fell in love simultaneously in Chapter 10 XD. I've always kept the answer to this question a little secret to myself, except for the times I've gone on for hours describing it to my friends who had enough patience to sit through my ranting and commentary. (Again, thank you, Mr. JW XD)

As an author, I believe Miki was the one who fell in love first. To simply put it, she developed a small infatuation with Kyoya the moment he stopped her in the hallway to question her about her identity back in Chapter 1, because in a sense that was the first time someone truly began to pry into her life and get close to discovering who she was. But from then on, those feelings of infatuation eventually developed into feelings of love as she got to know and understand him better. That was why she remarked that her feelings towards Kyoya had never changed around Chapter 41 because it simply never did. On the other hand, I'd like to think Kyoya developed a romantic interest in her around Chapter 4 when they went to the pool, mostly because that was when he fully realized how much an idiot she was. If I had to give a hard chapter could for when they actually fell in love though, I'd say around Chapter 29-30 for Miki, while Chapter 35-36 for Kyoya. But this will probably be a secret those two will never realize, seeing as it all lies with Miki actually becoming self-aware enough to understand this. And we all know that ain't happening ;)

With that, have a great day!

XOXO,

Astra


	56. 49 Operation: Tailing or Dating!

A/N: When Miki calls Tamaki, 'Big Brother' or 'Brother,' she's referring to him as 'Onii-san.'

 _-Chapter 49-_

Operation: Tailing or Dating?!

Three days after what was perhaps the grandest collaboration among the students throughout Ouran's History, a press conference was held by the Suoh Corporation, informing the general population of recent developments within the group. At the world-broadcasted conference, Suoh Yuzuru brought about two important pieces of news. One bore the announcement that the recently retired, Suoh Shizue's re-entry into the group as a broad advisor. While the other was the reveal of a brand new addition member to the Suoh family - a young girl at only age sixteen. Journalists were quick to embellish in their articles, describing how her presence alone was enough to captivate the entire audience; how her beauty was unparalleled with her silky strawberry-brown hair and shimmering hazel eyes; how elegantly she carried and conducted herself despite the eager and enthusiastic interviewers, and how her smile was so infectious that she'd light up the room and everyone around her along with it. Those articles garnered many nicknames, calling her the 'Beautiful Princess,' 'Modern-day Rapunzel' or even 'The Incarnation of Aphrodite.'

As for her real name, well, that was also reported at the conference and printed in black and white ink on the morning newspapers distributed across the world.

Her name was...

"Miki-chan-senpai! It's Miki-chan-senpai!" On the first floor of the mostly empty south wing, a girl began to wave her hands up in the air as she spotted a long-awaited figure approaching them from down the hallway. With her cry of excitement, the other three girls who accompanied her all turned their heads in suit, following her gaze to spot their upperclassman with her signature strawberry-brown hair.

"Hello, everyone!" Jogging over, Miki returned the enthusiastic wave with one of her own. "I hope you didn't wait for too long." She said, arriving before the girls with a small huff.

"Not at all, we were all looking forward to meeting you in person anyway." A girl who wore a pair of dark-rimmed glasses replied courteously.

"You look wonderful, by the way." Another noted, gesturing the white and golden toga dress as well as the shimmering golden headpiece that laced through her strawberry brown hair. Miki glanced over, pausing for a second as she noticed the girl had a pair of gleaming amethyst-like eyes hidden behind the shadow of her bangs.

"Thank you very much!" Shaking her head to stop herself from continuously staring into those uniquely coloured-eyes, Miki then lowered her head into a bow. "I'm also terribly sorry for not appearing as promised to guide you all around on the first day of school. I hope I didn't cause too much trouble from my unannounced absence." She apologized.

"No, it's completely fine." A girl with medium-length, silver-hair hummed nonchalantly as she plucked out a strange-looking chip from the plastic package in her hands. "Sora-senpai and Sumire-senpai were great guides either way. I've heard about what happened, so I'm honestly just glad you've returned to school safe and sound." She said with a dry smile, eyeing Miki with a mixture of pity and relief.

"Oh, I heard about it too." The final girl chimed as her gaze flickered upwards. "I watched the press conference over the weekend, and it's still a little hard to wrap my head around the news." She said, tucking a few strands of dirty blonde hair behind her ears. "But I gotta say, you looked great during the interview. Those reporters weren't lying when they talked about how pretty you were." She concluded, turning back to Miki with a mischievous twinkle in her eyes.

"Why thank you." Miki beamed, recalling the number of absurd articles that had exploded across the world in the past few days. "Though I do think they were exaggerating a little." She asserted. "It's too much, calling me 'The Incarnation of Aphrodite.'"

"Hm?" The girl with purple eyes tilted her head slightly, looking a little confused on the subject at hand. "What sort of press conference are you talking about?" She asked curiously, only to jolt when the three others whipped their heads around to stare at her with a questioning gaze.

"That's right, you've just settled in from Britain, so I suppose it's natural that you haven't heard." After a few moments, the girl with glasses was the first to speak as she heaved a wry sigh before beginning to explain. "Recently, the Suoh family held a press conference and made recently two announcements. One of which, they revealed that Miki-chan-senpai here is the first-born daughter to theirs and that Fernández family from Spain." She retold patiently as she lifted an all-knowing finger. "According to sources, she was a secret child of the political marriage between the current Chairman and the recently-retired Duchess."

"Oh my," Hearing that explanation, the girl with purple eyes brought her hands to her lips as she couldn't help but gasped in surprise. "That is quite the news." She commented, turning her attention back to her upperclassman.

"Now, now." Holding her hands behind her back, Miki sounded. "There is no reason to treat me differently because of something as simple as a family name. I'd much prefer it if you all were to act a little more familiar with me, so just treat me as a normal 'senpai,' alright?" She insisted before allowing her gaze to sweep over the girls one last time only to notice that they were missing one. "Hm? Is this all of you?" She blinked a couple of times, recounting people that have gathered. "Sora-chan mentioned that she met with five students."

"Ah, Aoi-chan?" The blonde girl hummed as she reached up to wrap her arms behind her head. "She's a little busy with club activities today, so couldn't join us. But she did ask us to say 'hi' to you for her." She notified.

"Aoi-chan...?" Tapping a finger to her cheek, Miki repeated thoughtfully. "I see. Well, if that's the case, shall we all do a round of self-introductions so I could learn your names?" She suggested, earning a few nods in approval. "Allow me to start then. As all of you know, my name is Suoh Miki. I am a student of Class 3-A, and some of my personal hobbies include designing, exploring and travelling. It's a pleasure to meet you." She flashed a bright smile before lowering her head in a formal bow.

"I guess I'll go first." The girl with silver-hair volunteered and as she brushed off the residue of chips on the tips of her fingers. Miki's eyes widened a little, noticing that she had sapphire blue eyes, much like Tamaki. "My name is Tashiro Kayda. I am a member of Class 1-B, and I've recently been elected as Class Representative. As for personal hobbies..." She paused for a second, thinking. "Well, I like to dance and play music... Oh, and I also really like to eat." She added, playfully gesturing the strange bag of chips in her hands. "Would you guys like a piece?"

"Oh, sure."

"Yes, please."

"Hm... These are really good." Miki remarked, indulging in the exotic flavour that lingered in her mouth. "Where are they from?" She asked curiously.

"Hm... I think my father imported them from North America?" Kayda muttered as her gaze flickered upward, a little unsure. "I'll have back to you on that."

"Please do, I'd love to try more of these another time." Nodding happily, Miki chirped before turning to the blonde beside her. "And you?" She urged with a small head tilt.

"I am Safia Leclerc, part of Class 1-C." She replied, bringing her arms down from behind her head and patting her chest confidently. "My family is French, and we moved here when I was around two-years-old." She informed. "I actually have a sister in your grade, senpai. Do you know her? Her name is Roselyn Leclerc, in Class 3-C." She said.

"Roselyn... Leclerc...?" Tapping a finger to her chin, Miki closed her eyes as she began to search through her memories for a person with that name. "Ah, I do know her. Leclerc-san and I were acquainted during the sports festival as she was apart of the white team. I see, so you are her younger sister." She murmured, her gaze sweeping over the girl that stood before smiling as she spotted the resemblance between the two. "Well then, I hope we can get along, Safia-chan!" She chimed, grabbing her underclassman by the hands as she flashed an airy beam.

"Y-Yeah, same here." Safia flinched a little, feeling a little pressured in the face of such overwhelming friendliness.

Seeing the Safia looking a little troubled, the girl with glasses then cleared her throat. "I suppose we should go too." She suggested, adjusting her twin braids on her shoulders. "My name is Akiyama Tsuki, and I am the Class Representative of Class 1-A." She introduced herself with an air of confidence. "I-"

"Akiyama?!" However, before she could even finish her sentence, Miki lunged forth as she held her hands before her chest. "As in that famous water-colour painter Akiyama-sensei?!" She questioned, her eyes shimmering out of sheer excitement.

"Huh?" Tsuki blinked a little. "O-Oh, yeah." She then nodded, after finally processing what that her upperclassman was mumbling about.

"Really?!" Cupping her cheeks in admiration, Miki gasped in awe. "I'm Akiyama-sensei's big fan! To think I'd be able to meet his daughter here..." She muttered incoherently before jolting in shock as she remembered this tour was meant to be for them. Clearing her throat, she swiftly calmed and recomposed herself. "So Tsuki-chan, do you enjoy painting like your father?" She then asked with a sweet smile.

 _Miki-chan-senpai..._ The four girls couldn't help but sweatdrop. _She's a freaking cinnamon roll!_

"Y-Yeah, I do." Tsuki nodded. "Though I tend to prefer oil painting a little more than water-colour. Other than that, I like to sing and dance in my free time." She explained, unable to help herself from grinning at how much Miki resembled an enthusiastic puppy.

"I see." Backing up, Miki clapped her hands together cheerfully. "Then you have something in common with Kayda-chan, right?" She noted before turning to the final girl, who tensed a little, the one with those eccentric purple eyes. "And, who might this be next to you?" She urged softly.

"M-My name is Akemi Skyler, and I am in Class 1-A." She introduced herself in a little bit of an accent, lowering her head in a small bow. "I enjoy reading books as well as cooking and baking. I am a foreign exchange student from the campus established in Britain, so do forgive me if my Japanese isn't the best." She said, smiling shyly.

"No, not at all." Miki quickly waved her hands. "Your Japanese is very formal and accurate as a matter of fact." She reassured.

"Britain, huh?" Kayda murmured, bringing another chip closer to her lips as her gaze flickered upward. "I didn't know Ouran had a campus there."

"Oh, they do in many places," Safia asserted, leaned back against walls of the corridor. "The Chairman is a man with a strong influence across the world, after all." She pointed out.

"Yes. Britain as well as many countries throughout Europe, even in North America if I recall correctly." Tsuki listed, rubbing her chin thoughtfully.

"North America...?" Miki repeated, eyes rounding slightly.

"Yes." Skyler nodded courteously. "They have quite a few established in the United States. Namely Los Angles, Miami and even Boston." She informed.

"I see..." Averting her eyes to the side, Miki hummed wordlessly before returning her attention back to the group as she clapped her hands together. "Well, now that we have all gotten to know each other, shall we be on our tour?" She suggested, lifting an all-knowing finger.

"Yes!"

"Wow, the drama club seemed like a lot of fun!" Safia snickered, letting out a satisfied sigh in an attempt to calm herself from laughing so much.

"Indeed." Walking alongside her, Skyler couldn't help but giggle as well. "I believe it'll be perfect for you, Leclerc-san. Since you're so outgoing and sociable." She commented.

"I heard that they put on stage plays every year during the cultural festival, are you sure you'd be able to memorize all the lines?" Glancing behind her with deadpanned eyes, Kayda teased as she bit into a chip.

"I definitely could if I tried." Safia retorted.

"Still, I never thought Kazehara-senpai would be the type to be in the drama club and all..." Tsuki hummed, ignoring the playful banter that was taking place behind her. She glanced up to study Miki's backside, a little estranged by how quiet she's been. "Where are we headed to next, Miki-chan-senpai?" Racing to catch up with the strawberry blonde, she asked.

Peering over her shoulder, Miki flashed a mysterious smile. "We are headed at the final stop of our tour, right now." She winked, pressing a finger to her lips mischievously.

"At the end of the Northern Hallway and top floor of the South Wing, counting to the Third Music Room." Speaking fluidly as if she were reciting a familiar poem, Miki led them before the grand double doors of Music Room #3. "Welcome! To the Ouran High School Host Club!" Giving the doors a gentle push, they creaked open to allow a swirl of rose petals to flutter out of the room as the silhouette of seven boys emerged from the blinding light of the room, dress in greek togas and posing in a mythical, Olympus-like environment.

"Welcome!"

The doors opened, to the world of Ancient Greece.

"Welcome back, Master Tamaki!" Cupping her cheek together with a love-struck smile, Tsubaki sighed dreamily. "It was as though the sun had ceased to shine during your absence." She said.

"Ah, my dear princess... How I grieve to have saddened you." Touching a hand to his chest, Tamaki, dressed as Apollo, spoke with so much theatrics, there was no denying the King of the Host Club has returned in his tip-top form. "But did you know that even Shining Apollo, the Sun God, could traverse the skies and his golden chariot if a goddess did not draw away the curtain of the night for him? You, my princesses, who have guided me out of the darkness, are the true sun! You are my Goddesses of the Dawn!" He said, reaching out towards the girls while giving a charming wink.

"EEEE! Apollo-sama!"

On the other side of the greek paradise, Hikaru and Kaoru were also busy entertaining their share of guests.

"Doesn't the story of Castor and Pollux - the Gemini constellation in Greek mythology - suit Hikaru and Kaoru perfectly?" One of their customers asked rhetorically, holding her hands before her chest. "Despite one being born human and the other being born of a god, their desire to remain together for all time was so strong that they prayed to Heaven divide the godhood between them and became a constellation! What magnificent brotherly love!" She exclaimed, wiping away the tears that gathered at the corner of his eyes with a handkerchief that appeared out of nowhere.

"True enough." Hikaru nodded enthusiastically. "But the aspect of Greek mythology that fascinates us the most aside from the details of love between siblings or men is how it the ancient Greeks viewed love. To them, it was full of envy and sordid passion." He then, turned to wrap an arm around his twin's shoulders, hugging him close as if he were something precious. "If only we had been born in that age, Kaoru. The two of us could have truly become one..." He declared with a breathy sigh.

"Don't say that, Hikaru." Playing along, Kaoru hugged him back with a wistful expression. "We've pledged to be reborn together as a single star in the sky, haven't we?" He said, causing the guests to squeal in joy at their antics.

Honey and Mori, who both seemed oddly skilled at slipping away from the university division, were busy enjoying some traditional greek snacks as they entertained the guests at their station.

"You would surely be the hero, Perseus, Mori-senpai!" One of the girls sitting across from them pointed out. "And Honey-senpai would be perfect as cupid, the God of love!"

"Hehe, thank you so much!" The lolita giggled, holding Usa-chan, who was allowed at school for the day, tight to his chest as Mori nodded in gratitude.

Haruhi watched from the side, feeling a tranquil smile curl upon her lips as she finally felt as if things had returned to the way they've always been. She was about to turn and grab a couple of fresh cups when Kyoya approached her from behind.

"Haruhi, how are we on tea and snacks?" He greeted with his usual unbalanced smile.

"Oh, look! Look!" Watching the two share a conversation from afar, Momoka couldn't help but whisper to her friends in excitement. "Dressed like that, Haruhi's androgynous beauty comes through even stronger!" She exclaimed.

"It's true! He could be the beautiful Adonis, beloved by even the Goddess, Aphrodite!" Kimiko agreed.

"Well, it seems to me he could also be the beautiful Hyacinth, who received the love of Apollo." Renge interrupted, rubbing her chin thoughtfully as she observed the situation. "Because then, based on Kyoya-sama's cool treatment of him..."

As she continued to ramble off about Greek Mythology, Haruhi couldn't help but sweatdrop a little at what she had managed to overhear.

"What is it?" Picking up on the shift in her posture, Kyoya questioned.

"Oh, it's nothing." Haruhi shook her head reluctantly. "It's just this is the first time I studied Ancient Greek myths, and it just seems like all the gods were extreme and did nothing but pursue their desires. I guess I don't understand why everyone gets excited about them..." She muttered, averting her eyes to the side.

"I see." Following her gaze, Kyoya studied the girls' backsides as they continued to ramble on, fangirling over which host should correlate to which gods. "I think that's exactly why Greek mythology is so universally beloved and why its stories are still passed on today." He theorized. "People often fear power beyond the comprehension, and they attribute that power to 'gods.' However, stories of gods acting like humans allow people to feel closer to them while still serving as cautionary tales." He smirked. "Incidentally, I must say I find the tale of the Titan King Uranus being overthrown by his youngest son Cronus, most interesting." He said, totally not alluding to his own family circumstances as his sly grin sent a shiver down the brunette's spine.

 _His greek mythology character is probably Medusa..._ Haruhi remarked to herself.

"I'm back!" However, before either of them could say much, a cheerful voice rang beside them, immediately capturing their attention as they turned to spot the familiar strawberry blonde standing behind them with a satisfied smile.

"Oh, Miki-senpai. Welcome back." Haruhi greeted, a little glad to see her upperclassman back to her usual self, even after all the trauma she had been put through.

"How did the tour go?" Kyoya asked, mildly concerned over the subject.

"Oh, it was wonderful!" Miki replied happily as she clapped her hands together. "All the first-years were super kind!"

As the strawberry blonde began to converse with the two, fawning over how interesting and sweet the first-years were during her little tour; Renge and the others stood at the side, studying the scene before them intently.

"Miki-chan-senpai must be Aphrodite!" Kimiko giggled, covering her lips with the tips of her hand.

"I must interject there as well," Renge spoke, letting out a small huff as she rested her hands on her hips. "Under normal circumstances, senpai would no doubt fill the role of the Goddess of love and beauty. But for today, I sense that she may be the Goddess of the Moon, Artemis more than anything else!" She declared, lifting an all-knowing finger.

"That's right!" Momoka agreed brightly. "After all, Miki-chan-senpai is..."

"Tamaki-sama's younger sister!" The three girls cheered in unison.

Lounging on one of the grand couches in the center of the room, the newly re-instated 'Apollo' was utterly surrounded by customers, all eagerly gathered around to hear the recent developments within the Suoh family especially after the latest public commotion.

"So Miki-chan, Antoinette and the staff of the Second Mansion all live in the main mansion now?" One of the girls asked, hopefully.

"That's right!" Tamaki nodded with a shimmering gleam on his cheeks. "My grandmother arrange for everyone to move in two days ago, so now the Main Mansion is even livelier than the Second Mansion used to be!" He revealed proudly. "Speaking of lively, just yesterday when I was playing piano for my grandmother, she had requested a song that required a flute line that ran through the song; but since a piano alone cannot capture that song's essence, I couldn't find a way to play it. But to my surprise, Shima-san stepped in and offered to play the flute part herself. Suzuno then joined in with the castanets and as did many others. Grandmother picked up the triangle, and even Antoinette assisted with her melodious barking..." His voice trailed off as he bashfully pressed his hands against his chest. "Truly, it was a dream jam sessions. Wasn't it, Miki?" He questioned in a daze.

"Yes!" Miki nodded cheerfully as she fumbled through her bag, pulling out her drawing tablet with a soft smile. "It was such a relaxing afternoon, watching everyone play music together. I even drew a picture to commemorate the occasion." She said, flipping the screen around to show a replica of the scene in a piece of digital art.

"Ah! This view truly makes my heart swell!" Tamaki exclaimed dramatically as he took the device from her hands, staring down at it with sparkling eyes.

"How wonderful!" Tsubaki swooned.

"I'm so glad everything worked out for the both of you."

As everyone shuffled around Tamaki, all trying to gain a peek at the scenic artwork he was cradling in his arms, Sora snuck out of the crowd and appeared by Miki's side. "Miki-chan, Miki-chan!" She whispered, gently tugging at the sleeve of her white and gold dress.

"Hm? What's wrong, Sora-chan?" Miki hummed, staring quizzically at her friend's inconspicuous behaviour.

"Don't 'What's wrong' me!" Sora winked playfully. "Tell me, how are things with Ootori-san? Sumire-chan has been curious too." She teased.

"Kyoya-kun? What about it?" Miki cocked her head to the side.

"Well, how are things between you two?" Heaving a sigh, Sora elaborated before perking up once more. "If you need any advice, I'd be happy to give some." She said, gently nudging the blonde with a grin.

Miki blinked at the question, shifting her gaze over to Kyoya who was busy serving customers of his own. "We are... the same as usual." She concluded, turning her attention back to Sora with a blank stare.

"Huh? You mean, there is absolutely nothing of progress between you two?" Sora challenged in disbelief. "No dates or kisses? Did he not give some sort of grand declaration of love?"

"Well, Kyoya-kun is not the sort of person to do that, to begin with," Miki said, tilting her head to the side. "As for kisses, he's done that many times before. Though not on the lips." She stated bluntly.

"...Eh?" Sora sounded, staring at her friend dumbfoundedly as Miki stared right back without a hint of shyness or embarrassment. "Um... Excuse me for asking, but... When was the first time he kissed you?" She asked, a little scared to know the answer.

"Last August at the summer festival. Right here." Miki replied without missing a beat as she gently tapped her cheek.

"A-August..." Sora sweatdropped as she felt her shoulders slump in a mixture of frustration and defeat. "Miki-chan, are you sure you haven't been secretly dating in the last year or something...?" She muttered.

"Not that I know of." Miki murmured, averting her eyes to the side. "Ah, but we've never been on a date before, at least not an official one." She added, holding her hands behind her back.

Sora raised an eyebrow in confusion. "That's a little surprising. If that's the case, you should ask him out on a date then." She suggested.

"But I don't really know where we should go," Miki admitted awkwardly.

"Well, where do you want to go?" Sora retorted, tilting her body sideways as she popped into her friend's peripheral vision.

Miki hummed at Sora's question. Her gaze flickered upward as she began to tap a finger to her chin rhythmically. "I want to visit the rest of Japan." She announced, opening her palm before her as she proceeded to continue listing the places she wanted to visit. "Then I want to go to China, Korea, India, Thailand, the Philippines, France, Spain, Italy, Germany, England, Sweden, America, Canada, Peru, Australia... and Space!" She finally clapped her hands together with a bright smile, as if any of the places she just listed was an adequate spot for a 'casual date.'

"Space...?" Sora repeated incredulously, mentally facepalming at most of her answers. "And aren't most of those places, honeymoon spots if anything...?" She muttered under her breath before returning her attention back the blonde. "Either way, you should find a time when you're alone to ask him about it. Talk about where you want to go." She advised.

Hearing her suggestion, Miki's expression turned blank for a moment before a hint of trouble flashed across her lips. "Even if you say that..." She smiled wryly.

"I've utterly failed!" Over in the Ootori mansion that afternoon, Tamaki let out a grave cry for help as he hugged his head, shoulders dropping in shame. "I can't figure out what would be the best first date in the universe for Haruhi!" He declared gloomily.

"Um... Milord" The twins sweatdropped slightly, reaching out towards the blond's backside with twitching fingers as he continued to ramble on with his nonsense while flipping through dating advice booklets.

"A movie...? No! Haruhi will focus more on the popcorn than the movie. And she might feel bored midway through... No! She'll probably just sleep through the whole thing! If we go to the zoo, I'm fairly positive I'll run around like crazy, and she'll find it tedious! If we go to the aquarium, seeing the fish would probably make her think about preparing dinner!"

"Tama-chan, how about an amusement park?" Lounging on one of the many couches in Kyoya's room, Honey suggested with a hand raise. "They're fun, you know?"

Whipping his head around, Tamaki glared at him with a frightening look in his eyes. "PERISH THE THOUGHT, HONEY-SENPAI!" He shouted urgently. "Don't you know the saying that 50% of couples who go to an amusement park on their first date divorce in 10 years of marriage?!" He screamed, causing the lolita to break into tears at his harsh words. "AHHH! Confound it! If I take Haruhi to the beach, I'm sure she can't swim very well and will feel embarrassed by it! Likewise, taking her to a sports club would be the ultimate insult as everyone knows Haruhi can't play sports to save her life!" He continued to yell, hugging his head in distress.

"Milord! You've done nothing but insult Haruhi this whole time!" Unable to grasp Tamaki's incoherently screeching, Hikaru and Kaoru reminded in a panic.

"Haruhi said Milord looked busy lately..." Hikaru sweatdropped, watching as Tamaki retreated back into a corner of Kyoya's room, continuing to flip through guidebooks diligently. "You don't suppose it was because of this...?" He deadpanned.

As the only one who remained seated and not at all concerned over Tamaki's 'Life-Shattering Dilemma,' Kyoya took a sip of his tea with an unreadable expression. "It appears he wants to surprise Haruhi with a memorable first date that she'll look back on fondly for the rest of her life. But why he thought he needed to come to my house every day for the past few days to plan it is beyond me." He grumbled, slamming his cup back down onto the saucer with a passive-aggressive expression.

"What are you talking about Kyoya?" Whipping his head around, Tamaki stared up at his best friend with a bewildered expression. "Aren't you the one who invites us over every day?"

Feeling his eyebrow twitch slightly, Kyoya turned his head robotically to face Tamaki. "I recall inviting Miki alone, for sure. But I certainly don't remember inviting you." He reminded with a dark grin.

"Well, then that's fine, isn't it?" Shifting his attention back to the pamphlets, Tamaki dismissed Kyoya's comment. "Inviting Miki is like inviting me!" He stated, oblivious to what his friend meant by 'alone.'

On the verge of snapping at his absent-minded attitude, a demon-like aura quickly surrounded Kyoya as he rose to his feet. "No one minds if I kill him now, right?!" He snarled with gleaming red eyes, only to be pulled back by Hikaru and Kaoru out of the fear of him obliterating Tamaki in his fit of frustration.

Standing to the side, Miki watched the scene with a small head tilt. _... it's quite difficult to get Kyoya-kun alone lately because of Big Brother._ She thought to herself, the end of her conversation with Sora resonating within her mind as she let out a wry chuckle.

"Say Big Brother, what about a magic show?" She suggested, lifting an all-knowing finger.

"A magic show..." Tamaki blinked a little at the suggestion, repeating it in a whisper under his breath. "Yes... Why not a little magic? If Haruhi gets bored halfway through the date, I'll just put on a magic show to enthrall her." He muttered, imagining the scenario as he rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "It's perfection!" He yelled, fist-pumping into the air. "Now that's decided, Kyoya! Order the magic show props and have them delivered here on the double!" He requested, only for Kyoya to snap his head in the other direction in his pent-up anger.

"You're dreaming right now. Kindly do that in your own bed and house." He spat.

Ignoring the clear defiance his best friend had shown, Tamaki then pointed his finger at Mori. "Mori-senpai! You'll be my test subject for the 'Saw a person in Half' trick! Honey-senpai! The saw, please!" He declared, causing the silent giant to jolt in horror while Honey began to cry in fear for his cousin's life.

"H-Hold on Milord! We'll help you plan your date, okay?!" Immediately stepping in, the twins shouted urgently as they quickly put a stop in Tamaki's disastrous plan in the making.

"Hikaru... Kaoru...!" Staring up at the twins with teary eyes, Tamaki muttered. "You two are angels from heaven! Thank you!" He cried, grabbing hold of the two in a one-sided hug.

"Yeah, yeah. We'll pull an all-nighter." They hummed apathetically, mentally heaving a sigh at how helpless this couple was.

"Tama-chan, we'll help too! You have us quite worried." Honey cheered, raising a hand in the air as Mori nodded in agreement, a little relieved that he wouldn't be used as a test subject in a deadly magic trick anymore.

"Again, why does this meeting have to be in my room?" Feeling his eyebrow twitch in irritation, Kyoya voiced his question once again. "All of you, go home!" He demanded.

"Now, now Kyoya-kun," Wrapping an arm around his as the other hosts began to dig into the scheduling of Tamaki's 'Master Plan,' Miki peered up with an airy smile. "Let's help brother plan his date too since I'm a little worried as well." She suggested. "After all, it does seem like finding a good place to entertain Haruhi is quite the challenge."

"I think you are completely missing the point here." Kyoya murmured, his brows furrowing slightly as he heaved a long sigh. "Besides, are you okay with this?" He then asked, opening his eyes to stare down provokingly at the strawberry blonde.

"Huh? Why wouldn't I be?" Miki retorted, cocking her head to the side quizzically. "It's my elder brother's first date; I need to ensure it's perfect for him!" She asserted, holding her hands before her chest as she beamed readily.

Kyoya felt his mood grow even fouler at her words. Shifting his gaze away, he drew a long breath. "...I don't think there's a need to worry about those-"

"Dear me! You're planning a first date?! Tamaki-san's first date?!" However, before Kyoya could even finish his sentence, his elder sister, Shido Fuyumi appeared at the door with glimmering eyes. "Tamaki-san, you've got yourself a girlfriend? How wonderful! Congratulations!" She cooed, clapping her hands together in excitement. "You know, when I first met out husband- Well, our parents matched us, but I assure you, we really did marry for love!" She fawned in adoration.

"Fuyumi-neesan," Kyoya sighed. "I know my brother-in-law is out on business, but that doesn't mean you should visit here so often. Father will probably scold you again." He reminded sternly.

"But father is away at a symposium, isn't he? I'm safe." Fuyumi reasoned, giggling mischievously before spotting the strawberry blonde next to her brother, who stared back at her with her rounded hazel eyes. "Oh my, Miki-san! I didn't see you there!" She gasped, lunging forth and taking the girl by her hands in glee.

"Good Afternoon, Fuyumi-san," Miki replied, tilting her head slightly. "It's been a while." She greeted.

Fuyumi flinched for a second as Miki's words sank in; her expression slowly softening into a wry smile. "Not quite dear, it's only been a week, you know." She pointed out, tightening her grip around Miki's hands. "Though I'm sure for you, it's been quite a long week." She said sympathetically.

Miki's eyes widened in shock for a split second as her breath hitched. However, it didn't take long before her usual radiant smile spread across her cheeks once more as she nodded her head with enthusiasm. "Yes... Yes, it has." She agreed eagerly.

Seeing such an expression return to her face, Fuyumi's eyes crinkled benevolently.

"I'm glad you're alright." She whispered.

"Miki! We need your input on a maiden's heart!" As if right on cue, Tamaki called out to Miki desperately, pulling both females out of their little moment as Miki turned her head to check on her brother.

"Coming!" She called out, gently sliding her hands out of Fuyumi's. "It's great to see you again, Fuyumi-san." She bowed her head lightly before rushing off towards Tamaki and the rest of the hosts.

Nodding, Fuyumi waved back. "You too, dear." She chimed before peering over and casting her younger brother's closed-off body language a side glance. "So, a little birdie told me that you and Miki-san are officially dating now?" She teased, unable to hide the fits of giggles that escaped her lips.

"Oh?" Raising an eyebrow, Kyoya smirked irritably. "Would you care to share which bird told you such an intrusive rumour?" He questioned.

"Fufufu~ Just by looking at you two, I can already see all I need to," Fuyumi noted, covering her lips with the tips of her fingers. "So how did it happen? Was it some sort of sweet, galant confession in the romantic evening?" She pried.

"More like at the entrance of an airport, directly after rushing that idiot to see his mother again," Kyoya revealed, shifting his gaze away in an attempt to hide the embarrassed flush that heated his cheeks.

"Oh my, it was on that day?" She gasped, cupping her cheek. "Talk about the timing..." Her voice slowly trailing off, Fuyumi cocked her head to the side as she couldn't help but notice that her little brother was wearing quite an agitated expression. "But Kyoya-san, are you sure you're happy with the way things are right now?" After a few moments, she finally asked gingerly.

Kyoya raised an eyebrow. "Of course, I am." He stated, giving his sister an estranged look.

"Then, why?" Fuyumi hummed, shifting her arms to hide them behind her back. "Why do you look so irritated?" She pointed out.

 _"Somebody! H_ _elp!_ _"_

The more she struggled, the more suffocating the darkness became. It was as if someone had chained her hands and feet down and dropped her into an endless void, allowing the toxins that bubbled in the shadows to burn away at her skin until there was nothing left but the mixture of her tears and screams.

 _"Please help me! I don't want to be here!"_ She squeezed her eyes shut as she continued to shriek out in agony, shivering in fear as she felt the suffocating sensation grow up to her neck, choking and drawing every last breath out of her. She tilted her head upwards, endeavouring to stay out and afloat on the abyss below.

 _"Somebody... Please...!"_ She wept fearfully, fingers twitching as she reached her hand up into the hopelessness above.

"Milady!"

Sucking in a harsh breath, Miki's eyes shot open as Arden's loud cry yanked her out of the chilling nightmare and back to reality. She stared up at the chandelier over her bed in a daze, panting heavily as the adrenaline that coursed through her veins slowly began to settle down.

"Ar... Arden...?" Miki whispered between breaths, noticing the tears that had formed in the corner of her eyes as well as the sweat that gathered on her back.

"You were screaming in your sleep, everyone in the west wing could hear you," Arden informed, setting the tray he brought down on her bedside table as he helped her sit up in her disoriented state, diligently draping a thin blanket over her shoulders in the process.

"I...Is that so...? I apologize for that..." Miki whispered, wrapping the blanket tighter around her body as she attempted to even out her breathing pattern. "What time is it right now?" She asked, eyes darting around hurriedly in search for her clock. "I need to be at Mei-san's place by 9 am to help prepare Haruhi for her date, and I-"

"It's only 4:30 in the morning right now, Milady. You have hours." Arden assured softly as he reached over towards the tray, holding out a warm mug to her with a wry smile. "Here, I brought some milk if you'd like." He offered.

Miki peered over in the darkness, staring blankly at the rippling liquid for a good second before taking it with trembling fingers. "Thank you," She said, cupping the mug with both hands as if she were trying to search for the warmth within it.

A small silence loomed between the two of them, only being filled by the faint ticking of the clock and the light sipping sounds Miki made as she drank her milk. Arden's brows drew closer together as he cast the girl a side glance, his heart swelling in pain at sight of her hazy expression.

"Was it that nightmare again?" Finally, he broke the silence, watching quietly as Miki's body tensed up at the memory before nodding. He sighed. "Milady, are you sure about this?" Shifting his body, he stood by the king-size bed, his arms laying stiffly at his sides. "Since this is not a rushed procedure, you still have a good two weeks before the government can complete the transfer. You can still change your mind. Are you sure you'd like to give your custodianship back to Master Yuzuru?" He asked earnestly.

"I am," Miki replied, absently rubbing her thumb over the handle of her mug.

"I-I understand you do," Biting his bottom lip, Arden muttered under his breath, causing Miki to peer up curiously. "But it doesn't have to be immediate, does it? I know it is shameful to say this, but I still don't trust Master Yuzuru completely and I-"

"Arden." Interrupting his sentence, Miki called out to the butler. Staring at him for a few moments, before breaking into a serene smile. "I'm alright, really." She reassured, her gaze shifting back down towards the opaque liquid in her mug. "I made the choice to stay with father, brother and grandmother myself, so these nightmares are just... a temporary side effect." She said, breathing out the last of her words.

"Milady..."

"Say, Arden?" Miki then called out once again.

"Yes, what is it?"

Miki didn't immediately respond. Instead, she stared down at her reflection within the milk that gently swayed along with her movements. She suddenly felt oddly at peace despite her previous nightmare, like for once everything was finally under control. She was safe along with her friends, she was free, and she was... Miki. And the one who made that all possible was...

Her eyes trailed up, searching for Arden's emerald ones in the twilight. "Whenever I was in trouble, you were among the first ones to rush to my side. And yet... I don't think I ever properly thanked you for it." She stated as her lips curled into a soft smile. "You are the reason I am who I am today. You gave up so much for me, your youth, your freedom, your everything just to serve me. And I will need to continuously rely on you for many years to come; please forgive me for that." She said wryly.

Hearing her sincere words of gratitude, Arden's eyes widened in surprise as he felt his nose grow sore. He gently shook his head. "There is nothing to apologize for." He answered, taking a knee and reaching out to take his liege's hand with an air of respect. "My duty towards you is not an obligation; it's a choice I made for myself. You are my pride and joy. Every breath I take, every decision I make is for the purpose of serving you. And so all I ask in return is for you to live however you'd like." He paused, slowly bringing her hand up to his forehead, pressing it close as if it were his way of renewing his oath of undying loyalty. "If there is a path you wish to walk, just say the word, and I will lay out the foundations for you. No matter how risky or dangerous it may be, I will support you, even if the world were to end." He declared sincerely, glancing up to meet Miki's tranquil gaze.

"Thank you, Arden." Tilting her head to the side, Miki tightened her grip around his hand in return, the previous fears that plagued her from her nightmares vanishing in the radiance of her smile.

Arden heaved a relieved sigh, straightening his posture as he took a seat next to her at the edge of her bed. "By the way, Milady." He said, watching as Miki leaned down to take another sip of her milk. "I have a suggestion on what we could do. It may not be able to repel those nightmares completely, but... it may be able to lighten the burdens, even just a little." He asserted, his expression turning serious.

Holding her mug before her lips, Miki peered up in confusion. "Huh?" She blinked.

Standing at the entrance of the Sea and Amusement Park, Haruhi leaned against an iron clock pole as she fidgetted awkwardly in her outfit. She was wearing a frilly, cherry blossom-printed jumper, a thin white cardigan, completed with many delicately layered necklaces as well as a soft pink cross-shoulder bag. As she anxiously wondered whether or not the clothes Miki and Mei had picked out looked good on her, she was left unaware of the six inconspicuous figures that stalked behind her.

 _Adorable...!_ Honey and the twins thought to themselves, trying their best not to sneak glances at the brunette as they attempted to disguise themselves into the staff of the amusement park. Hikaru and Kaoru were dressed as part of the cleaning staff, while Honey and Mori blended in with clown and jester costumes respectively. On the other hand, Kyoya and Miki were dressed as their usual selves, acting as part of the crowd of people that gathered at the park.

Lowering his cap over his face, Hikaru grumbled as he attempted to hide the blush that heated his cheeks. "Our plan was to spy on the most awkward first date in history and mock those two, but..."

"... Haru-chan is so cute that I want to date her too!" Honey whined, chewing on a bunny-shaped carnival candy in exasperation.

"Shhh, Mitsukuni. She'll overhear." Mori hushed, passing a dolphin-shaped ballon to a little boy.

"Aghhh, Miki-senpai!" Ruffling his hair in frustration, Hikaru snapped his head towards his upperclassman as he pointed at the brunette in the distance. "What's with that outfit?! She's super cute! Hyper-cute!" He complained.

"It's not me; it was Mei-san!" Miki reasoned, waving her hands in a panic. "She was the one who put together the outfit while I handled the accessories. She kept insisting Haruhi to wear that specific style, saying brother's type always loves those kinds of ruffled outfits." She explained as her gaze shifted over towards Haruhi, studying the adorable outfit the complimented her physical features well. She hummed, cocking her head to the side. "I wonder if I should try wearing them as well?" She muttered to no one in particular, eyes trailing down at her usual white chiffon dress that flowed from her waist like a translucent waterfall.

"You are perfectly fine, just the way you are," Kyoya interjected, not even bothering to glance up at her.

Leaning against the handle of his broom, Kaoru couldn't help but let out a wry chuckle at his upperclassman's words. "That's because you prefer an elegant style over a cute one, Kyoya-senpai." He pointed out, earning a glance of annoyance from him before turning his attention back to Haruhi. "Still, I don't know if I'm just jealous, but I'm really annoyed at Milord right now." He said, letting out a small sigh. "He should have made sure to be here before her, even if it meant camping out overnight."

"Hmm, he could be late because he's worried about what to wear for the date." Tapping her chin thoughtfully, Miki suggested.

"Ha! Like anyone would care about what he's wearing!" Hikaru spat snarkily.

"It'd serve him right if he appeared in some ridiculous outfit and gets dumped by Haruhi!" Kaoru nodded in agreement.

"Haha! Even Tama-chan wouldn't be stupid enough to show up like that." Honey chuckled, taking another bite of his candy.

Miki was about to say something when a silhouette in black weaving through the crowds swiftly captured her attention. "Is that so?" She tilted her head to the side, her quizzical gaze fixated on the moving target. "Then, why does big brother look so out of place right now?" She questioned.

"Huh?" The hosts glanced at her curiously.

"What do you mean, Miki-chan?" Honey asked.

"Look."

Following her pointer finger, everyone turned to see Tamaki running towards Haruhi in his usual goofy grin dressed in a traditional Japanese haori, complete with the Suoh family crest. The hosts felt their blood run cold. "Haruhi! Sorry to keep you waiting! I couldn't decide what to wear!" He laughed apologetically, not at all bothered by how he was practically making a spectacle of himself, dressed in such traditional garments to an amusement park of all places.

 _MILORD IS THAT STUPID!_ The twins mentally remarked with a look of terror.

Miki, on the other hand, clapped her hands together as a bright beam surfaced on her cheeks. "Grandmother must've chosen big brother's outfit for today!" She chimed joyously. "I must admit, the haori looks wonderful on him!" She praised, once again completely missing the point of the situation.

"It doesn't matter if it looks wonderful on him or not!" Kaoru shouted as he began to pull out something from his bag that appeared out of nowhere.

"Anymore of that, and he's in danger of being dumped!" As if Hikaru's words were a declaration of some sort, he, Kaoru, Honey and Mori bolted out of their hiding spots, snatching Tamaki up as Haruhi began to rub her eyes in disbelief. They dragged him into a nearby bathroom for a few seconds, striping off the haori and hakama before kicking him out, this time dressed in a more 'casual date' appropriate outfit.

As Haruhi and Tamaki began to exchange greetings, all the while wondering what on earth had just happened, the hosts collapsed behind the bathroom building, wheezing heavily at the swift outfit change they just pulled off.

"That was close..." Hikaru muttered, shaking the collar of his worker's uniform to fan himself of sweat. "I'm glad we brought an emergency change of clothes today..."

"Miki-senpai, could you please return this to the Main Mansion please..." Kaoru requested, passing the formal wear to her with a drained complexion.

"That's our Tama-chan. He never fails to keep us on our toes..." Honey said, wiping away the sweat on his forehead.

"Weren't you all wishing for him to fail a minute ago?" Kyoya commented with a deadpanned expression.

Miki, on the other hand, was still staring off in the couple's direction watching as they approached the main gates of the amusement park with a neutral expression. "Is that also what a first date should be like?" She asked, pointing out once again.

Following her pointer her finger, everyone turned around to find that a red carpet has been rolled out under the couples' feet, directing them towards the entrance of the park where a banner reading 'Your First Date ️' dropped from above. Staff members along with the park's mascot lined up on either side of the carpet, showering the two in rose petals. "Welcome, Master Suoh! Welcome, Miss Fujioka! Congratulations on your first date!" They cheered in unison as a marching band riding on a carriage appeared, playing a lively tune.

"Ahaha! Thank you, everyone!" Tamaki waved to the onlookers, acting as if the over-the-top theatrics that surrounded them was perfectly normal.

"ABSOLUTELY NOT!" The twins screamed at the top of their lungs, immediately dashing in to scatter the crowd. "Break it up! Break it up!" They waved their hands around in a panic, shooing the staff members away before Haruhi could find the power in her legs to run away in such an embarrassing predicament. "Move along, people! Nothing to see here!"

"Why is there a horse and carriage here?! And Buggy-chan, you're not cute enough!" Honey yelled, turning to point at the mascot of the amusement park.

"I don't understand." Looming over the exhausted hosts, Miki tilted her head sideways. "Why did you guys send away the welcome parade? It looked like a lot of fun." She hummed absently.

"You don't understand, Miki-senpai..." Readjusting his crooked cap, Hikaru uttered between gasps for air. "I'll admit that some tiny corner in my heart the date would fail... but... If we left stupid milord to his own devices, he really will get dumped before the day is gone! We have to do something!" He proclaimed, pointing at Miki gawked back with a blank stare.

"I want their date to be a success, yet I want Milord to remain the silly fool he's always been." Kaoru let out a shaky breath as he gently hammered his chest with his fist. "My heart feels like it's being squeezed..."

"Could it be love?" Honey rustled, cupping his cheeks in shock.

Reaching out, Mori planted a hand on the lolita's shoulder as he shook his head. "No, Mitsukuni." He spoke in a low voice. "It's the feeling a parent gets as they watch their child go forth on his own for the first time." He pronounced, causing a bolt of revelation to zap down from the heavens behind the hosts as they all whipped their heads around to watch at the couple with serious expressions.

Seeing his clubmates act out such absurdities on what was supposed to be a lazy Sunday morning, Kyoya sighed. "If you all have the leisure to fill your heads with this rubbish, you should put your time to better use-" Noticing something out of the corner of his eyes, his voice trailed off while his eyes widened for a few moments.

"Kyoya-kun?" Sensing he had something to say, Miki called out to him. "Is something the matter?" She asked, cocking her head to the side quizzically.

"Nothing, I thought I saw some familiar faces," Turning around, Kyoya assured her as he readjusted his glasses. Though his gaze still remained focused on the area behind him, staring intently at a particular spot. After a few seconds, he shifted his gaze back to the group, noticing the blonde's large hazel eyes, still watching him intently. "Miki," He addressed.

"Hm?"

Kyoya hesitated for a while, staring thoughtfully at her blank expression before reaching up to gently tap her on the forehead with his index and middle finger.

"Make sure to stay near me," He instructed sternly, lowering his body to reach eye level with her. "Do not leave my sights."

Though curious to why he would make such a demand, Miki nodded obediently.

And so for the rest of the morning and well into the early afternoon, the hosts tailed Tamaki and Haruhi around their date at the Sea and Amusement Park. They watched as the couple rode the theme park attractions, exchange playful banter and even share a tray takoyaki together. It seemed like other than Tamaki's antics earlier during the day; the date would go smoothly after all.

"They're acting like a couple now; it's sweet." Watching his two underclassmen pressed up against the glass of the aquarium as they stared at the graceful beluga whales, Honey whispered as he nibbled on the cone of his ice cream. "Maybe we were worried over nothing? I guess we can go home now."

"Eh, why?" Peeking around the corner beside him, Miki protested. "Tailing them like this is so much fun! It reminds me of the time we spied on Hikaru and Haruhi's first-" However, before she could finish her sentence, Kaoru slapped a hand over her mouth, effectively shutting her up as Hikaru whipped his head around in confusion.

"Huh? What was that, Miki-senpai?" He asked.

"N-Nothing! Ahahaha..." Ignoring the squirming Miki, Kaoru quickly played it off, laughing awkwardly.

Before Hikaru could even point out how strange his twin was acting, the sound of a loud thump followed by a child's cry quickly caught the hosts' attention. "WAHHHH! It hurts!" Peeking their heads around the corner of the aquarium tunnels, they spotted a little boy collapsed on the ground and bawling his eyes out. It seems like he had tripped on his shoelaces as he was running around the aquarium, taking quite the tumble.

"U-Um... Where are his parents?" Not knowing what to do, Haruhi began sweeping through the crowd in search for the boy's parents when Tamaki stepped forth and knelt next to the kid.

"Hello there, are you okay?" Greeting the crying child in a soft voice, he gingerly helped the boy sit up through his wailing before taking a closer look at his scraped knee. "Did you hurt your knee? Hold on. Pain, pain... Go away!" He recited the child-like chant as a sudden sunflower appeared in his hand like magic.

Immediately, the child's expression turned to amazement.

Tamaki didn't stop there though. He proceeded to continue with his spectacle of a show, generating little sunflower buds out of thin air with just a wave of his hand. A small crowd began to gather around them, clapping in awe as Tamaki cupped a few of the flowers into his palms, turning it into a magic wand. "And now for my final magic trick...!" He winked mysteriously, tossing the rod into the air as it popped, transforming to a shower of flower petals that rained down he, Haruhi and the boy under the aquarium tunnels.

"Keita?!" As the last of the petals reached the ground, a woman's panicked voice echoed through the sea of people. "Keita, where are you?"

Hearing his mother's voice, the boy named Keita jumped to his feet, completely recovered from his earlier blunders. "Mommy!" He waved, spotting the woman who popped her head out of the crowd. "That big brother did magic for me!" He said, pointing at Tamaki who waved back.

"Woo! That was amazing!" Someone cheered.

"Nice job, dude!"

"Milord... He really learned how to do magic..." The twins sweatdropped, clapping along with the crowd in a mixture of astonishment and disbelief.

"That was so cool!" Miki's eyes were practically sparkling, still in somewhat of a dazed trance from what she had just witnessed first-handed. "Did you see that, Kyoya-kun? Brother used magic to make flowers appear everywhere! It was so pretty!" She exclaimed, holding her hands before her chest and staring up at him with even more excitement than usual.

"Yes, I saw that-" Kyoya spoke nonchalantly, before freezing up as he spotted a couple of familiar silhouettes dance across his vision. Narrowing his eyes, he quickly grabbed onto Miki by the wrist and hid her further behind the corner.

"Kyoya-kun?" Miki tilted her head to the side, a little estranged by his sudden gesture.

"Stay here and don't move." He instructed, keeping his gaze glued to the figures who approached Tamaki and Haruhi.

"Maiden?" A voice sounded behind the two, cutting their conversation short.

"Huh?"

"That voice..." Haruhi muttered under her breath, turning her head to find...

"It really is you, maiden!" Sure enough, standing behind the couple was Benibara and Chizuru of the Zuka Club from the Lobelia Girl's Academy. "My, my! You've become even more adorable since we last met!" She remarked, glancing at Haruhi's frilly outfit.

"A fairy! There's a little fairy here!" Chizuru fawned, immediately latching onto the brunette in a tight hug, practically squeezing the breath out of her. "Come on, ditch this dumpster fire and let's go somewhere else!" She suggested.

"Not so fast!" Tamaki shrieked in objection. "Haruhi and I are on a date!"

"A date...?" Hearing those words, Benibara glared harshly at Tamaki, acting as if she hadn't noticed him up until now. "Impossible! Who would date an oaf like you?!" She shouted, taking Haruhi and Chizuru by the shoulders and guiding them further away from the blond.

Unbeknownst to all of them, the hosts have also stepped out of their hiding spots, leaving Miki alone and hidden safely around the corner. "Pardon, ladies." Stepping forth, Kyoya addressed the two ladies that were attempting to drag Haruhi even further away from Tamaki. "Haven't you heard that those who stand in the way of true love get trampled? It'd be best to run along now, wouldn't it?" He recommended with a passive-aggressive smile.

"Y-You guys are here?!" Tamaki gawked, jaw-dropping to the ground.

"Haha, so you finally noticed it?" Hikaru laughed, shrugging nonchalantly.

"Most people would have realized after having their outfit forcibly stripped off." Honey commented, winking mischievously as Mori nodded along.

"Wait..." Kaoru's voice trailed off as he deadpanned. "How did you keep the stuff you needed for your magic tricks after we changed you?" He questioned, watching as Kyoya moved forward to pry Chizuru's arms off of Haruhi.

"Get out of here now." He said, shoving the brunette into Tamaki without sparing either of them a second glance.

"Kyoya?"

"You owe me one." Peering over his shoulder, Kyoya asserted as he cast a smug smirk in his best friend's direction.

"Yeah." Returning a smile, Tamaki nodded as his grip around Haruhi's hands tightened. "Thanks, everyone!" He said before turning and making a bolt for the exit of the park.

"Wait! Maiden!" Benibara took a step forward, about to chase after the two when Hikaru and Kaoru appeared before them.

"We're your opponents." They sang in unison, acting as a barrier between the couple and the member of the Zuka club.

Gritting her teeth, Benibara's brows furrowed at sight of the twins. "Hmph!" She grumbled. "So the two of them are now in such a relationship... But that doesn't mean we'll be giving up on-"

"Huh~?" Before Benibara could finish her sentence, another familiar voice chimed not too far away, directly behind Miki. Taken by surprise, the strawberry blonde jumped as she whipped her head around alertly to find Hinako - the third and final member of the Zuka Club who had been noticeably absent. "I was coming back from the bathroom and look who I found!" She hummed gleefully, immediately clinging onto Miki's arm with a bright grin.

"Ah! Miki-chan!" Honey called out, only for two shadows to brush past him and the host club, leaving them a little in the dust.

"Come, let's go ride the Ferris Wheel together!" Appearing beside her in a flash, Chizuru suggested.

"Little Lamb!" Cranking her theatrics to the top, Benibara took a knee before Miki, acting as if she were the prince of fairy tale reciting their lines. "To think we should meet again here by pure happenstance! This is surely destiny, my princess." She exclaimed, gently taking her hand and kissing the back of it.

Miki stared down blankly at the spot the woman had kissed for a few moments. "Please let go of me," She then requested bluntly. "I'm pretty sure this is considered sexual assault-!" However, before she could finish her sentence, she felt another firm tug on her wrist as she was pulled out of the grasps of the Zuka Club and into a familiar pair of arms.

"Excuse me, ladies; but could you refrain from staring at my girlfriend with such wanting eyes? Others may get the wrong idea about your relationship with her." With his face locked in a darkened smile, Kyoya requested as he wrapped an arm around Miki's waist almost as if to make a point. "That would be quite troublesome." He added, voice growing threatening.

"Eh?" Miki blinked, still yet to processed that she was now in Kyoya's arm.

"Girlfriend? Don't kid with us!" Recoiling back slightly, Benibara objected. "As if this pure maiden would willingly be in such a relationship with someone such as yourself!" She shouted, pointing at a confused Miki.

Taking those words as a challenge of some sort, Kyoya smirked. "Then just stay there and watch."

No sooner than he uttered those words, he rested a hand behind Miki's head and tugged her towards him with great force, pressing his lips against hers and kissing her with greater intensity than ever before. Miki immediately squeezed her eyes shut as she struggled to return the passion, clinging onto him as her legs began to grow weak. Kyoya, on the other hand, kept his eyes opened and glued to the flabbergasted members of the Zuka Club, partially enjoying making such a show of the situation as he deepened the kiss.

Just as Miki felt she was about to lose her breath, Kyoya broke the kiss, leaning back and taking in the pink flush on her cheeks before addressing the Zuka Club once again. "I warned you about getting trampled." He said smugly.

"Wait just a second!" The one who responded to such a statement, however, was Hikaru who looked as if he was about to pass out from how confused he was. "K-K-Kyoya-senpai, what was that!? Y-You and Miki-senpai are..." His voice trailed off, pointing his quaking finger at Miki who glanced over.

"We are dating." She confirmed straightforwardly.

"What?!" Feeling as though he'd been betrayed, Hikaru hugged his head in confusion. "S-Since when did that...?"

"Everyone already knows, Hika-chan." Honey chirped as Mori nodded in agreement. "It's just you, Tama-chan and Haru-chan who didn't pick up on it." He stated innocently, lifting an all-knowing finger.

"EH?!"

Standing behind his confused twin, Kaoru stifled a small chuckle. "I guess you can't blame them." He winked mischievously. "They've been too busy, wrapped within their little love triangle and what-not..." He hummed, eyes trailing over the where the Zuka Club had been standing only to find it completely empty. "Ack, where'd the Zuka Club go?!" He questioned, immediately whipping his head around to find them.

"Over there!" Honey shouted, pointing at the backside of the three women, bolting at full speed in the direction where Tamaki and Haruhi ran off in.

"After them!" The twins yelled as they along with Honey and Mori took off, leaving Kyoya and Miki in the dust.

"Ah! Wait for us- !" Just as Miki was about to jog after them, she felt a tight pull on her wrist as Kyoya began to pace off in the other direction, dragging her along with him. She stared down blankly at his hand around her wrist before gazing up at his backside, feeling a sense of tranquillity rise within her from being alone under the aquarium tunnels and the rippling blue waves. "Kyoya-kun, you're going the wrong way, you know." She pointed out in a soft voice.

"As I've said before, those two will be fine on their own," Kyoya replied in annoyance.

"Huh?"

Heaving a sigh, Kyoya's steps slowed down to a stop as he turned to face her, reflecting on his previous actions. Perhaps he had been a bit zealous and overly irritated, but who could blame him when all this girl would think about is how well her brother's relationship is progressing?

"We're going somewhere else; I'm tired of tailing those two around on their date." He asserted, studying her expression as her large hazel eyes rounded in surprise. "Objections?"

"No, not at all!" Shaking her head, Miki instantly broke into a radiant smile. Sliding her hand down, she took hold of his, tenderly interlacing her fingers with his. "Where would you like to go?" She chimed.

"K-Kyoya-kun..." In the darkness of the room, Miki let out a soft gasped as the tips of her fingers brushed over her lips in awe. "Is this...?" She whispered breathlessly.

"Yes," Kyoya replied, peering at Miki's dazed expression before gazing up himself in a mixture of peace and adoration. "It's the projection of the night skies." He announced.

Standing in the reserved projection room of the Tokyo Planetarium, a velvet night sky had spread out above the couple, littered with twinkling stars. Some patches were lighter than others, while some clustered together in faint and bold lights. These were the same stars that reflected in the sky. The same constellation of old, and the same ones that have and would continue to remain for millions of years.

"It's beautiful." Sliding away from Kyoya, Miki floated to the center of the seemingly boundless room, slowly spinning in awe as she struggled on deciding where to look.

Kyoya's attention shifted toward her at her words, watching as her white chiffon dress and fluffy strawberry brown hair lingered behind her movements, flowing and leaving trails of stardust as if she were some sort of goddess dancing among the stars. "Very." He agreed, eyes crinkling.

"It feels like if I just reach out far enough... I can..." Miki muttered, slowly extending her hand out towards the stars only to trip over the benches that she failed to notice in her amazement. "Woah!" She let out a small shriek in surprise, closing her eyes and bracing for the impact when Kyoya grabbed her hand just in time.

"Be careful." He scolded mildly, pulling her back to her feet.

"Thank you." Miki hummed absently, staring down blankly at their hands for a few seconds. For some reason, that particular part of her body suddenly felt... foreign to her. Like it somehow had been switched for someone else's while she wasn't looking. She cocked her head to the side, thinking for a few moments when she remembered something. "Ah, that's...!" Flinching, her hand recoiled in a jolt as the memory of Benibara kissing it resurfaced in her mind.

Though surprised at first, Kyoya quickly realized what caused her to falter as he reached out to capture her hand once again. Briefly locking eyes with her, he then leaned down wordlessly, pressing his lips against the back of her hand as if he were attempting to overwrite whatever had occurred before with his own kiss. Miki felt her breath hitch at the gesture. She watched in a heated daze as he continued to trace kisses up to the tips of her fingers, acting as if he had conquered that part of her body as his own. Though she would admit, part of her didn't mind that notion.

"Miki." After a few more kisses, Kyoya whispered, causing her to shiver as she felt his hot breath glaze against her skin along with his words.

"Y-Yes?" She stuttered, snapping out of her trance.

"From now on, don't let others touch you so easily." He warned, brows furrowing at the memory as he began to caress the spot where he had kissed with his thumb.

Miki's eyes rounded for a second before softening. Instead of words, she squeezed his hand back in response.

"Say Kyoya-kun; I have a question." After a few moments of comfortable silence in the projection room, Miki piped up again.

"What is it?"

"What made you decide on the planetarium?" She asked curiously.

Kyoya froze for a few moments, his gaze shifting to a downcast at her probing question. "I asked Yotsuboshi-san." He admitted, turning away in an attempt to hide the visible signs of embarrassment that surfaced on his face. "She mentioned that you wanted to go to space amongst many other places, but it'd be difficult to see the stars in the city lights, and your physical state isn't exactly incapable of enduring such a long journey to space itself. So I figured this would be the next best option." He concluded, peering up at the digital stars above in a thoughtful state, though at the very edge of his vision, he could still sense Miki staring at him with her usual wide-eyed expression.

"Thank you, Kyoya-kun." Tilting her head to the side, Miki quickly broke into an appreciative smile as strands of her strawberry blonde hair slipped down her shoulders as if they were made of silk. "Do you remember you once told me that you'd be the guiding hand that pulls me out of the darkness?" She reminded, bringing their interlocked hands up between them as she sensed Kyoya nod in recollection. "Well, I don't think you need to be that hand anymore."

"Why is that?" Raising an eyebrow, Kyoya questioned.

"The body always follows the heart." Sliding her fingers out between his, Miki instead took ahold of his hand with both of hers as she guided it upwards. "No matter where I go, I'll always find my way back to you," Pressing his palm against her cheek, she beamed up brightly at him. "It's because you stole my heart, Kyoya-kun." She announced.

Taken aback by her sweer yet bold declaration, Kyoya's lips quickly tugged into a satisfied smirk. "And I'm never giving it back." He asserted, wrapping his hand around the back of her head and pulling her closer to him before planting a playful peck on her lips. "I really am no match for you, Miki." He whispered, resting his forehead against hers.

"Hm?"

"It's nothing." Slowly shaking his head, he pulled her in for another kiss. "I love you." He said.

Miki giggled, throwing her arms around his neck as she buried her face in the nape of it. "I love you too." She chimed, nuzzling him softly.

After a few seconds, she slowly opened her eyes. The smile she wore slowly dropped as she stared up blankly at the twinkling stars, eyes shifting to the side at Kyoya. "Hey, Kyoya-kun?" She called out to him.

Sensing the oddly serious undertone in her voice, Kyoya slowly pulled away as if urging her to continue on.

"There is something else I wanted to talk about." Averting her eyes in a wistful smile, Miki explained. "It's about something Arden had suggested this morning. I already talked to father and brother about this too, but... I... I want your opinion on this as well." She announced, staring back at Kyoya with resolute eyes.

A/N: Oh, my, god... I'm finally back! I'm so sorry for disappearing unannounced for an entire month. I've been away at a family gathering, that let's just say it wasn't the most pleasant. I had no privacy to write, terrible wifi, and I'm absolutely convinced that the house was haunted. Anyone who tried had so much trouble falling asleep in the room I was assigned to, I ended up sleeping in the closet of my parents' only to be told that my mother could hear someone whispering to her in the night? Like... That is actually terrifying. But I am finally back and ready to pump out the final two chapters of the main story! I've also noticed a lot of you are leaving comments, so I will be sure to read and reply to all of them with due time!

Before I sign out, I wanted to talk to you guys about something else. It's related to some of the comments I've seen people leaving calling Miki's actions, 'Not something I would do' or asking if I could 'change the name because Miki sounds dumb.' Miki is an Original Character, not a self-insert. Point, blank, period. I'm sorry if that kind of story some of you were looking for when beginning this story, but that is not what you will find here.

On a side note, thank you all for entering the contest a few chapters back! I hope the winners enjoyed their cameo appearance!

The next chapter will hopefully be out within a few days~

With that, have a wonderful day!

XOXO,

Astra


	57. 50 またね!

_-Chapter 50-_

またね!

Sucking in a harsh breath, Miki peered up at the familiar door. Even after a year, it still looked the same. The same chipped birch surface, the same brass-coloured lock and doorknob - the sight of those alone could haunt her for many years to come. Even now, it took all of her built-in courage not to close her eyes, to let out a piercing scream and to turn on her heel and run away. Instead, she gripped onto the hem of her chiffon dress with clammy hands, digging her nails into the flesh of her palm until her knuckles turned white.

"Milady, are you alright?" Arden's soft voice pulled her out of her state of mind, effectively reminding her that she wasn't the only one waiting in the crowded hallway. Yuzuru and Shizue, as well as a couple of furniture movers, stood behind her, waiting in silence for her to give the signal.

"Perhaps it would have been better if you invited Master Tamaki or even Master Ootori?" He suggested.

Miki's eyes flickered to a downcast for a few moments. "No," She said, slowly shaking her head. Surely, the thought of her brother or Kyoya being by her side during this moment would be exceptionally reassuring, but...

"This is something I need to face on my own," She pronounced, eyes falling closed as her hammering heart drummed against her ears "I came to Japan thirteen years ago, and for thirteen years the only ones who knew of my existence within this room were you, father and grandmother. So that is why..." Lifting her head, she met the butler's anxious gaze. "That is why I want to say farewell to this room, with only the three of us." She replied, mustering a wistful smile.

Seeing such an obviously forced smile, Arden's expression distorted with pain. However, he couldn't find it within himself to shatter such a blatant lie, so instead, he lowered his head in a routine manner. "I understand." He whispered.

Shifting her focus back to the door before her, Miki took a deep breath as she attempted to calm her erratic heartbeat. Then, opening her eyes, she stared forth with a spark of resolution."I am ready. Arden, open this door." She ordered firmly.

"As you wish, Milady." Plucking the keycard out of his suit pocket in one smooth motion, Arden scanned the card, hearing the door let out that familiar beep and click before resting his hand on the knob.

As Arden opened the door, Miki felt a gush of wind brush past the nape of her neck, instantly draining all the courage she had built up within. For a few moments, the world seemed to fall away around her as she stared ahead blankly. Her vision became blurry, clouding the view before her as she took a staggering step backward.

Sensing her apprehension, Arden glanced over. "Rest assured; I will not close this door." He pledged, snapping Miki out of her trance.

Hearing such encouraging words, Miki felt herself letting go of a breath she didn't realize she was holding. Casting the butler's worried eyes a wry smile, she nodded. "I know you won't." She said; though the clenching of her hands seemed to betray how nervous she truly was. However, this time, she didn't back down. Instead. she kept her eyes glued forth in determination, pushing past the invisible barrier as she entered the room.

The same one she had spent thirteen years of her life.

Everything looked exactly as she'd remembered. The large, neatly-made bed, the organized desk and the elegant dining tables and chairs. All be it, the items were a little dusty. But it still seemed as if time didn't even make a dent on the state and condition of this room.

She could still see the lingering silhouettes of her and Arden in the golden sun rays, peeking through the windows next to her bed. She could still hear the past laughs they've shared as they made little arts and crafts at her desk, she could still hear the gentle scoldings he gave whenever she'd mess up on a waltz step and even his soothing voice reading out every line of 'Rapunzel' to her over and over again as they sat on her bed late into the night. In a daze, she took a few steps closer, gently brushing the tips of her fingers against the smooth surface of the light wood desk. The faint paint stains were still present, along with the strange little pencil doodles she made when she was daydreaming during a tutor's lecture. Everything was the same in this room, yet to Miki, something still felt... off.

"Miki?" Noticing how silent she was being, Yuzuru began to worry. "Is something the matter?" He asked, pacing over to rest a hand on her shoulder.

"Father... Is this the same room?" Miki muttered, not even bothering to glance up.

In the face of her strange question, Yuzuru raised an eyebrow at his daughter. "What are you talking about? Of course, it is the same one." He assured. "Why would we trick you otherwise?"

Miki didn't immediately respond. Instead, her gaze trailed upward as she took in the view of the room once more, almost acting as if she were seeing it for the first time in her life. "It's so... small." After a few moments, she said. "This place was once my entire world, but now..." Her voice trailed off as she began to walk, gingerly placing one foot before the other. "It takes only a couple of steps from my desk to the table and a couple more from the table to the window..." She demonstrated, hand running along the walls as she approached the window she spent so long, outside looking in. "The walls feel shorter; the windows feel lower, and..." She paused, eyes trailing down to the ground below. "I don't feel as if I'm that high up anymore..." She muttered, hand scrunching into a fist as she felt a wave of moisture begin to gather within her eyes. "To think such a small space like this was once my entire world... To think my world... was once so small..." She whispered.

"Miki..." Yuzuru's eyes softened.

"Are you ready?" Stepping into the room behind the two, Shizue called out in her usual stern voice.

"Huh?"

"It'll take time to move all this furniture downstairs, much less transported to the appointed site." Closing her eyes, the older woman reminded. "It'd be much preferable to do this at the golden hour, would it not?" She questioned, locking eyes with Miki.

Miki stared at her grandmother, wide-eyed for a few moments before breaking into a bright smile. "Yes, of course." She nodded, turning on her heel to face the woman completely. "Thank you, grandmother!"

In the vermillion sunset, Miki stared down at the soot-covered grounds beneath her feet in a contemplative state as Arden jogged up the hill, an unlit torch in hand. "Milady, the safety crew is on stand by, please go on ahead whenever you'd like." He said, lowering his head in a bow as he extended the torch.

"Thank you, Arden." Reaching out, Miki took hold of the wooden stave, watching as the butler pulled out a lighter, lining the mouth against the flammable tip. "So this is it, huh?" She muttered to no one in particular, watching as the small sparks blazed to life against the fuel-soaked cloth, reflecting in her hazel eyes as she raised the torch upwards.

"Yes." Arden nodded, placing the lighter back in his pocket as his gaze trailed down to the darkened pits below. Thanks to the lit torch, he could now see the contents within the pit a little more clearly. He could faintly make out the desk they used to work on, the tables and chairs they dined on and even the shelves that once held her precious books and DVD collections. He must admit, as unpleasant those memories were, there was still quite a bit of good that came with them. "Even if these furniture pieces were to burn, the pleasant memories they gave will continue to live within us... forever." He hummed, emerald eyes falling shut as if he were making a prayer.

"Indeed." Miki agreed. "It's time to say thank you... And good-bye."

With those simple words, she tossed the torch down into the pit below, watching with unblinking eyes as it fell atop of the wooden furniture and began to spread. The crackling flames cast a soft glow onto the sharp edges of those familiar pieces of furniture, ones that swayed along with the flame in the late spring breeze as they began to climb upward, engulfing the pieces as a whole. Miki stood silently, watching the blazes consumed what was beneath her in mere moments as tears began to swell up within her eyes and course down her cheeks.

Noticing the crystal-like droplets that stained her cheeks, Arden swiftly his attention towards the blonde anxiously. "Milady...?" He said, wondering if his suggestion had somehow worsened her mental state.

Hearing her name being called out, Miki immediately snapped out of her dazed state as she reached up to wipe away the tears with her hands. "I'm alright." She assured, quickly recomposing herself from what came over her. "It just... It just feels like the end of an era... Like a page in my storybook has finally turned..." She sniffled. "But I'll be alright, Arden." Brushing a lock of hair out of her face, she turned to face the man. "After all, I now have so many friends and family who will continue to walk with me from here on out." She said, eyes crinkling into a soft smile as the flames continued to rage beneath them, effectively burning away the chains that once tied her down.

Arden's eyes rounded for a few moments as he felt his nose begin to sore. The expressions of pain, excitement, joy and relief all simultaneously flashed across his face before he finally broke into a benevolent smile. "If that is what you wish, then I believe I have a letter for you." He informed, pulling a letter out of his suit pocket and passing it to Miki. "This arrived this morning in the post box." He announced.

Taking the letter curiously, Miki blinked as she read the address on the top left corner. "It's from..."

"...Boston?!" The next day within Music Room #3, the hosts all let out a collective gasp at the new information being brought before by the second-year.

Catching wind of their conversation, the guests couldn't help but join in. "Haruhi-kun, you're going abroad?!" They questioned in unison.

"Is your brain-addled?" Hikaru panicked, grabbing the brunette by the shoulders. "Boston is in the middle of nowhere!" He shouted, despite the information being completely untrue.

"At least go to Vegas or Beverly Hills if you're going to America!" Kaoru added.

Haruhi sweatdropped as she held a hand up in an attempted to make space between her and the spazzing brothers. "I heard it's a safe college town and ideally suited for studying abroad. Besides, I'm going there to study, so it doesn't matter if it's not a flashy place." She pointed out, though her weak attempts to calm the twins only seemed to aggravate them more.

"Why couldn't you wait until after high school to study abroad?!" They complained.

"I considered that too, especially after my dad said he could afford to send me if I turned down the scholarship this year, but I guess the thought that 'If I go now, it's free' really can't be beaten..." She sighed, pressing a palm to her cheek.

"Agh!" Hikaru let out a frustrated grunt before whipping his head around towards Tamaki. "Come on, Milord put up a fight!" He demanded. "You two just fell in love! You don't want to let her do so soon, do you?!"

"Hika-chan! Kao-chan! Shhh!" Honey warned, pointing at Renge who's eyes immediately began to sparkle at the words 'in love.'

"I support it." Ignoring the mass commotion taking place in the clubroom, Tamaki said smoothly. "After all, Haruhi decided only after careful consideration."

"Milord's sense of nobility has reared its ugly head...!" The twins complained. "If he thinks we'll meekly agree-"

Cutting the two off, Miki leaned forward to tap her brother on the shoulder. "Brother, it's time to leave, you know." She reminded with a small smile.

"Ah, that's right." Tamaki hummed, his gaze flickering over to the grandfather clock as he rushed to grab his back from the backroom. "By the way, I'll be busy with my training at Suoh Cooperation for a while, but I'll still stop in for Host Club events, of course." He said with his usually goofy grin.

"What?! Hold it!" The twins attempted to reach out and grab him only for the before large double doors to click closed before their very eyes. "Kyoya-senpai! Kyoya-senpai! How can you be alright with this-?" They swiftly turned to complain to the vice president, only to find the man already wearing his usual business smile and conversing with the teary-eyed guests.

"The Host Club will be certainly hosting a farewell party for Haruhi." He informed courteously. "We'll release a special photo collection and special goods to mark the occasion as well."

"Oh my! We'll absolutely buy it!" The girls squealed before collectively turning on their heels and rushing out of the club room. "We'll let everyone know immediately!" They cried, leaving Haruhi sweatdropping at the sight.

"When do you leave, Haruhi?" Kyoya then asked.

"Oh. Since the American school year starts in September, I thought I'd leave right after the Spring semester so that I'll have time to settle in." She replied.

"I see, that certainly sounds a bit hectic." Rubbing his chin thoughtfully, Kyoya hummed. "You'll be doing your trip preparations during final exams. Then we'll hold the farewell party on the last night of the Spring Semester." He concluded.

"W-Wait! Hold on a second!" Hikaru protested.

"The end of the Spring Semester?! That's too soon!" Kaoru nodded his head furiously in agreement.

"Hikaru... Kaoru..." Watching as her two classmates made such a huge racket over the situation, Haruhi stepped forth in another attempt to comfort them. "I'm sorry I decided this on my own so suddenly, but I really hope you can understand." She said, her gaze flickering to a downcast. "I'm going to miss you all, but it's thanks to you all that I'm determined to strive for the best. It's thanks to you all, my world has expanded, and that's why..." She paused for a moment before glancing up at them with a tranquil smile. "That's why I need to go and broaden my perspective." She announced determinedly.

"Haruhi..." Hikaru murmured, rubbing his neck awkwardly.

"Yeah... We understand..." Wiping away the tears that began to form in his eyes, Kaoru reached forth to ruffle her soft brown hair.

"Kyoya-senpai, I have a little request." Turning to the third-year, Haruhi spoke. "It's not only the Host Club I have to thank. There's also my classmates who visit the Host Club, and I don't want to leave with them still believing a lie about me. So can't I..." She hesitated a little. "Can't I tell them the truth?"

Everyone's eyes widened a little.

And so, the following days passed quickly. During which, the students at Ouran Academy were beginning to prepare for their final exams of the semester as spring moved into summer. On such a day, the third-year trio was wandering through the halls along with their peers as they headed to the cafeteria for a much-needed lunch break.

"I wonder what's for lunch today?" Miki hummed, walking between her brother and Kyoya with a bounce to her step.

"I heard they have tiramisu for dessert, your favourite," Tamaki said playfully.

As Kyoya was about to comment on how carefree the two were acting despite the stressful time of year, they heard a familiar voice ring out of Classroom 2-A.

"Fujioka-kun, you're studying abroad in Boston, correct?" Peering in, they spotted Ayame hovering over Haruhi, having dropped a mountain of English workbooks onto the poor girl's desk. "At your current level, you should be able to get around and converse easily enough in English. But you may have trouble keeping up with your classes." She adjusted her glasses. "The Bostonian accent may be difficult to understand, as well. Therefore I'm prepared to tutor you in English every single day until you go. For starters, let us go over all this." She said, gesturing the entire pile.

"E-Everyday...?" Haruhi sweatdropped, a little intimidated by the workload her upperclassman was presenting. "But I've got final exams to study for... And-"

"Come now, scholarship student," Kyoya sounded. "If you can't do that much, are you really prepared for Boston?" He challenged with a slight smirk.

"That's right!" Miki chimed with an airy giggle. "Everyone is cheering you on, you know?"

"So do your best, Haruhi!" Tamaki waved.

Spotting her boyfriend in the hallway, Haruhi immediately perked up. "Ah, Tamaki-senpai..." She muttered, hurrying out of the classroom to meet him bashfully.

Realizing the brunette probably wanted to speak with Tamaki alone, Kyoya reached out to grab Miki's hand. "We'll go on ahead." He said before dragging her off.

"Alright, see you both later." Tamaki nodded, not noticing their interlaced fingers at all.

Peering over her shoulder at the two, Miki blinked. "I wonder what was that about?" She wondered out loud.

"She's probably inviting Tamaki out somewhere." Kyoya deduced.

"I see."

"Speaking of which," As they continued down the hallway, Kyoya glanced down at her. "Would you like to join me for dinner tonight? My father expressed interest in meeting you again." He invited, the corner of his lips lifting a little at the remembrance of his father's words.

Tapping a finger to her chin, Miki tilted her head apologetically. "Ah, I would love to, but big brother and I promised grandmother to eat dinner with her every night this term." She informed.

"That woman has become quite attached to the two of you," Kyoya commented as they entered the busy cafeteria.

"It's mostly big brother," Miki chuckled wryly. "But Arden thinks she's beginning to warm up to me as well. Did you know? Just the other day, she invited me to brew some chamomile tea for her as we talked." She announced with a sparkling smile.

Kyoya mused at her excitement. "What did you talk about?" He asked.

"She told me a few stories." Miki's gaze flickered upward thoughtfully as she recalled the event. "She told me about mother and father's first meeting, their first 'date,' their wedding... She also told me a little more about... why she chose mother." She paused for a moment, recollecting herself a little before continuing. "She said how mother was back then, really reminded her of her younger self. Driven, focused and ambitious..." Her voice trailed off.

Kyoya remained silent, watching as her expression turned into a wistful smile. He felt the fingers interlocked with his tighten a little.

"Say Kyoya-kun... I want to go see her again someday." She admitted quietly. "When I get older, more successful, more influential. I want to show my mother and make her proud of what sort of person her daughter has become." As she glanced up to face him, Kyoya witnessed a peculiar sight. His eyes widened, spotting the same hint of determination that flashed across her hazel eyes like a shooting star, much like that time on the balcony under the velvet night skies of Madrid.

He couldn't help but huff out a laugh.

"I'm sure she will." He assured, leaning in close to press his forehead against hers.

Once Miki flashed her signature radiant smile, Kyoya pulled away with a knowing smirk on his lips. "As much as I'd love to continue this conversation, I couldn't help but notice an air of hostility burning into my back." He informed in his usual calm voice, despite the singeing gaze that drilled into his backside.

Confused by what he meant, Miki tilted her head to the side, peering over his shoulder to spot Reiko standing in the lunch line in the distance, glaring at them as she fiddled with something in her hands. "Ah! It's Reiko-chan!" She chirped.

"I'll see you later."

"Okay!" After giving him a small wave, Miki bounced over to the raven-haired girl. "Sorry to keep you waiting, Reiko-chan." She sang, plucking a lunch tray before noticing the strange braid Reiko was weaving in her hands at a remarkable pace. "Huh? Is that another hex?" She asked.

"Yes..." Reiko grinned darkly. "It is a hex I plan on unleashing it soon."

Miki cocked her head to the side. "Really? On who?"

"Ootori-senpai." The black magician announced with a tone of spite laced in her voice.

Nearly choking on her saliva, Miki immediately flew into a panic. "Eh? Kyoya-kun?" She stuttered. "W-Why would you do that?" She questioned anxiously.

"Because that wretched man has probably placed an extremely potent spell on you, for you to be spending so much time by his side," Reiko grumbled, her hands dancing with the fabric strings as she began to weave the braid at an even quicker pace than before - if that was even possible. "I cannot forgive that. Therefore I must counteract with an equally powerful curse to plague his family for at least the next ten generations to come with such bad luck he'll wish he was never born-"

"Ahhh! Reiko-chan, stop stop! Please don't do that to Kyoya-kun!" Reaching a hand out to stop Reiko's hands from moving any further, Miki cried out.

Reiko stared blankly at her dearest friend, wide-eyed.

"Things with my family have been a little hectic lately, so I've been relying on him a lot for advice on press interviews and public appearances." She explained with a weary smile. "That's the reason why I've been spending so much time with him lately."

The raven-haired girl didn't immediately respond. Instead, her onyx-like eyes flickered downward, seeming a little dejected by something. Miki tilted her head to the side, wondering what could still be bothering her.

"Ah, perhaps have you been lonely?" She questioned bluntly, causing Reiko to jolt a little. Miki couldn't help but chuckle at her reaction. "I guess it has been a while since we've last hung out together." She hummed. "Then why don't we go see a horror movie this weekend, just the two of us?"

"R-Really?" Reiko's mood seemed to perk up a little at that suggestion. "I'd like that..." She murmured, averting her eyes bashfully.

"Alright, then it's settled." Miki giggled before glancing down at the little black braid her friend held in her hands. "So, um... What are you going to do about that hex then?" She asked.

Reiko hesitated for a moment, staring down at the half-finished braid thoughtfully. "Are you happy with that man?" After a while, she finally asked.

"Of course I am," Miki assured, her expression breaking into a soft beam. "I love him a lot."

The black magician nodded. "Then I'll save it. In the case that man were to shatter your soul, I unleash it and ten other curses upon him." She declared, another dark chuckle sounding from her throat.

"Hehe, thank you, Reiko-chan."

As the two girls continued down the lunch line, Reiko couldn't help but glimpse at her friend once more. Then, she voluntarily opened her mouth, reluctantly pushing the words past her lips. "Miki-san, are you really going to be...?" Her voice trailed off, seeming afraid to continue.

"Hm?" Miki glanced over, taking a moment to process her question as her smile dropped a little. "Oh. Yeah, I am." She hummed, averting her eyes to stare down at her empty lunch tray.

"I see..." Reiko's brows drew a little closer. "If that's the case, why is Fuijoka-san holding a good-bye party, but you aren't?" She asked.

"Kyoya-kun told me to hold off on it," Miki said, absently reaching out to grab a cup of coffee. "He said he has a prediction on how things will turn out, and it'll be much more interesting if I kept it a secret for now. So..." Turning to Reiko, she lifted her index finger and pressed it against her lips with a mischievous wink. "I only decided to tell my best friend about it."

Reiko's eyes rounded a little in a mixture of glee and loneliness. While she was elated Miki saw her as 'her best friend,' she still couldn't shake off the woeful feeling that rose within her chest. She turned away wistfully, staring down at her empty tray. "I see. I'll... miss you." She muttered, voice barely audible.

"I'll miss you too, Reiko-chan." The blonde's hazel eyes crinkled softly. "Message me if you run into any trouble, alright? I'll come running."

The second-year simply nodded, leaving Miki still a little unnerved about her friend's reluctance to speak. She watched her friend's silent figure worriedly before noticing the lunch menu flashing directly above them. She peered up, an idea quickly forming in her mind. "Hey, Reiko-chan." Tugging on the hem of her sleeve, she called out the black magician. "I feel like having the C Lunch Set today, so would you like the included Black Forest Cake?" She asked with a knowing head tilt.

The raven-haired girl blinked a little, seemingly catching onto what Miki was implying. "Then... I'll take the F Lunch Set so that you can have the Tiramisu." She said, the corner of her lips rising slightly.

"Deal!" Nodding curtly, Miki chirped.

After a few more weeks, the final exams for the spring semester came and went. And as per usual - Fujioka Haruhi had ranked first in her grade, officially solidifying her place as the exchange student set to depart for Boston during the upcoming fall semester.

"Alright, everyone." With all the hosts' par Haruhi gathered in Music Room #3, Tamaki cleared his throat, resting his hands on his hips in his usual flamboyant mannerism. "Tomorrow night is the farewell party. Are the designs for the Central Salon ready, Miki?" He asked, pointing at the strawberry blonde.

"Of course, all the parts have arrived this morning," Miki affirmed happily.

"Excellent." Tamaki hummed. "We'll set our plan into action then, so everyone make sure you know your part."

"Ordering us around when you haven't helped with the party preparations at all..." Hikaru grumbled in annoyance.

Ignoring the elder twin, Tamaki lifted his pen. "Just to be sure, let's review the plan one more time-"

"We've got it alright, Tama-chan. But do you really think this plan will work?" Honey interrupted, taking another bite of his cake with a thoughtful expression.

Kaoru nodded in agreement. "What happens if it doesn't?" He asked. "If Kyoya-senpai's assumptions are wrong-"

Presented with the ginger's worries, Tamaki rubbed his chin before shrugging. "We'll cross that bridge when we get there!" He announced boldly, causing everyone else to sweatdrop a little.

"You need to take this seriously!" The twins shouted.

Listening to their usual lively complaints and banters, Tamaki huffed out a small laugh. "Well, I want to believe." He stated, sapphire-coloured eyes flickering to a thoughtful downcast"Both in the time Haruhi spent with us in the host club and in all our customers who have watched over her through it all."

"One last thing." Cutting his semi-inspirational speech short, Kyoya raised his hand. "Our president announcement to make." He said, gesturing Tamaki with a sigh.

"Huh? I do?" Tamaki cocked his head to the side as all eyes shot to him.

"Ladies and Gentlemen," On the final day of the Spring Semester, July 20th, 5 p.m. in the evening, countless people were gathered in Ouran Academy's dimly lit Central Salon. Tamaki stood at the top of the grand staircase, speaking into the rustling crowd with his a mysterious voice. "Thank you very much for attending the farewell party for our Host Club member who is leaving to study abroad. Though we call it a farewell party, it is our club's mission to ensure our guests always enjoy themselves. Thus, the theme of tonight's party is a Host Club-style masquerade!"

With his crisp announcement, the lights within the central salon flickered to life in unison, casting a bright glow across the crowd as the sophisticatedly dressed guests began to gasp in awe and surprise. Everyone present either wore or held a detailedly designed mask that complimented their extravagant outfits for the refined evening. This included the hosts, who were spaced out along each side of the grand stairway as they lowered their heads in a bow.

Haruhi peered down curiously.

The regular guests who visited the host club almost daily, the members of the athletic clubs and recreational clubs, pretty much every single one of the classmates the host club had come into contact with over the course of the year, were present at the masquerade ball.

As the party went into full swing, the brunette found herself surrounded by her beloved classmates of Class 2-A.

"So it's finally time, Haruhi-kun..." Wiping a tear that formed in the corner of her eye, Momoka sniffled. "Have you made all your preparations?"

"Yes, more or less." Haruhi nodded wearily.

"Listen to us, Princesses. You won't believe how heartless this guy is!" Resting a hand on her shoulder, Hikaru shook his head. "It's too late to do anything about studying abroad, but when we offered to use our family jet to visit every weekend, Haruhi said..."

"'I forbid you,'" Kaoru continued, raising his arms in a cross shape as he imitated Haruhi's apathetic demeanour. "'Since I only get one year there, I don't have time to be playing around.' That's what she said! Isn't it mean?" He whined.

"Hehe, that does sound like Haruhi-kun." Kimiko giggled lightly.

Just at that moment, Haruhi noticed that the cluster of students toward the side began to parted way, revealing Miki of all people approaching her from a distance. "Haruhi? Would you like to dance with me?" She offered, extending her hand out with a bright smile.

"Miki-senpai?" Haruhi stuttered, a little estranged by the sudden development. "Why? I'm afraid I can't really dance-"

"Is that so? Because that's definitely not what I've heard." Miki blinked, cocking her head to the side with a hint of mischief laced in her voice. "I've heard you're actually quite a splendid dancer, so much so you managed to score a kiss after your last-"

Haruhi immediately tensed at the reminder. "Alright, alright!" She interrupted, waving her hands frantically before huffing out a sigh. "I'd love you to dance with you, Miki-senpai." She bowed, lips forming a wry smile.

As the two moved out to the dance floor along the soft waltz music, Haruhi seemed to notice both of the twins hustling out of the central salon, seemingly in a panic.

 _Where are they going?_ She wondered.

"Haruhi, is something wrong?" Miki asked curiously, interrupting her train of thought.

"Oh, it's nothing." The brunette shook her head, shifting her attention back to her upperclassman as she stared down at her dress. Upon closer inspection, the fiery red gown seemed to incorporate some intricate butterfly-like designs along the edges of the ruffles, fanning out to a beautiful black gradient. "Hey Miki-senpai, is your dress themed after a butterfly?" She asked absently.

The blonde nodded curtly. "It is! Though I originally wanted to use an alligator as the theme, Arden just wouldn't allow it. Something about how it wouldn't befit such an extravagant event." She hummed, eyes averting upward as she recalled the memory. "So, we ended up deciding on a butterfly-theme with a traditional Spanish flare."

Haruhi blanked for a second as she processed her upperclassman's words. Her first reaction was to deadpan at how ridiculous an alligator themed dress would be, but for some reason this time, her antics felt oddly comforting. So much so, she had to stifle a chuckle. "You really haven't changed, Miki-senpai." She laughed.

"Huh?"

"Remember when we visited the water park?" Haruhi reminded. "You almost got your arm bitten off trying to pet one of the alligators."

"Of course, I do!" Miki nodded happily. "What about last summer when we were in Karuizawa? Do you remember that? It was so much fun!" She said, her cheeks practically gleaming.

"We could always go to a local one again sometime." Haruhi offered, sweatdropping at her enthusiasm. "Ah, if you don't get kidnapped to Spain again, that is."

"I won't anymore, I promise." Miki giggled. "Though if there is anywhere I'd like to go again, it'd be to the mountains." She stated, eyes twinkling brightly at the memory. "The snow was beautiful up there!"

"Right..." Haruhi's voice trailed off, her eyes dulling a little. "Hopefully, Hikaru doesn't get stuck in a snowstorm again..." She murmured.

Sensing something off within her underclassman, Miki tilted her head to try and get a better look at her face. "What's wrong, Haruhi? You look upset." She pointed out.

"I-I'm not upset," Stuttering as she shook her head, Haruhi denied. "I was just thinking about how today is my last day here. And how I still never found the right time to tell everyone the truth about me..."

Miki's eyes rounded a little at her words. Then without a particular reason, she broke into her usual radiant smile. "Don't worry, Haruhi." She chimed, supporting Haruhi's leading dance steps in a fluid motion. "Just because you are leaving to study abroad, doesn't mean our stories together ends here. Besides, Kyoya-kun and my brother were the ones who thought of this plan; I'm sure it will work out for the best." She assured cryptically.

"Plan...?" The brunette raised an eyebrow suspiciously. However, before she could pursue it too much, she felt a shadow loom from behind. Whipping her head around, she saw Mori towering over them, dressed in a bard-like outfit.

"M-Mori-senpai?!" Breaking out of the waltz, Haruhi unintentionally stumbled backward into Miki.

The blonde, however, simply beamed at the sight of the silent giant. "Ah, is it time already? Alright, then." Giving Haruhi a final knowing smile, she pressed her hands firmly into her shoulders before shoving the girl forward into the university-student. "Mori-senpai, catch!" She warned, watching as he immediately hauled the confused brunette over his shoulder with his usual stoic expression.

"Wha- Ah? AHHHH!" Before either she or the guests present had the time to even process what was happening, Haruhi was then carried out of the central salon by Mori, Honey trailing not far behind.

"Good Luck, Haruhi!" Miki giggled, waving her hands with her airy smile before turning to peer up at her brother, who stood at the top of the grand staircase. They exchanged eye-contact, the elder giving her a wink and a thumbs up. Receiving the signal, Miki quickly donned her mask before making her way to the lighting panel in the corner of the ballroom.

While at first bewildered by the 'kidnapping' of the night's guest of honour, guests' attention were then quickly stolen away as the lights within the central salon began to dim, leaving the flickering candles held to the walls as the only light sources of the evening.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, I hereby propose a small game for your diversion." Tamaki cleared his throat, calming the crowd down to rustles and whispers. "Right now, I implore everyone to don your masks, and you shall find that even the identities of those near you will be obscured within the dimmed lights." He instructed, sliding his own mask down into its place on his face. " I would like you to search for tonight's guest of honour, who will soon be departing from Ouran. I present to you, 'the Great Hunt for Haruhi!'" He announced, causing the guests to break into cries of excitement as they donned their masks, all eagerly ready to participate in the event.

Leaning against the walls of the central salon, Kyoya kept his gaze fixated on the guests as they each broke off, observing anyone and everyone beyond their masks within the ballroom. Though the countless cries for Haruhi fell short to his ears, as he was lost in thought himself. _That day when I learned that everyone knew about the situation regarding Tamaki's mother within the Suoh family, I worried that they knew about Haruhi as well. It's the nature of fans to wish to know everything about the object of their adoration. If that's true, they likely already know about her secret. They knew, yet they still kept quiet about it._ Hearing a nearby door close softly. He peered over just in time to spot Haruhi standing awkwardly in the darkness wearing a long-haired wig as well as a pale white gown and a matching swan-like mask. He smirked. _This is a gamble, Haruhi._ He declared mentally. _But we are really betting on, is the strength of the bond you've built with these girls._

Sure enough, Momoka soon noticed the mysterious brunette standing silently at the door. "Hey, is that...?" She whispered as she and Kimiko approached the stranger.

"May I?" Kimiko asked sweetly, gesturing Haruhi's mask. Unable to make a peep, Haruhi simply nodded nervously.

Reaching forth, Kimiko gently removed the mask from the brunette only to let out a small chuckle. "I thought so." She hummed.

"We found you, Haruhi-kun." Momoka chimed, the rest of Class 1-A surrounding them, each wearing warm smiles.

Gaze sweeping across each of their benevolent expressions, Haruhi felt her nose go sore. "Everyone..." She whispered.

"We knew, Haruhi-kun," Kimiko said softly. "We've known for a while, and we think these clothes are the ones that suit you best too."

"And we also know about your relationship with Tamaki-sama," Renge added eagerly, shoving the approaching blond towards the brunette.

"Huh?" Tamaki yelped, his face turning red at the notion.

"Aweee, you're blushing!"

As the regulars began to tease and gush over the two's relationship, Kyoya noticed the chandeliers hanging within the salon had once again brightened. He hummed, glancing over at the lighting panel to spot Miki standing alone in the crowd. Though he couldn't clearly see her expression through her red, butterfly-like mask, he could somehow sense the tranquil aura that emitted off of her. His eyes crinkled gently.

 _I've really gotten soft._ He thought to himself before donning his mask and making his way towards her.

Noticing the familiar figure that weaved through the crowd, Miki's cheeks immediately brightened. "Ah, Kyo-" She was about to call his name when he interrupted her mid-sentence, pressing his index finger against her lips as if telling her to stay quiet. She cocked her head to the side, watching as he slowly lowered his body in a sincere bow before offering out his hand.

"May I have this dance?" As the orchestra began to play the introduction to a new song, the masked man peered up at his girlfriend with a soft gaze.

As per usual, it took Miki a little time to process what he was saying. Though once the information when through, her expression quickly broke into a bright beam. Reaching out to place her hand in his, she lifted the corner of her ballgown in a curtsy. "I'd be delighted to." She replied.

As the two were whisked away to the dance floor, moving to the given music, they had somehow managed to garner a small crowd of onlookers with how grand their steps were. Now that Kyoya thought back on it, Miki was quite the remarkable dancer for someone who had been locked up for so long. Whenever he'd intentionally lead her into a tricky turn or step, she could always catch on and continue flawlessly.

 _There's still a lot I don't know about her..._

"This is the second time we've danced like this, you know?" Miki said with a giggle, pulling Kyoya out of his thoughts.

He blanked for a moment before allowing a small smirk to curl upon his lips. "You remembered?"

"Of course!" She chirped. "You told me that you'd make it a dance worthy of remembering. You were right about that, Kyoya-kun."

"I suppose I was." Kyoya hummed as he led her into a turn, watching as she followed along with little hesitation. "Your movements are a little more fluid this time." He noted.

"Hm?" Miki's hazel eyes rounded in confusion before catching onto what he meant. "Ahh, that's because of Arden." She explained with a dry laugh.

Kyoya gave her a weird look.

"Ever since he returned to me, he's been diligent in making sure my basic skills as a lady of nobility hasn't deteriorated." She elaborated.

"So he's been making you practice the waltz?"

"Mhm." Miki nodded, gaze flickering upward thoughtfully. "He's always wanted me to be good at dancing ever since I was young, so he's made me practice lots. Don't be too surprised if I've become much better-" Before she could finish her sentence, however, she felt something other than the marble ground under her heels.

"Ah."

She glanced down, realizing that she had indeed stepped on Kyoya's foot. Though that didn't seem to last long, as the next thing she felt was her body leaning towards the side as she began to fall.

Kyoya sighed. Sliding his hands down, he secured his grip around her waist before turning on the ball of his foot, gingerly lifting her into the air in a sweeping motion.

"Oh my!"

"Look at that!"

The crowd immediately began to gasp and point at the sight.

Miki stared into Kyoya's eyes in a slight daze. She could feel the soft breeze weaving through her hair as well as the rustling of her gown, but she still had yet to process that she was now being held up in the air like a precious gem of some sort. Though before she could even realize that Kyoya had conveniently covered up her prior mistake, he had already placed her back onto the ground and continued to dance as if nothing happened.

"How cute!" Someone in the crowd hollered. Though their voice, Miki quickly recognized them as Sora.

Kyoya peered down at Miki's blank expression. "I thought you said you have been practicing." He commented smugly.

Miki chuckled, seemingly unbothered by her previous blunder. "I guess I slipped up a little there."

"EHHHHH?!" Before she could say anything else, a loud scream erupted from the outer balcony of the school, surprising everyone within the ballroom.

"W-What was that?" Miki whipped her head around worriedly.

"Probably Haruhi finally finding out that idiot is going with her to Boston to study abroad." Kyoya shrugged, much more relaxed about his underclassman's loud yelp in comparison. "Moreover," He sighed. "Is 'that' ready?"

Miki nodded. "Mhm. Father says it's ready whenever we are." She chimed.

"Excellent," Kyoya muttered in a low voice. Though as he began to think a little more about their upcoming plans, his gaze wandered to the side as he noticed a group of familiar-looking students staring right at them. He immediately recognized a few of them as members of Miki's self-proclaimed 'fan club,' and it seems as if the roster for that ridiculous club has since expanded since Miki's first press appearance.

That thought alone didn't side right.

"Miki." Making sure that they were watching, Kyoya called out to the blonde.

"Hm?" Feeling his palm cup her cheek, she glanced up at him in curiosity only to feel Kyoya press a kiss directly onto her lips. While this kiss wasn't one of those lengthy and sensual kisses, it wasn't short and sweet either. Instead it seemed to be firm and driven, as if he were making a statement of some sort. As they parted, Miki blinked a little. "What was that for?" She asked, tilting her head to the side

Kyoya didn't immediately respond. Instead, his gaze flickered over to the 'fan club' for a second to see just a few annoyed expressions glaring right back. He huffed out a triumphant laugh. "Just marking my territory," He answered, tracing his thumb over her stained lips. "I needed to make it clear to the others that you're mine."

Miki averted her eyes to the side, humming at the notion. "Then, it's the same for me, right?" She questioned absently.

Kyoya raised an eyebrow at her.

"Well, you are mine too, right?" Turning to glance back at him, Miki pointed out with a slight pout. "If not, that'd be a little unfair."

At first, Kyoya found himself estranged by the question. But before he even realized, he nodded. "Of course, I'm all yours." He assured.

Satisfied with that answer, Miki's cheeks quickly began to flush faintly with happiness. She reached up to wrap her arms around his neck before pulling herself closer to him with a small smile. "I love you, Kyoya-kun." She whispered just loud enough for him to hear. "With everything I am."

Kyoya smiled softly. Securing his arms around her waist, he leaned in to press his forehead against hers. "I love you too." He replied.

(A/N: _Italics_ are words spoken in English... in this Japanese story)

Haruhi sighed, stepping around a sleeping Antoinette with a few emptied boxes in hand. It had only been three days since she's moved to Boston, and Tamaki was already making a big deal about blocking off the door that connected their apartments. As much as she loved him, he really was a grand idiot.

As she began to put away the plates and bowls in the nearby kitchen cabinet, she caught herself thinking about the members of the host club whom she left back in Japan. It felt strange, knowing that she wouldn't be seeing them every day as she had before.

It was a little lonely.

However, before her thoughts could entirely drown out her surroundings, the doorbell to her apartment chimed, causing her and Tamaki to put the unpacking on a halt. " _Hello? We're your new neighbours._ "

"Oh!" Weaving around the boxes, Haruhi quickly rushed to unlock the door. " _Hi! I'm sorry I haven't stopped by to introduce myself yet-_ " She peeked out nervously to find...

" _Hello!_ "

Standing in the hallway of their apartment, were six familiar faces smiling back at her. The same six she had been thinking about mere moments ago.

Haruhi immediately slammed the door shut in a state of shock. She jerked her head around to stare at Tamaki, who broke into a cold sweat as he had already recognized the voices of their new 'neighbours.' However, before either of them could say anything, the apartment door was forced open on the other end, and the hosts came trotting in as if they owned the place.

" _So every room has the same layout, I see._ " Hikaru hummed.

" _These apartments are quite spacious._ " Miki nodded, observing the space around her curiously.

" _The view is nice really too,_ " Honey added.

" _Yeah._ " Mori agreed, petting Piyo on his shoulder as Pome rested in his arms.

" _You two have rooms on the fourth floor, right?_ "Kaoru asked as he peered over his shoulder at Kyoya." _Our rooms have a huge tree in front of the window._ " He complained.

" _No complaining over something that was decided by drawing lots_ ," Kyoya said firmly.

"W-Why are you guys here?!" Hearing the sound of her sanity snapping, Haruhi shouted.

"Haha, surprised to see us?" The twins laughed, reverting their language back to Japanese. "We sure had a tough time planning all of this the day before the farewell party."

"We decided it was time for us to study abroad too." Honey said.

"But how?!" Tamaki shrieked, flailing his arms around at the shattering of his dreams of a 'beautiful daily life with Haruhi.' "How did you guys end up in the same apartment building too?!" He questioned.

"We just happened to know the owner of the apartment complex," Kyoya shrugged as an unbalanced smile surfaced upon his lips. "Though we are quite lucky there even happened to be empty rooms here."

"Say, big brother?" Miki called out, covering her lips with the tips of her fingers. "Do you remember how my birthday was a little more than two ago?" She asked, watching as Tamaki nodded. "Well, this year, I asked father for something a little peculiar, as he called it." She hinted with a small head tilt.

"D-Don't tell me..." Haruhi began to sweat profusely.

"Mhm! I asked for an apartment complex in Boston." She chimed happily, lifting an all-knowing finger.

"Ah, but don't get us wrong. We aren't here for you two at all." Hikaru grinned.

"Miki-senpai here happened to win that production sketch internship based here in Boston," Kaoru proclaimed proudly as he ruffled his upperclassman's hair affectionately. "So, we all decided to follow her here too."

"W-What?!" Tamaki's jaw dropped at the months-old announcement. "You won that contest?! Why do I not know about this?" He asked, fingers twitching as tears of betrayal began circling his eyes.

"Perhaps you have been so busy riding on the thrill of being in love to the point you didn't notice." He commented with a clear sense of smugness in his tone, sending Tamaki sprawling to the ground in shock.

"M-Miki-senpai..." Haruhi peered up at the girl with strawberry brown hair in a mixture of fear and panic.

"I told you already, didn't I?" Keeping her finger pressed to her lips, Miki chuckled. "Just because you are leaving to study abroad, doesn't mean our stories together ends here. The spring of our lives are far from over, so let us continue to our next adventure!" She announced.

"Yeah!"

Following along with her, the twins and Honey threw their fists in the air, letting a collective cheer as Kyoya and Mori watched on the side with calm smiles. Tamaki was collapsed to the ground in dejection while Haruhi was beginning to tear up, regretting even missing these idiots.

As the group began to tease Haruhi and Tamaki, Miki noticed something out of the corner of her eye. Glancing over, her eyes widened for a second before breaking into a bright smile.

"Adios~!" She whispered, winking.


	58. Afterword

~ Afterword ~

Two years ago, I was rewatching Ouran High School Host Club and the idea of Tamaki having a sister began to manifest within my mind. She was initially designed to be his blood sister, just a wild fantasy of mine about another girl joining the Host Club on their wild and wacky adventures. I had written up the first few paragraphs of the first chapter, but then I decided to abandon the project as the idea of 'Host Club siblings having a secret sibling' seemed to be over-used and widely hated upon in the community. And so, for another year, that story continued to sit in my drafts, untouched and waiting.

It wasn't until I had met one of my best friends, that I had decided to pick up this story once again. You see, he has never watched OHSHC despite having a love for rom-com animes. So in my effort to convince him to watch the series, I had decided to rewatch the series alongside him. This was when this story finally began to take its shape within my mind.

One of the most interesting things about the Bisco Hatori's characters is how they can mask their emotional baggage with their shticks. It is, in fact, a psychological coping mechanism that I studied briefly in summer school last year. It was then I decided that I wanted to create a similar character that would fit reasonably into this world. One that, like the rest of the host club, had their own set of troubles and problems but continues to strive forward while masking their insecurities and woes. I noticed that the sarcastic and badass OCs tended to be overdone in this community, so I decided to make her a little change of pace. I wanted her to be a loveable idiot, capable of hitting the comedic beats alongside the silly host club and even sprinkle in more of her own.

I'll be honest, mere moments before posting the first chapter of this story; I was still very hesitant about whether or not I should. In fact, I still am. I've read so many posts and rants about people trashing the 'sibling cliche', so much so that I was afraid that I'd end up on the blacklist of stories. But it was some encouraging words from my mother that gave me the courage to hit that upload button.

Writing this today feels so surreal to me. Because I never imagined that my silly story, one that I was once so apprehensive about posting a little less than a year ago, would garner such a passionate fanbase. Those that actively leave me such encouraging comments and questions, ones that had made me smile even at the lowest times and that carried me through even the most difficult times in my life. Especially a few of you, in particular, you know who you are ️ .

Many of you have asked me about what's next? What am I going to write after this story has concluded? Well, there are many things that I've wanted to do regarding writing. I want to continue writing fanfiction, but at the same time, I also really want to begin pumping out my original series. So decided that I would try to handle both, on top of college applications this year. Wish me luck~ These last few chapters, in particular, have been a little difficult to pump out for these reasons. I've been busy with school as well as setting up these two new series. If you have any theories on what they may be, feel free to take a guess ️. And hey, if you're interested, I really hope you do stick around to see what I'll be writing next!

Despite moving on to work my new series', Miki's story isn't entirely over just yet. There are still epilogues I want to tell, as well as a side story and an alternate bad ending depicting what would happen if Miki remained trapped forever. But those would take a little while as I'd like to focus on stabilizing and creating my new series first.

I really want to thank you all from the bottom of my heart, for supporting this series in the past year. It has been an experience I will surely never forget, seeing as it had shaped and altered my life in more ways I could've ever imagined. And I hope that you would continue to follow support me in my upcoming projects.

Until next time, have a wonderful day!

XOXO,

Astra


	59. Extra Content Lost Chapters and Tag Q

_A/N: November 9th was the first-year anniversary of Rapunzel. Sorry, I'm nearly a month late, but I've been super busy with school and University Applications. Despite all that though, I still wanted to post something special to celebrate something that has become so near and dear to my heart. So now that I'm down and out with a cold, I finally found the time to get around to it. To commemorate the occasion, I decided to do a little Lost Chapters and Tag questions (OTP and an Author Tag)._

 _In a little less than a year, we have burned through 50-chapters of the main story and a few extra if you count the side stories. I really can't thank you all enough for what you've done both for me and this series. Thank you all, really. This is for you!_

 **-Lost Chapters-**

 _A/N: There have been a few instances where I had the premise of a chapter planned, but they ended up being cut for one reason or another. I've brought them back in this extra content chapter for you all to see! These are a simple summary of the events that were planned to transpire, but a few important snippets here and there that are entirely written out. Enjoy~_

 **Chapter Idea #1 - The Princess's Most Cherished Person!**

 _A/N: While I did like this chapter idea, it ended up being scrapped for two reasons. For one, it just didn't fit into a nice and neat 50 chapter story. And secondly, I found Kyoya to be a little out of character in the premise, so I ended up cutting it for consistency's sake. Either way, Enjoy~._

As we all know, Kazehara Sumire is both dating the drama club president and a member of his club. This story takes place right after the Ouran festival, where Sumire lost her voice thanks to a combination of a bad cold and general overexertion. With the upcoming winter play, the drama club cannot afford to slack off on rehearsals for both the actors and stage managers. Thus Miki was brought in as a temporary substitute for Sumire's part until she gets better. The Host Club follows, deciding to drop-in as part of the audience and preview the play. All except Kyoya, who heads home early, claiming that such events were 'not worthy of his time.'

The play is an original script by the drama club, telling the story of a knight, who under the request of the king, must gather the 13 fragments of the sacred ruby scattered across the nation, rescuing the kingdom from a doomed fate.

Taking Sumire's place, Miki is playing the Princess of the story, the daughter of the king and the secret lover of the knight. All was going well until they began to rehearse the important scene where the princess bids her beloved knight farewell.

 _Princess Kalia: "Must you leave, Reinhardt?"_

 _Knight Reinhardt: "You know I must, Princess. It is our responsibility to the people... Then, I shall be off."_

 _Kalia: "Wait! Don't go. Don't leave me! I... I'm such a worthless princess, aren't I? At a crucial time like this, I can't do anything to help you nor my people. I know it is selfish... Even so... Even so, I still want you to stay by my side."_

 _Reinhardt: "Princess Kalia..."_

 _Kalia: "If only, time would freeze like this forever."_

 _Reinhardt: "Princess, no matter how far I am, even if this body were to vanish, my soul will be at your side for eternity."_

 _Kalia: "... I know. Be safe, Reinhardt. Know that my heart is with you, too. For all of eternity."_

Despite being able to recite her lines to perfection, Miki's performance came across as dispassionate and bland. (It isn't as bad as Haruhi's daikon-radish acting, but it lacked the intense emotions the scene carried). While the Drama Club President had no issues with it (because she's only a temporary substitute), Tamaki became super picky and started trying to explain to Miki the emotional importance and weight of the scene. Of course, Miki had a difficult time trying to understand Princess Kalia's feelings due to her emotional difficulties. It is here Sumire suggests her notebook (She's writing because she lost her voice).

 _"Why don't you try experiencing Princess Kalia's feelings for yourself then, Miki-san? Think of the person you cherish the most, and avoid them for the next few days. That would probably be the quickest way for you to understand the pain she is about to face."_

 _"Cherish the most? Does my family count?"_

 _"Family is a little too much... How about a close friend?"_

Miki considers this.

The next day, Kyoya arrives at school to find Miki completely avoiding him. She hid behind Tamaki in the morning, ducked under her desk (and even hit her head in the process) when he tried to speak to her in the classroom, and even went as far as sitting into the Black Magic Clubroom during club activities all in the name of avoiding him. Kyoya was extremely confused by her odd behaviour and turned full-on passive-aggressive, dark demon lord mode during their club meeting time. On the other hand, Miki was super upset as well; being unable to talk to Kyoya was proving to be an extremely painful experience for her.

The next day, at the next drama club rehearsal, Miki arrives to be informed that the person playing the Knight has taken a day off to study for the upcoming university entrance exams. Rehearsal will continue nonetheless with a fill-in for the knight role, to help those in the lighting and sound departments get used to specific transitions in the scenes. Just as Miki asks who the fill-in is, Kyoya grabs her from behind and reveals that, surprise! He's filling in for the knight role and reminds her that she now has no-where to run. Miki replies bluntly, stating that she is supposed to avoid him.

Nevertheless, the two of them begin to act out the scene and Miki was a lot more passionate this time around, especially with Kyoya playing the opposite role. She was practically reciting her genuine feelings, after all. Both the audience and Kyoya were moved by her performance, to the point where he ends up responding as himself, leading to a script change.

 _Miki felt her breath hitch, watching as Kyoya begin to step further and further away from her. Before she knew it, her body went on auto-pilot as she lunged forth."W-Wait!" She cried, throwing her arms around his torso as she pressed her cheek against his back. "Don't go. Don't leave me..." She murmured with downcasted eyes._

 _Startled by the sincerity laced within her lines, Kyoya's steps came to a halt as he glanced over his shoulder at the strawberry blonde._

 _"I... I'm such a worthless princess, aren't I?" Miki huffed out a wry laugh. "At a crucial time like this, I can't do anything to help you nor my people. I know it is selfish..." She paused for a moment, her lips pressing into a thin line. "Even so... Even so!" She stammered, lifting her face to meet Kyoya's questioning gaze with a genuine expression of her own. "Even so, I still want you to stay by my side." She declared, her clear voice echoing throughout the auditorium._

 _"Princess..." Kyoya breathed, slowly turning to face Miki as he held her close by the small of her back._

 _As Miki gazed up into Kyoya's eyes, she felt her heart begin to palpitate. For a moment there, she had forgotten that she was only acting as her next line rolled off her tongue as if they were the most natural thing ever. "If only..." She whispered. "If only time would freeze like this forever."_

 _Kyoya felt the corner his lips tug upwards as he reached a hand up, gingerly brushing a strand of loose hair behind her ear. "If that is your wish, then would you like to accompany me on my journey?" He spoke with a knowing smile._

 _"H-Huh?" Miki's eyes rounded, thrown off the sudden divergence in the script. As far as she knew, wasn't Reinhardt supposed to make his promise, then walk away?_

 _Sliding his palm down her shoulder, Kyoya gently took hold of her hand as he lowered himself to one knee. Taking into account Reinhardt's personality and his personal emotions, a new version of the story began to unweave before the audiences' very eyes."I need you by my side, my Princess." Pressing his forehead against the back of her hand, he spoke in the knight's chivalrous tone."Without your guidance, I could get lost in the way and never find my way back to you. The thought alone, it plagues me with fear." He glanced up momentarily, casting her a readied look. "Of course, the outside world is dangerous. It's filled with people who won't hesitate to hurt and destroy you. But if you were to accompany me, I swear that I will protect you with my body and soul." His eyes crinkle softly. "What do you say?"_

 _Though Miki was still confused by the sudden need for improvisation, she couldn't hide the radiant smile that found its way onto her cheeks as she allowed her intuition to handle the rest. "Yes." Clasping onto his hand, she nodded. "I'd love to."_

This brought the drama club and Tamaki to tears, and they decide to change the script last minute as they found it more emotionally impactful.

After rehearsal, Kyoya and Miki are left alone as Kyoya finally gets an explanation of why Miki's been avoiding him. While he is internally quite happy that Miki considers him her 'most cherished' person, he also gets annoyed at her for turning a problem so insignificant into something much bigger than it was. Miki apologizes for this but then proceeds to point out that he looked 'extremely cool' while he was altering the script while acting out the role of Reinhardt.

Kyoya thinks about this for a moment, before informing her that what he said wasn't entirely an act. As Miki grew confused by what he was implying, Kyoya took the chance to leave the drama room.

 **Chapter Idea #2 - Targeted?! Miki's rise to Stardom!**

 _A/N: This was just a silly little idea that crossed my mind at some point, but it ended up being cut due to being too much of a filler chapter, and I felt that Miki would come off as a bit of Mary-Sue-ish by the end of it. But since I am sharing some Lost Chapter Ideas, this should be fine, right? Another reason this was cut was also that I am not exactly sure how you incorporate songs with lyrics into a story chapter. Either way, think of this as a 'musical chapter' if anything. I've also included the songs I would've used if I knew how to incorporate it into the story. Enjoy~_

One day when Miki was out shopping with Reiko, a photography crew stopped the two and asked to take a photo of them. They claimed to be part of the staff at the mall, looking for customers to photograph for an upcoming holiday event and asked if they would like to participate. With no reason to refuse, the girls agreed. Miki also left her email and phone number with the staff as they promised to personally send the photos afterwards.

However, what ended up arriving in Miki's mail was not the photos she took with Reiko, but an acceptance letter and a request to participate in an upcoming Idol Audition.

As it turns out, the photographers from the mall were actually the staff of a talent agency. They had accidentally mixed Miki's photos in with the audition files, resulting in her acceptance into the audition. They also requested for Miki to participate in the audition, not to compete, but to fulfill the number of participants. Under the conditions that she would be removed from the selection process and that her privacy would not be disturbed, Miki agreed in the name of new experiences.

Even though it is only for show, the staff still suggested for Miki to begin taking lessons for dancing, singing and acting to keep up appearances. While she is completely fine with it, Tamaki grows extremely worried. He points out that these lessons go from the crack of dawn until late in the night, and that Miki even had to leave school early a few times to attend these lessons. Initially, the host club writes this off as Tamaki and his usual sister-complex. But it wasn't until Miki was becoming noticeably paler and nearly lost her footing during class, did they finally begin to take this seriously.

Everyone (except Kyoya who has been oddly silent on the matter) goes to visit Miki during her lessons at the agency, only find the staff already making banners, posters and advertisements for her. They confess that the 'photo mix-up' was, in fact, not an accident as they fully intend on debuting Miki as a proper idol. As the club voices their protests, Tamaki questions whether or not Miki knows of this new development, to which the staff replies that she has accepted it and is working hard towards her new goal, leaving the hosts unable to argue back. The agency staff also request that the boys do not tell Miki of the pre-made banners and advertisements, claiming that it would only put unnecessary pressure on her as well as instruct them to stay away from her at school and lessons.

Flash sideways to Kyoya, who is busy working on the club's budget in his room at the Ootori Mansion. The bodyguard trio interrupts, bringing him photos of the merchandise and banners the talent agency has already prepared as well as a report detailing how the money expenditure within the company raises a few questionable points.

On the day of the audition, the host club gathered at the venue to watch how it plays out. Backstage, Miki manages to become friends with four other girls who were also the front runners in the upcoming audition. She is moved after hearing about how hard each girl worked towards their dreams of becoming an idol; she becomes even more motivated to become a production designer herself. But before that, she agreed to do her best in the audition in the name of a friendly competition between the girls.

In Miki's turn, she sings a sweet bubblegum-pop as her entry. Honey remarks that she looks super happy performing, Haruhi and Mori agree. Hikaru and Kaoru point out that Miki's personality was suitable for becoming an idol from the start. This leaves Tamaki feeling a little bittersweet as he looks on in a mixture of pride and an unwillingness to let go. The judges conclude that while Miki's voice isn't the most stable, and her dance moves are a little stiff (she's trained in more formal dances such as ballet and ballroom), her stage presence and overall charm are undeniable.

After all the performances, the announcer is about to reveal the winner of the audition and Tamaki finds himself unable to stand still any longer. He runs to the bottom of the stage and questions Miki's decision, asking if she really wants to become an idol. Miki is confused by this and reminds them of how she was only supposed to be filling in for the participation numbers of the audition, much to her new friends' surprise. But the staff from the agency interrupt and attempt to have Tamaki and the hosts removed from the event hall only for Yuzuru to intervene, revealing that he's been sitting in the audience along with Kyoya the entire time.

Under the guise of investigation for embezzlement, Yuzuru condemns the staff for 'attempting to manipulate a poor girl for their own self-interest' and states that the Suoh Cooperation has bought out the talent agency and confiscated all of the CDs, posters and merchandise they have created of Miki. Only then did the staff realize which families these kids are from and that they've messed with the wrong people.

Pushing through the chaos, Kyoya manages to get hold of the microphone. Looking Miki directly in the eye, he begins to speak.

 _"Well then, Miki. Tell me, would you like to continue down this path and potentially become an idol?"_

 _"No, thank you."_

 _"Why? Why don't you want to become an idol? Isn't that every girl's dream?" (This is one of the agency staff members speaking)_

 _"While this experience has been quite exciting in itself, I still have my own dreams I want to pursue. Besides, the others standing on stage with me today are far more qualified to become idols than I ever will. They've worked through blood, sweat and tears, struggling and fighting to get to the point they are at today, and their efforts should not be overlooked in any way. I, on the other hand, want to continue working hard towards my goal of becoming the world's best production designer."_

Miki's new friends thank her and wish her well on her future career choice. As the girls talk, Kyoya smirks to himself as he returns the microphone. He's known her answer all along, but he thought it would be more entertaining to invite Yuzuru along and see how things pan out. (He might've also wanted to watch Miki perform)

A month and a half later, it's revealed that the four girls Miki met at the audition have officially debuted as a girl group and have found great success in their music. The girls remained in contact and grew to be close friends, leading them to gift Miki two VIP tickets to their upcoming first live concert. Naturally, Miki invites Kyoya to go with her.

 **Chapter Idea #3 - April Fools Special**

 _A/N: This was an idea that I really wanted to whip up for April Fools Day, but I didn't have the time to write it due to schoolwork and general life stuff. For some background information, an acquaintance came up to me as I was doing some story mapping. I believe I was drafting out what I wanted to do with the France School Trip arc, planning if that was the appropriate time for Miki to finally become a little more self-aware of her feelings that Kyoya was special to her. My friend asked me what I was doing, so I explained to them, and they responded with the most baffling thing._

 _"It's just a fanfiction; it should be pretty easy to write."_

 _Now, I'm not usually the type to be triggered by any little thing, but this comment really got under my skin. Writing a good story and a good character is not easy. Fanfiction or otherwise. Having an original character inserted within an established storyline and franchise doesn't immediately make the character or story 'good.' Adding a new character to the main cast is an extremely delicate procedure, it requires careful planning and consideration as you must also make sure that the new character doesn't unintentionally mess with the pre-existing dynamic or halt any progressing character development. If anything, the original character should provide support to some canon relationships as well as adding to their own. (Remember, if the world feels like it is revolving around the original character, it might begin to come off as Mary Sue-ish)_

 _I know for a fact that I, along with many other writers out there, almost hold ourselves to impossibly high standards because we want to deliver the best quality chapter we can to our readers. So it feels incredibly frustrating when what we do is seen as easy, simply because it's 'fanfiction.' Anywho, sorry for going on a tangent on character creation, but the conversation gave me a little idea._

 _What if I were to mess everything I built up till that point in one joke chapter?_

 _Of course, it would've been entirely clear the chapter was meant to be taken as a satirical piece. But I wondered, how much of the story I could destroy?_

(Major Cringe up ahead. I'm sorry if this offends anyone, that is not my intention. Everything listed below just ruins everything I've built up about Miki and her relationship to the rest of the Ouran Universe.)

Miki would reveal to only have been pretending to be airheaded and dumb the entire time. Secretly, she was an assassin the whole time! The Fernández family actually turned out to be a crime syndicate, and Miki is their super nimble, sharp-shooting genius killer sent to kill Kyoya. Still, it's okay because she miraculously realized that she's been in love with him all this time, so she's not going to kill him. Like she's been head-over-heels since they first laid eyes on each other, like in love with him.

Kyoya, on the other hand, is being super kind and compassionate as Miki vents the difficulties of her life to him. He's hugging her, smiling warmly, sympathizing and comforting her. He even swore to disregard everything, including his family name, if it meant being with her! He also managed to meet Miki's ex-boyfriend, who flew in from Spain to visit see her cause he still loves her. What? How does Miki have an ex-boyfriend if she was confined to a tower all this time? Reasons! They both declare their love to each other and get together!

Tamaki has actually hated Miki since the very beginning. He has just been pretending to care. And they've been getting along together since day one. They've both known how to act if they had a sibling all this time, and Miki's been calling him 'Nii-chan' since day one.

Sora and Sumire have despised her all this time too. Because she spends too much time with the host club, and they're both super jealous. They've been secretly bullying Miki because they want her to stay away from their favourite hosts. Reiko doesn't like her too; she spends too much time with Honey.

Mori confessed to Miki in a grand gesture while she was in France.

No one in the Fernández family cares about Miki. No one.

Arden is actually in love with Miki too. That's why he's been so loyal to her. (Honestly, I realized this a little while later. But Arden not being in love with Miki gives his actions so much more weight than if he did. He isn't blinded or influenced by any kind of romantic feelings, yet he still does what he does out of sheer loyalty and a purer form of love. )

 _A/N: Phew, sorry. I just needed to get that off my chest. Still, I hope you got some laughs out of this._

 **-OTP Questions-**

 _A/N: A few of you have requested me to do this. So here we go, OTP Questions for Kyoki!_

 **1\. Who is the most affectionate?**

Miki. She loves cuddling and just generally being close to Kyoya.

 **2\. Big spoon/Little spoon?**

I don't imagine these two spooning that often. Kyoya would probably like to actually see Miki's face, and Miki likes to rest her head on Kyoya's chest. But if they do, Miki would be the little spoon and Kyoya would be the big spoon.

 **3\. Most common arguments?**

It's a constant routine. Miki says/does something dumb, Kyoya scolds her, Miki apologizes, Kyoya can't find it in himself to stay mad at her, especially when she looks so guilty and apologetic already.

 **4\. Favourite non-sexual activity?**

Cuddling on a bed or couch as they each do their things. I imagine that Kyoya reads a lot in his downtime, so he probably does that, running a hand through Miki's hair as she sketches.

 **5\. Who is most likely to carry the other?**

... Do you really think Miki can lift Kyoya up? (The answer is Kyoya)

 **6\. What is their favourite feature of their partners?**

Miki likes Kyoya's chest. Despite being a little on the bonier side, she finds it quite sturdy and recognizes his embrace as her 'safe place,' thus, she likes to bury her face in his chest or lean on it for support.

Kyoya likes Miki's hair. Not the colour, but the texture. It's so silky and soft; he finds it incredibly soothing to run his fingers through.

 **7\. What's the first thing that changes when they realize they have feelings for the other?**

I don't think Kyoya's really changed much, considering he's Ootori Kyoya. But as I was writing, I have noticed that his character has gotten softer in a relatively natural way, particularly towards Miki. But he still often questioned the... type of girl he fell for.

Miki's change is a lot more apparent. She began to develop a broader range of emotions, much beyond her usual 'happy-go-lucky' one. On a similar note, I don't know if anyone noticed this, so I'll point this out here. While Miki was in France, she changed her hairstyle and began to wear her bangs down. This not only served both as a metaphor for "Rapunzel let down your hair', but was also a direct result of Kyoya complimenting her bangs way back at the school festival race. Meaning, she not only remembered his simple remark but decided to change her hairstyle, simply because he said he liked it.

 **8\. Nicknames? & if so, how did they originate?**

They call each other by their names. And yes, Miki would eventually drop the '-kun' prefix and straight up call him Kyoya.

 **9\. Who worries the most?**

Neither of them are really the type to worry, but if I had to choose, it'd probably be Kyoya. Miki's lacking any sort of common sense keeps him on edge.

 **10\. Who remembers what the other one always orders at a restaurant?**

They both are able to remember what each other order, but I think Kyoya would be able to provide more details about Miki's.

 **11\. Who tops?**

Let's just say Kyoya prefers to be the one in control.

 **12\. Who reaches for the other's hand first?**

Miki. But she likes threading her arm through his when they walk around, so she does that instead. Kyoya prefers to hold hands (arm in arm is too embarrassing for him)

 **13\. Who initiates kisses?**

Both of them do, but Miki does so more often. Kyoya mostly initiates a kiss when he feels like it, while Miki has two specific moments. For one, she likes to steal them whenever Kyoya is not paying attention or seems a little too stressed, just because she can, and she knows its a valid method way to get him to relax a little.

Her other 'moment' is usually when she is upset or just bored. She'd grab onto the hem of his sleeve and peer up at him, before asking for a kiss in her usual blunt manner. Kyoya is usually down.

 **14\. Who kisses the hardest?**

Perhaps it's out of revenge for tempting him for so long, Kyoya can be pretty ruthless when it comes to kissing Miki as evidence by Chapters 45 & 49\. Most of the time, these are extended off of the playful kisses Miki initiates, but Kyoya would see them as a challenge of some sort. If Miki can't get away quick enough, he'd push her up against the nearest wall and kiss her senseless, hardly leaving her air to breath nor room to resist.

 **15\. Who wakes up first?**

Miki. She's used to it thanks to Tamaki. She also likes to watch Kyoya sleep, and sneak him kisses for fun.

 **16\. Who wants to stay in bed just a little longer?**

Kyoya, no contest. And yes, he does knows that Miki sneaks him kisses as he sleeps. So at some point, he starts sleeping in on purpose.

 **17\. Who says I love you first?**

According to Chapters 36 & 48, Kyoya.

 **18\. Who leaves little notes in the other's one lunch? (Bonus: what does it usually say?)**

With their... luxurious lifestyles, these two would probably never need to take a boxed lunch anywhere. But on the subject of notes, I'd like to imagine Kyoya tends to leave them for Miki as she wakes up in the morning. Keep in mind, Miki's future job is the Head Production Designer for big-budget movies; these involve long and irregular work hours and quite a bit of night shoots. For that reason, she probably goes to bed at around 4 a.m. while waking up at 2 p.m. to go back on set. Kyoya has a (somewhat) regular work schedule and therefore wakes up at around 8 a.m. on a workday.

The messages would always be pretty simple, though. Something along the lines of: "Have a good day.", "Take care." or "Be careful." But Miki still appreciates it nonetheless and collects all the little notes in a small box at her desk.

 **19\. Who tells their family/friends about their relationship first?**

Neither. Kyoya doesn't say anything because he finds it entertaining to see their reactions as they figure out for themselves while Miki is just her usual "You never asked" attitude.

 **20\. What do their family/friends think of their relationship?**

Let's start with Miki's side of the family.

Yuzuru approves. He respects and recognizes Kyoya's intelligence and views him as worthy of Miki. But I do imagine somewhere on the inside; he's pretty salty about another man stealing away his precious daughter. And when Miki does eventually get pregnant, he'll constantly be side-eyeing Kyoya in a passive-aggressive way - since being pregnant means, they actually did 'it.'

Tamaki did not realize until it was practically spelt out before him with waving banners and an LED board. Before he finally got clued in on their relationship, I imagine Tamaki to be constantly interfering in their private time: assuming that Kyoya's invitation towards Miki includes himself, dropping-in uninvited while they are on their dates, etc. But when he does figure out, oh lord, did this boy had a heart attack. His first reaction, like any overprotective brother, was to object to their relationship. He'd yell stuff like "Onii-sama will NOT allow this!" while bawling his eyes out. It isn't until the rest of the hosts finally drill it through his thick skull that Miki will be married one day, to Kyoya or not, does Tamaki eventually calmed down and think it through. Then he becomes all for it; because he realized that if his precious little sister were to be married to anyone, he'd want it to be to Kyoya over anyone else. And that would also mean that his best friend would become his brother-in-law, so that's a plus (much to Kyoya's dismay).

Elisa approves of Kyoya and Miki's relationship, and considers what they have as 'true love.' She holds an immense amount of gratitude towards Kyoya, mostly due to all that he's done for her daughter. She is also well aware of Kyoya's disdain towards her, but she doesn't hold any grudges about it as she finds it quite reasonable from his standpoint. Now that I think about it, these two are actually more alike than we realized...

Elena ships it. I'd like to imagine that she was constantly gossiping to Agustin about their potential romance back in the Madrid arc. Selene doesn't hold too much of an opinion on the subject, but she does find them quite endearing. Alejandro and Rita hate it or don't care.

Arden is not technically family, but he mine as well be thanks to how much of a contribution he made when it comes to raising Miki, so I'll throw him in too. Arden has a similar sentiment to Tamaki in this aspect: As in if Miki were to marry anyone, he'd want it to be Kyoya. Arden holds a significant deal amount of respect for him, evident by him asking Kyoya of all people for help when Miki was in trouble. If anyone asked, I think he'd say something along the lines of "I could not fathom holding anyone else to the same regard as Milday than Master Kyoya."

Okay, now for Kyoya's side of the family.

Yoshio does like Miki quite a bit. Though part of it is due to her connections in the Suoh family, I'd also like to think that it's because he admires her strong work ethic, as he's witnessed how hardworking and sincere she was first-hand back at the Ouran festival. When he has the time, he often invites Miki over to their place for dinner, so that he could get to know his future daughter-in-law a little better.

Fuyumi totally ships it. She frequently advises both of them when it comes to their relationship, and fawns over how cute they are as a couple. She also finds it absolutely hilarious how Miki can get her brother to lose his cool so easily and quickly.

Yuichi is an interesting one. I don't have much to go off of about his character, so this is all just speculation. I feel like not only does Yuichi approve of Miki's relationship with Kyoya, but he would actually dote on her quite a bit. Of course, it wouldn't be obvious, seeing as the man still has an image and reputation to keep up. It'd be something simple, like whenever he'd go on business trips, he always remembers to bring back a souvenir for her from the destination of his travel, like keychains, mugs or figurines just to satisfy her curiosity. All in all, he sees her as an adorable little sister.

As briefly mentioned in Chapter 45, Akito really doesn't like Miki and doesn't approve of her relationship with his brother. He sees her as nothing but a 'wedlock benefit' and finds her too stupid and airheaded to even associate with the Ootori family. He also can't fathom why the rest of his family even likes her in the slightest. Either way, he doesn't get any say in the matter, so all he can do is give her snide glances in the hall or across the dining table, not like Miki notices though.

Once again, they aren't really family members, but I think the Ootori bodyguard trio deserves a shoutout as well, so I'll include them. Tachibana and Aijima both care a lot for Miki. They also find it quite endearing how much Kyoya softens around her, so they try to serve her with as much commitment and respect as they do with Kyoya. Hotta, on the other hand, gets super flustered and awkward around Miki. This is mostly because he doesn't know how to handle her and her enthusiasm, but he still cares a lot for her though. I imagine somewhere into the future, Kyoya would take Hotta off of his bodyguard team and transfer him to accompany Miki around along with Arden, partly to 'bully' Hotta and partly because of how well he 'gets along' with Miki.

I'll try and keep it brief with the 'friends' category.

In terms of the Host Club, they all support Kyoya and Miki's relationship. Haruhi and Hikaru are still in shock that Kyoya and Miki are actually an item, mostly due to how different their personalities are. Kaoru is arguably one of the OG Kyoki shippers, but he tends to feel a little out of place in their 'Younger Siblings' trio group. Nevertheless, he tries to give both of them advice to the best of his extent whenever they ask for it. Honey is all for it and is one of the most active members along with Kaoru in the 'keep Tamaki out of their private time together' squad. Mori is just happy, knowing that Miki is happy.

Reiko, as seen before kinda has an internal rivalry going on with Kyoya. I'd like to imagine that she already has voodoo dolls and hexes ready. In the case that Kyoya was to hurt her best friend in any way, she will ready to release all hell on him. Sora and Sumire tend to fawn over the two of them as a couple and often gives helpful advice to Miki in her more... confused moments.

Kuze is generally supportive of their relationship, despite feeling super insulted whenever he's around either of them. Matsuyama, on the other hand, loves teaching Miki more ways to toy with/tempt Kyoya just for fun. And knowing Miki, she always follows them without question. It got the point where Kyoya had to temporarily ban alone time between the girls because Matsuyama keeps teaching Miki 'weird stuff'.

Phew, that was a long one.

 **21\. Who is more likely to start dancing with the other?**

Both of them are great at dancing due to their high-class background, and they both enjoy it to some extent. So I'd say it's an equal split.

 **22\. Who cooks more/who is better at cooking?**

Assuming they'd even have to cook at some point in their luxurious lives, Kyoya would definitely be better at it than Miki ever will.

 **23\. Who comes up with cheesy pick-up lines?**

I don't think either of them are the type to come up with pick-up lines, but Miki does say some pretty shameless things from time to time.

 **24\. Who whispers inappropriate things in the other's ear during inappropriate times?**

Miki for the same reason above. It drives Kyoya mad.

 **25\. Who needs more assurance?**

Both of them are relatively confident people, so I don't imagine either of them needing assurance. But Miki loves to give lots of support and encouragement to Kyoya.

 **26\. What would be their theme song?**

Meikyuu Love Song by Arashi

I couldn't find any lyric videos for this song, so I decided to make my own. Remember to turn on captions. ️

 **27\. Who would sing to their child back to sleep?**

Miki, but they'd both be there as she does. Because eventually, Miki would end up singing herself to sleep, and it'd be up to Kyoya to carry her back to their room.

 **28\. What do they do when they're away from each other?**

They both have their own dreams and aspirations to fulfill, so when they aren't together, they're most likely to be working their respective goals. Otherwise, Miki loves going out shopping with Reiko while Kyoya is probably caught up in Tamaki's shenanigans.

 **29\. One headcanon about this OTP that breaks your heart.**

The sad truth is, due to how weak Miki is physically, she is not going to live a very long life. Though her lifespan will already be significantly prolonged by both the Suoh and Ootori family's support and resources, Kyoya would still probably outlive her by a good 13-15 years. I think Miki would pass away around her late 50s to early 60s, while Kyoya would probably live to his mid-80s.

 **30\. One headcanon about this OTP that mends it.**

Kyoya recognizes this fact pretty early on, and he would do everything within his power to make it so that Miki has no regrets when she does eventually pass away. This includes checking off everything on her bucket list, travelling the world and generally doing everything she wants to do. After her eventual death, Kyoya would not be romantically involved with anyone until his eventual passing. They'll reunite in heaven and live happily there. (Or they'll both go to hell, and rule as the Demon King and Queen)

 **-Author Tag-**

 **1\. How old were you when you first starting writing fanfiction?**

I was around 15-years-old, I believe, when I first began writing Kirin Koka.

 **2\. Do you prefer writing OC's or reader inserts? Explain your answer.**

I wholly prefer writing original characters. Mostly because I feel like they have a lot more creative freedom and room for a distinct personality compared to reader inserts.

 **3\. What is your favourite genre to write for?**

Romance is a must, of course. Otherwise, I like writing about everything. Comedy, Drama, Adventure, etc. Anything I feel passionate about, really.

 **4\. When is your preferred time to write?**

I am a major night owl. I prefer writing anytime between 11 pm to 4 am.

 **5\. Where do you take your inspiration from?**

Anything really. But you'll probably notice that my biggest source of inspiration are from classic fairytale books. Snow White in Kirin Koka, Rapunzel and Cinderella. I just love over-analyzing fairytale symbolism!

 **6\. In your story, what's your favourite scene that you wrote?**

Hmm, this is difficult to say. My favourite scene hands-down is in Chapter 47 when Miki just absolutely loses it as she is talking to Anne-Sophie. It's a scene that I've been building up and planning for such a long time, and I think it turned out beautiful.

I also love the finale of the Wedding Arc, of which Elisa's true nature is finally revealed. Many comments before that have been calling her out for being a terrible and manipulative mother, so that scene really felt satisfying to put out. (Not that I wasn't snickering every time someone rightfully assumed she'd be a bitch of a mother)

Other than those two, I still love that ending scene in Chapter 10. It really felt the like turning point in the Kyoki ship, which began their rollercoaster-like journey towards getting together.

 **7\. In your story, why did you decide to end it like that? Did you have an alternate ending in mind?**

Why did I decide to end it like that? Well, because Miki deserves a happy ending. The poor girl has been through so much stress, trauma and unfair circumstances directed against her; I would be a monster to make her suffer continually.

I do actually have an alternate ending for if things went awry, and I originally wanted to have it ready for the 1-year-anniversary, but I was so swamped with schoolwork I couldn't get it done in time. I'll try to have it up soon though, please be patient~

 **8\. Post a line from a WIP that you're working on.**

 _"If it's to protect the King, I'm always willing to sacrifice the Queen."_

 **9\. Can you give us a spoiler for one of your WIP's?**

Ooo. Spoilers, huh? Well, I can tell you this. To all of you reading Cinderella, Choju is quite an... eccentric character despite her initial appearance ;).

 **10\. Do you have any abandoned WIP's? What made you abandon them?**

I do. I've had an old Fairy Tail Reader Insert story, I've written a few chapters for. But ended up abandoning because of my dislike for the reader insert writing style.

Other than that, I was actually debating between a SDR2 story or a DRV3 one prior to the release of Cinderella. But I ended up going with V3, mostly cause the original character for SDR2 wouldn't be nearly as interesting as Choju, the original character from the V3.

I also have a planned but not entirely abandoned The Promised Neverland Story Idea. But I was reluctant about posting it due to the lack of a proper finale yet. I wanted to wait for the ending to plan everything out properly.

 **12\. Do you have a story that you look back on and cringe when you reread it?**

Kirin Koka. As much as I love the series and characters, some of the plot points feel a bit... juvenile and cringy. If I had a little more time down the future, I'd probably try to rewrite the entire series into something a little more... mature and refined. Despite that, I still have no intention of taking the series down. It's where my fanfiction writing journey began after all.

 **13\. Do you prefer listening to music when you're writing or do you need silence?**

I like listening to lyricless music. Just some nice and calming background tunes.

 **14\. Have you ever cried whilst writing a story?**

Not yet, surprisingly. Miki's confrontation with Anne-Sophie and Elisa's True Nature nearly brought me to tears though.

 **15\. Which part of your story was the hardest to write?**

The hardest to write would undoubtedly be the Orienteering Festival Arc. It just wasn't the most interesting, and I wasn't particularly fond of Megumi either. But because of how vital the arc was to Tamaki's development, I felt that I had to include it.

 **16\. Do you make a general outline for your stories, or do you just go with the flow?**

I do. I usually write with a clear goal in mind, as well as a general outline for character and relationship development. Certain scenes and interactions are also plotted out way beforehand, so that I have an idea where the series is generally going. Changes can happen along the way, though, and that's always exciting.

 **17\. Do you have a story that you feel doesn't get as much love as you'd like?**

Also, Kirin Koka. As cringy as it can get, I don't think it's that bad for a story written by a 15-year-old. So hey, if you all have the time and the background information in Fushigi Yuugi. Go give that a read. :)

 **18\. Do you prefer first, second or third person?**

I prefer third person, no contest. I can't get used to writing first-person, having to get into their thoughts and everything. And second-person just feel strange.

 **19\. What do you like to do other than writing?**

Hmm. Many of you may not know this, but I'm actually an actor in real life. Nothing huge like the lead-role in certain movies, but I have gotten a few secondary roles here or there. I also voice act here or there when I have time, as well as scriptwriting.

Otherwise, I like to read, bake and play video games. I'm a massive fan of both Classic and Modern Fire Emblem, Pokemon, Danganronpa, Zero Escape and the Persona Series. I am a little bit of a nerd XD.

 _A/N: Seriously, thank you all so much for everything! In this one short year, we've journeyed with Miki through her year-long adventure at Ouran Academy, we've laughed, cried and even got mad for her. I've gotten comments telling me that on a difficult or stressful day, our clueless little Miki has managed to make your day a little brighter, and it means so much to me to see that my story can positively impact someone like that._

 _Slowly but surely, Miki's story is coming to an end. With the three epilogues, short story collection, alternate ending and side story being the last entries of the series. Thank you all so much for this journey, and I hope to see you all again in my next works!_


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